Opinion ID: 575867
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The use of deadly force.

Text: 46 We have recently had occasion to reaffirm that, under this court's clearly established precedent, a person has a right not to be shot unless he [is] perceived to pose a threat to the pursuing officers or others. Robinson v. Bibb, 840 F.2d 349, 351 (6th Cir.1988) (citing with approval Garner v. Memphis Police Dep't, 710 F.2d 240, 246 (6th Cir.1983), aff'd and rem'd sub nom. Tennessee v. Garner, 471 U.S. 1, 105 S.Ct. 1694, 85 L.Ed.2d 1 (1985)). 47 Bubenhofer was shot a total of twenty-two times by officers Lemker, Scholl, and Sizemore, even though he was armed only with knives. In addition, plaintiffs raise a genuine issue of fact as to whether, in the second and third round of discharges of the officers' revolvers, the officers may have shot Bubenhofer even though he posed no serious threat of physical harm. Finally, the record suggests that some ten to twelve minutes elapsed between the second and third series of shots, during which time Bubenhofer apparently dropped his knife. Given the current state of the record, we believe that a reasonable jury might conclude that the officers' repeated use of their revolvers violated this court's clearly established precedent on the use of deadly force. Therefore we find that summary judgment at this juncture was unwarranted. 48 Accordingly, we reverse the district court's grant of summary judgment as to all three officers with respect to the shooting of Bubenhofer.