Court Opinion

ID: 9463504
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 23:09:07.126663+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:38:09.288860
License: Public Domain

BROWNING, Circuit Judge,
concurring:
I concur because I believe the BNDD regulations can be reasonably read as authorizing petitioner’s conduct as found by the district court.
Although the regulations prohibit an agent from firing “at fleeing suspects,” they impliedly authorize firing at a person “to protect [the agent’s] own life or that of some other person.” It was not unreasonable for the agent to believe the regulations, read together, authorized him to shoot a fleeing suspect who posed a danger to the life of the agent or other person. The two provisions are to be read together, not as independent, absolute commands. An agent would not be required to remain passive if a suspect fired as he fled. The present case is only a slight step removed. The district court found that petitioner reasonably believed the suspect had shot Agent Filben and was armed and dangerous, and that if the suspect reached the cover of the woods the lives of the pursuing officers would be endangered. The court further found that petitioner acted honestly and reasonably in shooting the suspect. The findings are not clearly erroneous. In light of the findings, I conclude the agent acted within the scope of his authority. See In re Fair, 100 F. 149, 154-55 (D.Neb.1900).