re: #63 celticdragon

In hindsight, the unprecedented lockdown of an entire city like that was unwarranted. But at the time of the bombing, it wasn’t clear just what their training, means, measures, etc., were and whether more attacks were forthcoming. Dorner’s situation made it clear that he was targeting police, and his mode of attack to that point wasn’t bombing public spaces, but shooting police and those affiliated with them.

The Boston bombers attacked a high visibility public sports event, and could have resulted in more deaths and casualties than did occur (not unlike the fizzle in the Times Square bombing case where had the bomb gone off as planned, it could have resulted in hundreds of casualties all across the area). Police tactics in the lockdown will be debated going forward as to whether it was useful or warranted going forward. The civil liberties angle will likewise be debated.

Unfortunately (from your view), I expect that law enforcement will continue to err on the side of locking down when faced with the next inevitable bombing-type attack.