unfortunately out there (and in Europe too) the child molesters are equally well armed and often smarter and better resourced than cops (or they would get caught when they first start committing the crimes which often starts in their teens).
20 years ago in my country private individuals lost the right to legally own pistols (for target shooting and other non lethal sport, it has always been illegal to shoot people dead simply because you do not like the look of them or they might be trying to nick your stuff)
This was mainly because a pedo shot up a entire junior school in Scotland; using 4 pistols he had legal ownership licenses (although through credit card fraud), before committing suicide himself using one of the weapons.
I grew up in 1970s/80s when it wasn’t “un-PC” for boys to like guns, and your Dad often encouraged this. Even then nuns didn’t complain; although they did teach you that it is wrong to shoot any animal you are not going to eat (or is going to eat you) or people who are not also pointing guns at you (and/or have taken your country from you), and having a war is undesirable anyway.
I do not feel we really need to carry pistols and other firearms in the street in Europe during peacetime (that is why it is called peacetime) and hope that this always remains the case; but there should be safe places for folk to responsibly use firerarms and those who do should be properly trained; especially cops and soldiers.
This incident (which would cause a major investigation in Europe or even China) is more to do with lack of training. US cops think that 9mm parabellum rounds are “too weak” and use .40 S&W or .45 – the recoil on these when repeatedly fired causes the barrel to rise and thus the inaccuracy.
it is caused by similar culture to when the 9 year old girl at the USA range was allowed to fire a 9mm para carbine on full auto but not taught about recoil; causing the weapon to swing round on a stand and her instructor to get shot dead.
In Europe they would only let her fire .22LR on a long barrel rifle; even the cops are only allowed to fire 3 rounds in succession a 9mm para carbine – thus accidents like these are less common.
