Tell that to the guy who shot himself through the penis.
I doubt that was his intent.
Perfectly legal. Not smart.
It was his responsibility to know how to use his gun safely, and do so.
It’s completely untrue that speaking to the police first,“removes most of the instructional elements of the encounter”. The whole point of filming them (when they’re just doing their jobs - these cops weren’t doing anything wrong until the direct encounter with the ‘photog’ or he would have released that footage as well) is to let them know they’re being watched, and may be legally recorded at any time. It also sets up a situation where they can get used to the idea of being recorded. It does all that while removing any physical concern you may present to them. They do have good reason to be nervous when you’re far enough away that they can’t clearly see what you’re holding, and have no idea who you are.
