TTAG reader DJR writes:
A press release from Washington State University [click here to read] promotes the findings of its aptly named SHOT Lab (the Simulated Hazardous Operational Tasks Laboratory). The report, recently published in the Journal of Experimental Criminology, confirms that there are indeed racial disparities in defensive shootings. But the conclusions don’t reveal the disparity we’ve been primed to expect . . .
In summary, although the subjects of the study (85 percent of them white) were more likely to show an unconscious threat reaction when confronted with black suspects, they took longer to fire at black suspects than at white or Hispanic suspects — and were less likely to fire in error.
[Lead author and assistant research professor at WSU Spokane’s Sleep and Performance Research Center Lois] James’ study is a follow-up to one in which she found active police officers, military personnel and the general public took longer to shoot black suspects than white or Hispanic suspects. Participants were also more likely to shoot unarmed white suspects than black or Hispanic ones and more likely to fail to fire at armed black suspects.
“In other words,” wrote James and her co-authors, “there was significant bias favoring blacks where decisions to shoot were concerned.”
When confronted by an armed white person, participants took an average of 1.37 seconds to fire back. Confronted by an armed black person, they took 1.61 seconds to fire and were less likely to fire in error. The 240-millisecond difference may seem small, but it’s enough to be fatal in a shooting.
During the Zimmerman trial and now with the controversy surrounding the Michael Brown homicide in Ferguson, race baiters promoted the idea that blacks are a “special” target for white concealed carriers and police. Once again the prog/left narrative falls flat on its face when facts come into play. I’m guessing this report won’t get much play in the mainstream media.