Stanford CIS

Use of robot to kill Dallas gunman spurs debate over killer tech

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"“Using bombs in general is pretty unheard of in policing, rather than a firearm,” said Peter Asaro, co-founder and vice chair of the International Committee for Robot Arms Control and a philosopher of technology who teaches at the New School in New York City.

Ryan Calo, a law professor at the University of Washington School of Law in Seattle who specializes in robotics law and policy, said he does not see legal or even ethical issues in the use of the device in Dallas, given the extreme danger of the situation. He compared it to having a robotic device do the job of a human sniper.

“Under these circumstances, I would be surprised if anyone held these officers legally or even morally accountable,” he said. “They had limited options, and they were absolutely authorized to use force given the ongoing threat.”"