Quote Originally Posted by Soulforged
Does it matter if the man was only trained to kill? No. As well as he can shoot a can from 100 m of distance he can shoot to his arm, instead of his head. Also mans are not machines, men usually can think for their own. That reason is perfectly understandable, looking at it logically, but the object at the end of the gun is an human being, so you can say "try the arms please", if you shoot the chest well...It will be wrong anyway, but at least you demonstrate that you're not a machine but an human..
Shooting a can at 100 meters with a pistol is not an easy task - one must line up the shot - and aim really carefully. Often there is absolutely no stress involved in that shot.

Shooting at an individual who might or might not have a bomb, but claims to have one. On an airplane where innocent people are wondering if the threat is real - and I would image some were not calm and rational around the pilot, Knowing that if you miss your target you will hit one of the innocent bystanders on the airplane.

You can question the judgement of wether the Air Marshall was right in shooting the man who claimed to have a bomb. But once the decision was reached to shoot the Air Marshall only had one opition - and that is to hit and stop the man. An arm shot and a leg shot does not stop an individual.