Analysis of fatal police shootings revealed five key factors: (1) Commission of a Serious Criminal Offense by the deceased, who had attempted to kill apprehending police; (2) Alcohol/Drugs consumption by deceased suspects in more than half of cases involving police use of deadly force; (3) Mental Disorder/Irrational Behavior by roughly half of the individuals shot and killed by police; (4) Mistaken Facts; and (5) Victim-Precipitated Homicide, in which an individual engaged in a calculated life-threatening criminal incident in order to force police to kill him or her. Police should seriously consider establishing rigorous training in regards to firearm deployment and in dealing with mentally deranged individuals. The option of retreat or "tactical withdrawal" should be included in police responses to armed and dangerous or suicidal persons. Alternative weaponry, such as the Taser, could be used to immobilize a suspect who is behaving irrationally. The threat of using a firearm is frequently ineffective and costly--to both the officer and the victim.