Was the police shooting to kill not unnecessary?

I think they just reacted because it looked like she was about to stab Norman.

My impression was that she was also intending to do so at that moment. She says "you killed them all" and raises the knife against Norman to stab him.

It is argued here that it is far too great a risk for a police officer to shoot a perpetrator in the arm or leg because the chance of missing is too high, and the attacker may then proceed to harm or kill the victim.

Why shooting to wound doesn’t make sense scientifically, legally, or tactically
https://www.police1.com/patrol-issues/articles/why-shooting-to-wound-doesnt-make-sense-scientifically-legally-or-tactically-6bOdYvNUEECtIWRI/

That piece, however, says nothing about those armed with knives (and may just assume that the perpetrator is in possession of a firearm?). This paper does:

Can the Police Shoot a Person Who Refuses to Drop a Knife?
https://nccriminallaw.sog.unc.edu/can-the-police-shoot-a-person-who-refuses-to-drop-a-knife/

Factors. Determining whether an officer is justified in using deadly force to respond to a noncompliant person with a knife requires analyzing several factors, among them:

• The size of the knife
• The size and strength of the person, see Chappell v. City of Cleveland, 585 F.3d 901 (6th Cir. 2009) (considering subject’s height and weight in granting summary judgment to officer)
• How the person is holding the knife, i.e., whether the person is brandishing it or pointing it at anyone
• The distance from the person to officers or others
• Whether the person has made or is making aggressive movement towards officers or others
• Whether the person has made or is making verbal threats towards officers or others
• Whether the person is behaving erratically
• Whether the person appears to be intent on harming him- or herself

So I would think that yes, it was okay for them to use lethal force in this instance.

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