POLICE SHOT a 46-year-old man at a railway station in Qing'an county, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, Saturday after he attacked a policeman on duty and tried to snatch his weapon. The incident reportedly began when the man stopped other passengers from entering the station, which led to the policeman's intervention. The relatives of the dead man have been paid compensation after police reached a compromise. Comments:

The investigation is expected to focus on what led to the incident and whether it was properly handled; more importantly, it could trigger further discussions on the use of guns by the police. Police officers are entitled to carry guns on duty and legitimately authorized to use them to protect innocent people's lives. But a balance is needed.

Lang Keyu, a Beijing-based lawyer, aMay 7