This stuff happens - you wrote...

In America it happens, in Europe if a policeman gets killed it's headline news on national television and the government minister is on site, there is a minute silence across the country, flags are at half mast and a national funeral.

What does this tell you - you accept the unacceptable in America and do nothing to change it, because you're used to police being shot and shooting people. That is terrible.

According to Statistics Canada, 133 police officers were killed in Canada in the line of duty from 1961 to 2009. 92% were killed by firearms and most of these officers did not get the chance to draw or fire their weapon, which suggests they were either ambushed or more than likely they surprised somebody. 85% of homicides against police officers have been solved and in many cases, the person responsible was killed by another officer at the scene or shortly afterwards. The increasing availability of automatic firearms--mostly brought in from the States--has led to a rise since 2005 but recent years have shown an overall decline. In Canada, all police officers carry a sidearm as well as some security guards and even custom and immigration officers. Most of these will likely retire without being injured in the line of duty, but there is always a risk. I can only speak of Canada, there are better places to be a police officer, but there are a lot of places that are worse.

It was on the national news as I watched the story on the NBC Nightly News tonight along with how the police took down the murderer.  

Gun violence is a real problem in this country.  Some including the NRA have suggested for years that more guns are the answer.  We see how well that is turning out...