Late at night, an immigrant is approached by police. They are searching for a serial rapist, and the dark-skinned young man seems to fit the description. As they yell at him to stop, he reaches into his pocket to produce his identification. But the cops think he's going for a gun. They respond with a barrage of bullets and the unarmed suspect dies.

Deadly Force looks at the dilemma faced by law enforcement officers and those they are expected to protect and serve. What happens when cops kill? Who is to determine accountability? Some say that racial and cultural attitudes are factors in the use of deadly force. Other experts maintain that better training and use of non-lethal weapons can put an end to unnecessary deaths.