LI police kill Student. Opinions?

Stuff happens.  It's unfortunate, but the cop shouldn't beat himself up about it and no one else should either.  

Aren't LEOs supposed to abide by SAFE?

It's pretty clear cut that the Cop isn't at fault. Crappy situation with crappy results.

It's the hostage taker's fault.

You always shoot the hostage. Take them out of the equation.

I don't think anyone can make any judgements about that situation beyond the word "unfortunate."

Unfortunately, marksmanship is not a high priority in training for Suffolk and Nassau county police. The article says the officers were responding to a robbery in progress, it would make one believe they were unaware of the situation within the residence. Taking a shot like that, skell holding a hostage close as a human shield, is dangerous and wreckless even for the most skilled marksman.  Now, the article does not seem to get an accurate time line. What shot killed the hostage? 7 rounds into a man within close proximity?
Now, from what I would guess is the cops point of view, a man with a hand gun pointing at you with the intent to kill you and your partner would be enough to make him defend himself. The truly sad and unfortunate is that a young woman was killed in the action.
btw, no amount of limitation of magazine capacity would have stopped this. Your "friend" is a very uninformed, ignorant douche bag.  I bet IF (IF because we don't know from the article what type of pistol he was using) Dalton Smith was holding a magazine fed pistol, my belief is that he had more in it than the law dictates and no fear of punishment for having more than 7 in the pistol. The SAFE act would have done nothing to prevent this tragedy.

I went to school there, and i have to say; shame on anyone who lives in off campus housing...yes, there are no rules like there are at school, but in Hempstead (that area in particular) by living even on the street next to the school you are tripling your chances of having something bad happen to you. Weekly letters would go out about students getting mugged in that area at knife, gun, and even bat-point.

The SAFE act is vague and did include police to require only 7 in the magazine. That was re-written to exclude police on duty.  I don't believe the officer will lose his job but he may be transferred to a desk for awhile.  However, if it were his first shot that killed the girl, that may an issue depending on who is doing the investigation. If it is DA Rice, this guy might be strung up by his Buster Browns.