Houston police officer fatally shoots double amputee in wheelchair

(CBS/AP) HOUSTON - A Houston police officer shot and killed a wheelchair-bound double amputee on Saturday after the man allegedly threatened to stab the officer and his partner with what turned out to be a pen.

The Houston Chronicle reports that Matthew Marin shot Brian Claunch, a mentally ill one-armed, one-legged man. Police say Marin and his partner felt threatened by Claunch, who was waving an object that turned out to be a silver pen.

The Chronicle reports that Marin had shot someone else in the line of duty three years ago. Marin will work three days of desk duty.

Arlene Kelly, the co-founder of Civilians Down, a Houston group that monitors police misconduct, questions whether Marin was justified in shooting Claunch, telling the newspaper that she wonders how dangerous a suspect is if he only has one arm and one good leg.