Tennessee v. Garner (1985) established that the use of deadly force by law enforcement against a fleeing suspect is a violation of the Fourth Amendment's prohibition against unreasonable seizures. The Supreme Court ruled that an officer may only use deadly force if they have probable cause to believe the suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious physical injury to the officer or others. In this case, the court found that shooting an unarmed, fleeing suspect was an unreasonable seizure under the Fourth Amendment. Thus, the decision set a precedent limiting the use of force in police pursuits.
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