"That picture, if of the object that the child was holding, looks remarkably like a .45 caliber M1911A1 pistol."

It looks to YOU and the coppers like a M1911A1 (whatever the heck that is) because you have become habituated to identifying the weapons that are sloshing around in the society you live. This isn't meant as a criticism or insult, just the fact you see a deadly weapon where I see a child with a toy gun, because where I'm from we can go years at a time without ever seeing a gun; they are not part of our culture.

So it's part of the social conditioning of some societies that folk expect anything that looks like a gun to be a deadly weapon whether it is or not. This means people live in state of permanent low-level fear and when confronted with what they perceive to be a threat react accordingly as the limbic system kicks in, and bang! another one bites the dust.

It's not protecting society, it's not justice, it's not serving anyone. It's part of the slaughter deemed a part of daily life in some countries. That is pretty sad.