Under what circumstances may a peace officer use deadly force?

The correct choice indicates that a peace officer may use deadly force when their life or the life of another person is in imminent danger. This aligns with the legal standards regarding the use of force in law enforcement, which prioritize the preservation of life. When an officer perceives an immediate threat that poses a significant risk to themselves or another individual, the use of deadly force may be justified to neutralize that threat and prevent potential harm or loss of life.

In contrast, using deadly force to apprehend a fleeing suspect does not meet the threshold required under most policies and laws, as it often does not reflect an immediate threat to life. Similarly, using deadly force solely to prevent a suspect's escape lacks justification unless there is a concurrent threat to life. Furthermore, employing deadly force for crowd control during protests would likely be inappropriate and disproportionate, as it does not address an immediate life-threatening scenario. Thus, the justification for deadly force hinges on the immediate and substantial threat to life, making the second option the most accurate and well-founded.