Yes, a bullet travels faster than a pressurized aerosol - which is why it is likely that the pepper spray discharge was actually after the victim was actually shot. The order of events:It's common sense Chip. A bullet is going to travel much faster than a sprayed chemical agent. If were able to see the exchange with spray in the air and a slide cycling, if a pretty much forgone conclusion that the whomever had the spray pulled the trigger first.
Here, look at it this way. If both men had firearms, and pulled their triggers at the same time Keltner and Dolloff deployed their weapons, who would be the first person shot?
1. Reach for gun (shooter)
2. Back up (victim)
3. Raise/aim gun (shooter)
4. Raise pepper spray (victim)
5. Shoot (shooter)
6. Discharge pepper spray (victim)
Yes, it happened within a matter of seconds (or even milliseconds). But based on available evidence, that appears to be the order of events.
I'll posit this question: if the victim had successfully deployed the pepper spray prior to being shot, then how did the shooter get off a perfectly aimed shot right through the victim's eye?