Would you do something??

**Mtbkski** · December 7th, 2007, 09:25 AM

My betterhalf and I were talking about the Mall Shooting. Some questions came up that were interesting. Mainly, cause she was asking. This is a big step forward for her. She is a bit gun shy. Not anti. Just shy.

She looked at me and said, "It's a pity no one was carrying in the mall. Maybe they could have stopped it". First, let me say. I love this women

. I think I am finally starting to make sense to her.

Then she looked at me and asked me if I would have tried to stopped him if I was in the mall. I told her I would.

Then she asked me if that would be legal. I told her that I believed it would. I wonder how many other gun questions she has.

Then she wanted to know if I would try to wound him or kill him. I gave the correct answer that I would shoot to try to make him stop what he was doing. If I killed him, that was a by product of my just trying to make him stop.

She sat there a minute. Then said. I'm glad you would try to stop it. You could save a lot of lives maybe. Like I said. I love this women.

NOW..................

How many of you would have gone out of your way to try and get a shot at this guy and to stop him from what he was doing.

The legal beagles (No insult meant

) among us will explain that if you aren't in danger yourself. Stay out of it. Your setting yourself up for a lawsuit. But this isn't like the "one on one confrontations" that we discussed before. This is a sniper killing lots of people.
What would the legal side of this be?
And would you be willing to try to position yourself to take a shot at this guy. Or would you take cover and wait for help to arrive.

To start it off. YES I WOULD. I told the betterhalf. I would have to get involved. Even if I missed him with a shot. By firing at him. He would probably stop shooting and take cover out of reflex. That alone would save lives. Hopefully I would be able to incapacitate him immediately.

**Kendrickson** · December 7th, 2007, 09:32 AM

I certainly would. I would think that later on, if I had not tried to do something, I would have a lot of guilt about people who died that I might have been able to save. I wouldn't consider myself much of a decent human being if I sought my own safety when it was within my power to provide for the safety and even the very lives of others.

**Weights** · December 7th, 2007, 09:53 AM

It depends. If I myself was in direct or about to be in direct by this gunman's actions, then I would have shot no doubt, having no other choice if I were to come out alive. But, if I was able to escape, then I would proceed to, and then called the police. Why? Well, I'm not trying to be self-fish by saying this, but I look at my license to carry as protection for me and the people with me only, because anytime you are involved in a shooting, your gun will be taken, it will take a long time for you to get over, you still may face charges (though it's bs if you would in a situation like this), and even if you were to clear all that, you still may face civil liability in most states. That is why I look at my gun as an absolute last measure of self-defense for myself or the people with me at that moment, because of all what happens when you shoot in defense, and I do not want to shoot unless there is absolutely, positively no other way for me to escape alive. Though I'm hoping the mall will reconsider their no guns policy after this, and see how that policy fails and does not in fact create a safer shopping environment for its customers.

**Hawk** · December 7th, 2007, 10:24 AM

A friend of mine lives near that mall and told me the lay out. I don't know how many shots were fired in how many seconds, but unless you were up there with him (at his location) I doubt you would have had much time to figure out what was happening and act on it before it was all over.

Hawk,

**Thekatar** · December 7th, 2007, 11:11 AM

Would you do something??

That IS the question, isn't it?

And it's a good one, and it should be discussed - not just in the aftermath of an event but also in quiet times as well. Some questions to consider:

If you post here on this board, and you do not carry a handgun, why not? Do you have a PA carry permit? If not, why not?

If you do carry a handgun, do you carry it all of the time, as much as practically possible? If not, why not? If a business posts a "no weapons" sign, do you observe it and leave your firearm behind? If so, why?

If you carry a handgun most of the time, have you gone to the effort to receive formal training and instruction? If not, why not?

How often do you practice with your handgun? Do you shoot at least once a week or once every two weeks? Do you dry-fire at home to practice trigger control? If not, why not?

What type of handgun do you carry? What did you base your choice on? Do you carry a 5 shot snubbie? Do you carry a semi-automatic pistol? Do you carry a spare magazine for your pistol? Do you carry a back-up gun and/or a blade and/or OC spray? If not, why not?

Do you own a cell phone? Do you carry it with you? Do you keep it charged? Do you leave it turned on? If not, why not?

Do you pay attention to your surroundings? Are you relaxed but aware? Do you notice the other people around you who are unaware? If not, why not?

**LittleRedToyota** · December 7th, 2007, 11:18 AM

if i were there, i would try to do something to stop it. whether or not that would actually be feasible depends on the circumstances, of course.

**XD45** · December 7th, 2007, 11:29 AM

I would not go searching for the suspect, you may not beable to tell who is the bad guy, and who could be another ltcf holder or LEO either its not the time to walk around with a gun unless you are a LEO and have a badge clearly visible. So as soon as I heard the shots gun would come out, family/friends are the first priority but I would bunker down behind the first good cover, and a plastic sign isnt cover something that can stop even a rifle bullet as you cant be sure what he has unless you see him to know what he has he probably wont be breathing

**lildobe** · December 7th, 2007, 11:31 AM

If I was there and could, I would.

That is one of the reasons I carry - The mass shootings that have been happening in this country. With my luck, it's bound to happen when I'm around, and I'll be damned if I act like the rest of the sheep and run screaming for my life.

I am a Volunteer Firefighter. I go running into burning buildings to save people lives and I don't get paid for it.

I am an EMT. I help to save your father's life when he's having a heart attack and no one else around is willing to perform CPR.

I am the guy who stops to help you out when your car is broken down in the middle of the highway - even when he's already late for work.

I am the guy who will do what is necessary to stop a psyco in the mall or on campus.

People call me Crazy, they say I give too much - that I should "stay out of it" and let people deal with their problems on their own. But I firmly believe in helping my fellow citizen - and I hope that they day I need help there will be someone willing to stop to help me.

**TRB** · December 7th, 2007, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by Thekatar

That IS the question, isn't it?

And it's a good one, and it should be discussed - not just in the aftermath of an event but also in quiet times as well. Some questions to consider:

If you post here on this board, and you do not carry a handgun, why not? Do you have a PA carry permit? If not, why not?

If you do carry a handgun, do you carry it all of the time, as much as practically possible? If not, why not? If a business posts a "no weapons" sign, do you observe it and leave your firearm behind? If so, why?

If you carry a handgun most of the time, have you gone to the effort to receive formal training and instruction? If not, why not?

How often do you practice with your handgun? Do you shoot at least once a week or once every two weeks? Do you dry-fire at home to practice trigger control? If not, why not?

What type of handgun do you carry? What did you base your choice on? Do you carry a 5 shot snubbie? Do you carry a semi-automatic pistol? Do you carry a spare magazine for your pistol? Do you carry a back-up gun and/or a blade and/or OC spray? If not, why not?

Do you own a cell phone? Do you carry it with you? Do you keep it charged? Do you leave it turned on? If not, why not?

Do you pay attention to your surroundings? Are you relaxed but aware? Do you notice the other people around you who are unaware? If not, why not?

The question posed by the OP is a simple one to answer. Answering the question is much easier than fulfilling the task.

First, answering these questions are far more important. If the answers to some of these questions are no, then it is unlikely that someone will have the resources available to engage or prevail in a conflict such as this save luck itself. The firm resolve of the mind will not be enough. Only through training and vigilance will someone be able to end this kind of criminal act.

Wishing won't make it so.

**jon'76** · December 7th, 2007, 12:27 PM

Well I don't carry yet, but I would only intervene if I was sure of who was doing the shooting. I would worry about targeting a plain clothes detective or another LTCF holder. So I would intervene if I was sure I had the right guy in my sights.

I would definitely hold my ground behind some cover, because I feel that by running away you make a better target. So then if the BG happened by me and it was obvious he was the BG; I would take care of him.

At least that's what I hope I would do. In the past I've had a tendency to seek out the threat (2 break-ins) without waking anyone and armed only with a baseball bat. I know it was stupid, but I was a bit younger (15 and 16) and far less wise. I also didn't want to wake my parents when they had work the next day when it was likely just my imagination.