NYC Gunman

**flyingjunkie** · August 25th, 2012, 03:56 PM

So I just read this article and got sick to my stomach.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/08/25...olice-gunfire/

The thing about this article that ticked me off the most was that these officers are SUPPOSED to be highly trained with firearms, so much so that it's damn near impossible for us legal citizens to obtain and legally carry a firearm in NYC. Two officers shot and injured several bystanders with errant shots. If that were you or I, we would be facing life sentences or at the very least, lost our right to own a firearm for the ives of our lives for defending ourselves, but having injured someone else. If and when we defend ourselves, we have to constantly be aware of not only who is shooting at us, but who is behind them and around them. These officers injured innocent bystanders with stray bullets and fragments, but will get nothing more than a slap on the wrist. Talk about double standards.

OK. I'm done venting....

Thoughts? Input?

**Curmudgeon** · August 25th, 2012, 03:59 PM

Already being discussed... http://forum.pafoa.org/lounge-108/18...lding-nyc.html

**mbinpa** · August 25th, 2012, 04:13 PM

This is a really tough one. 2 police officers have to basically fire into a crowd to take down a suspect before he too starts firing into a crowd.

Incredibly high stress and situational unknowns didn't help the situation. I would assume that the officers were looking for a gun, not an individual, when they were running to the scene and I am sure they are not figuring that a middle aged professional looking man in a suite would be a prime suspect.

The urban environment not only meant crowds but a very high potential for fragments and 'splatter'. Even if the shots were on target, and apparently many of them were, any penetration through the body could be a hit to an innocent.

I am not really sure how much better this could have played out - luckily there were no fatalities of innocents and most wounds sound superficial. It could have been a lot worse.

High stress shooting situations are rarely clean. How many times do you read about high volumes of fire with minimal hits to the target.

This shooting will be studied by a lot of people (besides lawyers) for ways to improve tactics but again I am not sure what anyone could have done better.

**Brick** · August 25th, 2012, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by mbinpa

This is a really tough one. 2 police officers have to basically fire into a crowd to take down a suspect before he too starts firing into a crowd.

This shooting will be studied by a lot of people (besides lawyers) for ways to improve tactics but again I am not sure what anyone could have done better.

Perhaps the police need better training in when to STOP shooting also! My understanding is one cop fired 9 shots the other 7 shots. Maybe it would be better is they learned to stop shooting when the threat was neutralized.

I notice there is no mention of how many hits the police made on the shooter. I notice also there is no mention of how the shooter acquired his pistol or if he was licensed iaw NYC requirements.