Shoot / Don't Shoot

[AD Marc]

Unless he began acting erratically or started shuffling the clerk into the back room, quietly get your get your gun out and wait for him to collect the cash and leave.

Be a good witness.

Handgun bullets don't vaporize bad guys. You could try to shoot him while he's task fixated and cause him to shoot the clerk. You could draw his attention so he's not pointing to gun at the clerk then exchange gunfire and hopefully not get ventilated yourself or you could wait until he walks out the door with someone else's likely insured money and call the police.

 

[jbombelli]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i98FkbLwd9Q[/ame]

 

[AD Marc]

LOL. Travis Bickle should not be you concealed carry roll model.

 

[jbombelli]

LOL. Travis Bickle should not be you concealed carry roll model.

LOL. I couldn't help it. It was the very first thing I thought of when I read the OP.

Let me just add:

 

[tom1025]

Considering the fact that a former Kroger manager shot and killed an armed assailant who took a woman hostage and is now being sued by the woman he saved, I say **** it. I'll protect myself and my family, but I'm not going to risk losing everything by saving someone who may be ungrateful.

RTV6 - Woman held at gunpoint in Indianapolis Kroger sues grocery chain, former manager who shot robber - Local Story

What's up with elderly people being ungrateful these days? Heck I stopped holding doors open because most of them are rude and can't give a simple thank you.

I am with you on this one. Besides that what kind of person would work at a gas station unarmed anyways? If your not willing be proactive and take the steps to protect yourself then don't expect others around you too.

 

[pwoller]

No shooting from me. Not going to chance shooting the clerk or escalating the crime. Its just money.

 

[jbombelli]

No shooting from me. Not going to chance shooting the clerk or escalating the crime. Its just money.

What if the armed robber, who has up until this point shown a horrible lack of good judgment, just shoots the clerk in the face afterwards? That happens sometimes, you know.

Will you be able to live with yourself, having stood by and let it happen because "it's just money"?

 

[Mackey]

It all depends. I'd shoot if it were on a Monday. I hate Mondays.

But a better thing to do is grab a can of Easy Cheeze, pop the top and run through the store yelling "cheese whiz!' with a stupid grin on your face as you squirt the goo all over the place. "CHEESE WHIZ!" It will confuse everyone.

After this just see what happens next. I don't think the bad guy will shoot you or the old lady (unless it's on a Monday).

 

[Knight Rider]

I'd give the old lady a chance to shoot first. Why should I grab all the glory?

 

[pwoller]

What if the armed robber, who has up until this point shown a horrible lack of good judgment, just shoots the clerk in the face afterwards? That happens sometimes, you know.

Will you be able to live with yourself, having stood by and let it happen because "it's just money"?

Well if I had a crystal ball I'd make the right decision. Otherwise I don't shoot.

What if I shoot hit the clerk and kill her? Easy to ask what if. What would you do smart guy?

 

[AD Marc]

What if the armed robber, who has up until this point shown a horrible lack of good judgment, just shoots the clerk in the face afterwards? That happens sometimes, you know.

Will you be able to live with yourself, having stood by and let it happen because "it's just money"?

Again, pistol rounds don't cause bad guys to instantly disintegrate. While that would be a shame if he decided to shoot the clerk out of the blue, your actions to prevent said outcome may very well precipitate it.

In reality, most robbers just want the money. Without some other indicator that violence is imminent such as erratic behavior or moving people to a secondary location, your best bet is to be a good witness.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

Being a witness is all well and good, but I wouldn't want to risk him pulling the trigger on the clerk. He's clearly a threat. But out of curiosity, for those who would prefer to witness. Would your decision change if say, the clerk was your mother or grandmother?

 

[sig-guy]

Considering the fact that a former Kroger manager shot and killed an armed assailant who took a woman hostage and is now being sued by the woman he saved, I say **** it. I'll protect myself and my family, but I'm not going to risk losing everything by saving someone who may be ungrateful.

RTV6 - Woman held at gunpoint in Indianapolis Kroger sues grocery chain, former manager who shot robber - Local Story

What an ungrateful B*tch!

 

[cbhausen]

If the clerk was a family member I'd plug the BG instantly whether in the back or not. Protect a stranger in today's lawsuit-happy society? Maybe. But for your own good, arm up. You ain't family and that makes you a maybe-protect. My ass or yours? Sorry, you might lose.

 

[AD Marc]

Being a witness is all well and good, but I wouldn't want to risk him pulling the trigger on the clerk. He's clearly a threat. But out of curiosity, for those who would prefer to witness. Would your decision change if say, the clerk was your mother or grandmother?

If you engage him you are, in fact, risking him pulling the trigger on the clerk. Possibly more so than if you did nothing.

Again, bullets don't make bad guys explode into pink mist on contact.

 

[jbombelli]

Well if I had a crystal ball I'd make the right decision. Otherwise I don't shoot.

What if I shoot hit the clerk and kill her? Easy to ask what if. What would you do smart guy?

Most likely I'd empty a magazine full of .45 ACP into his back.

Now... Would you be able to live with yourself if you just stood there and the guy shot the clerk in the face? I don't think I could ever look myself in the mirror again if I stood there and let that happen.

Again, pistol rounds don't cause bad guys to instantly disintegrate. While that would be a shame if he decided to shoot the clerk out of the blue, your actions to prevent said outcome may very well precipitate it.

In reality, most robbers just want the money. Without some other indicator that violence is imminent such as erratic behavior or moving people to a secondary location, your best bet is to be a good witness.

In reality, sometimes they just shoot the person, too. Sticking a gun in someone's face is usually a pretty good indicator that violence is imminent. If you stood there and let it happen, if he shot and killed the clerk, could you live with yourself if you did nothing to stop him? Could you continue looking at yourself in the mirror and liking what you see? I really don't think I could.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

If you engage him you are, in fact, risking him pulling the trigger on the clerk. Possibly more so than if you did nothing.

Again, bullets don't make bad guys explode into pink mist on contact.

I guess that depends on what size and how many bullets you use

 

[AD Marc]

Most likely I'd empty a magazine full of .45 ACP into his back.

Now... Would you be able to live with yourself if you just stood there and the guy shot the clerk in the face? I don't think I could ever look myself in the mirror again if I stood there and let that happen.

What if you put a full magazine of 45 in his back and in response he shot the clerk, then he shot you? Could you live with yourself then?

One more time: Bullets do not instantly reduce bad guys to a pair of smoldering boots. Even the mighty 45.

Why one cop carries 145 rounds of ammo on the job

 

[sig-guy]

No shooting from me. Not going to chance shooting the clerk or escalating the crime. Its just money.

That is, until shots are fired by the criminals.

 

[jbombelli]

What if you put a full magazine of 45 in his back and in response he shot the clerk, then he shot you? Could you live with yourself then?

One more time: Bullets do not instantly reduce bad guys to a pair of smoldering boots. Even the mighty 45.

Why one cop carries 145 rounds of ammo on the job

Yeah. Because I would have tried. And if his reaction to me dumping rounds into his back is to shoot the clerk, instead of me, then he was probaby going to shoot the clerk anyway. And if a full mag of .45 ACP at close range DOESN'T put him down, then SuperMan will probably shoot me too. But I'm okay with that.

How about you answer my question now, instead of sidestepping it and turning it back at me? If you stood there doing nothing, and the guy shot the clerk, could you live with that? Would you be able to look in the mirror and like the guy you see?