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 Soladrin wrote:
.... I have a knife..

I have full auto wiener dogs. Fear the reapers!

Tibbsy wrote:

 Soladrin wrote:
.... I have a knife..

Never bring a gun to a knife fight!



Wait....

That's fairly true. Have you ever heard " charge a gun, run from a knife" ?

 CptJake wrote:

Spoiler:

I guess I am just wired differently than most. I see this and see a guy who saw innocent people put on their knees and a gun held to their heads. The guy pulled his legally carried gun out and tried to stop the perp from what ever the perp was going to do next. Perp turned towards him and got shot before the perp could fire.

I strongly believe one should do his best to help others in need. Whether it is stopping at an accident and applying first aid before an ambulance gets there, or stopping a rape/mugging/robbery/beating before a cop gets there. Just pass on by or passively watch or call for help an wait just isn't in me.

In this particular case, the shooter sees a gun pointed at the shop employees, who have been forced to their knees. He has no idea of the real intent of the perp, whether the perp will shoot or beat the employees. He just knows they are on their knees and being held at gunpoint. He knows he has a weapon which will likely enable him to stop the perp from injuring innocents. And he was right. No innocents were hurt.

The guy did not want to 'shoot bad guys for a living'. Any argument to the contrary is just stupid. Saying he should have been a cop to do so adds to the stupidity of the argument. He had two choices, do nothing or do something. He chose to do something. Something legal. Something that worked.

'He could have shot the employees with a bad shot and therefore should have done nothing' is speculative at best, and the actual end result was different, no employees hurt.

I find myself agreeing with the Capt. Cops are great at cleaning up, investigating and catching crooks. In the moment, one's self or one's fellow citizens are all you have. A bystander is of course not obligated to intervene, but if he is legally able to do so then he is permitted to do so, and IMHO, should be praised if he does so. There's clearly alot we don't know yet about the situation, caliber, etc, but we know the outcome. Bad guy down, no innocents hurt.

The perp was using a lethal weapon to threaten another person while committing a felony. As soon as he pulled that gun he is a fair target for a cop, security guard or good Samaritan. If a cop or security guard had done the shooting there would be no question as to whether it was the right course of action. This guy wasn't a cop or a guard, but he was legally allowed to own, carry and operate a firearm.

Interestingly, if his story is how it happened than it's even more legally clear because he announced himself and shot the perp when he was turning on him with a gun. He probably would have been legally safe anyway, but as soon as the perp turned on him with the gun, he was clear to take him down.

I have a very high regard for life and am truly glad the perp didn't die. However, he had it coming, and if he had been killed he would have only himself to blame. Anytime you pick up a gun to commit a crime, you put your life on the line.

I did find what the relative said unconscionable. She said the guy should have left the store, gotten in his car and driven away. No mention of calling the police?

 Eilif wrote:
I did find what the relative said unconscionable. She said the guy should have left the store, gotten in his car and driven away. No mention of calling the police?

I suspect it was a nicer way of saying what the usual response would be: "Snitches get stitches".

I feel dirty just typing it.

Well it explains why he was robbing a store in the first. Its the freaking Ma Barker family.

 streamdragon wrote:

 Eilif wrote:
I did find what the relative said unconscionable. She said the guy should have left the store, gotten in his car and driven away. No mention of calling the police?

I suspect it was a nicer way of saying what the usual response would be: "Snitches get stitches".

I feel dirty just typing it.

I suspect you're right. On a deeper level, it's probably so ingrained that it never even occurred to her to suggest that someone should call the police. Some families are just that way.