Originally Posted by Rpg

To expand my initial comment:

Are you willing to shoot this purported bad guy in the head? If you genuinely believe he's going to shoot the cashier, that's your option to prevent it.

Do you have the skill to do that?

Warning the bad guy (shouting something first) just alerts the bad guy, and is a really bad idea.

If you shout your warning, the bad guy should shoot the clerk before turning to you. (That's the right move for him).

Is that OK? Hope you have a good lawyer and lots of money for the lawyer. I'm happy to take your money, but wouldn't anticipate a good result for you in criminal or civil court. Welcome to years of litigation and giving every dime you have, or ever will have , to your lawyer. They'll earn every dime.

Are you quick enough to draw and hit your target (bad guy's head) before he shoots you?


Are you willing and able to draw and hit the bad guy in the head before he (maybe) shoots the clerk? I suspect OP's skill wouldn't meet this requirement since he doesn't seem to have much training.

What about the BG's buddies? Have you determined there are none or do you think you are able to hit them all?

What, in this scenario, creates an imminent danger to you or anyone you have a legal right to protect?

Welcome to court.

OP has more to consider than he or she thinks.

Being a 'hero' has lots of costs.

OP isn't the Lone Ranger who rides off into the sunset after straightening out the situation .

He's stuck with the consequences.

Judge Learned Hand once said that the only things worse than being a litigant was 'serious illness or death'

He was right.