Its your duty to concealed carry (aurora theater shooting)

[smithman 10]

Would you be happy knowing you may have saved lives while you spent the rest of yours in jail?

I left out the part about killing innocents since there of course is no way to know if that would have happened or not had a concealed carry holder taken action.

BUT, considering what might have happened had someone engaged the shooter and stopped the killing, is it really likely that the local prosecutor and/or grand jury would have sought an indictment and prosecuted them?

And if they were prosecuted, that a jury would convict? Or recommend jail time?

I don't think so, not for a minute!

 

[Evil One]

Would you be happy knowing you may have saved lives while you spent the rest of yours in jail? Because between carrying illegally and killing innocents, that is what would have happened.

I only go to the theater with my family.
I would die to protect them.
The potential of going to jail wouldnt cross my mind, and if it did it would be dismissed.
Going to jail to try and insure that my family made it out alive... I will take that any day.
As to killing innocents... he shot 71 people, 12 died.
That is with a rifle... which should be more deadly than my handgun.
It is something every person who would have thought of engaging the shooter would have to think about.
It looked to them that he had the plan and means to execute every person there.
If you are going to die... dont make it easy for the shooter.


Jim

 

[cbr6864]

Im starting to sense the presence of mall ninjas. Lets get real for a minute nobody is going to pull a perfect head shot in a theater filled with 150-200 people running and screaming, in the dark, as you are blinded by the repeated muzzle flash. At best you could send a few rounds in his direction but lets say a child stands up and runs just as you shoot?

In that situation there is nothing you can do but find the fastest way of egress if threat is blocking your way then engage. But to blindly fire in a crowded movie theater is just plain stupid not brave.

 

[Evil One]

I dont think I have seen anyone in this thread mention firing blindly.
Also, there are many levels of armor protection.
This guy was not wearing a plate, only simple, basic low level kevlar up top.
Any hits on it would have effect.


Jim

 

[blujax01]

The question was "...would the potential of hitting 1-2 bystanders have been worth the potential of keeping 50 of those people from being shot?"

It was not a question about an immediate threat to one's family.

 

[Evil One]

So... is it?
1-2 people who were there at the shooter... who would more than likely get shot anyway?
Vs saving 50 or so?
And it looking like he will kill everyone?
Hmmmmmmmmm...


Jim

 

[smithman 10]

Duty

Robert E. Lee is quoted as saying "Duty, then is the sublimest word in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more; you should never wish to do less."

So here's the deal:

1. No one knows what they will do in any life-threatening situation until confronted with one, granted.

2. None of us knows if they could have taken any effective action in that theater - because we weren't there.

3. Yes, the shooter had all the advantages.

Nevertheless, had I been in that theater and armed, I HOPE I would have at least considered whether or not I could take some action to stop what was happening. As I see it, every citizen has a moral, if not legal, duty to act in such a situation if they think they can be of help.

And yes, none of us will ever know what we might have done - again, because we weren't there.

I don't think there are any mall ninjas posting here, just serious people wondering what they might have done had they been there.

 

[DeadWhiteGoose]

Thanks to forum member McBear for the GAO Report, that information is available - and it may surprise you.

Per the 2010 census, Az. adult population is 4,572,000.
As of 12/31/2011, there are 163,000 valid CCW permits in Arizona.

Or roughly 3.6% of the adult population.

Legally, that is.

Thanks for the info, but the point of me saying AZ is that you do not have to have any kind of permit to carry there. You can conceal or open carry legally without permission. So I'm actually not surprised that percentage is so low since you don't need a permit anyway. Trust me, more than 3% of people in AZ are carrying guns on the regular.

 

[sophie]

It never ceases to amaze me when a tragedy like this happens and everybody has to express an opinion of what they would have done.
From what I see on the news and in print it would have been almost impossible to try to take this guy out given the fact as how well he was protected even if someone was carrying a firearm. The shooter had pretty much everything on his side inside this theater. Maybe a headshot would have taken him down or slowed him down a little. Who knows? At any rate there is always someone who has to express what they would have done in this situation and in most cases what causes this is anger and frustration in my way of thinking. It makes me angry also and I feel so sorry for the people and families who lost loved ones and the ones that were injured. I would like to think there was something that could have been done, but I think the suprise was so great and sudden that all anyone could do was try to survive.

___________
James

 

[Evil One]

If a person wants to be angry... be angry at the piece of trash that changed all of those lives forever.
Not at the people who can use this to be better prepared in their lives if they are on site when something like this happens again.


Jim

 

[DeadWhiteGoose]

I've heard a great quote but I don't remember where. An armed society is a polite society.

 

[RuebenY]

u kno i consider myself a cautious person
im plannin on being a cop myself but the same night as the premiere i was thinkin "this night would prob b the best for a terrorist." All 11 showings of the dark knight rises were sold out a whole entire theater of ppl would b there. it was jus a thought i had and my thoughts were confirmed when i saw on my iphone a foxnews alert that said colorado gunman opened fire into a theater crowd

 

[RevTracy]

A few days have passed by now, but the shock has not diminished. My prayers go out to those affected by this senseless tragedy. I will say that all of the arm chair "quarterbacking" is interesting...and as many have said, there is no way to truly know what we would do unless we were sitting in that theater.

That said, I would like to make two points. First, we now know that the perp paused at least once (maybe more) to "reload" or perhaps more accurately, to change weapons. That few seconds would allow an armed citizen to get several shots off. Second, you wouldn't have to kill the perp to stop him. By that I mean this: guys like this choose that kind of venue precisely because they know (or are fairly certain) that no one will fire back. The shock of getting hit with 9mm critical defense (40 cal, 45 cal, etc.) would be enough to send him back out the door...to face the LEO's responding. And even if someone is hit wearing body armor, they will feel it...perhaps enough to knock them off their feet. In any case, he would certainly be slowed down enough to let more people flee the scene.

Had I been there and carrying, I would like to think I would take whatever opportunities I could to stop this lunatic while protecting my family. Of course, like others have already said, I would NEVER be there in the first place. In fact, I don't like going to the movies any time.

BTW, I live in the Denver area, so this tragedy hits way too close to home. Please keep our community in your prayers.

 

[MP22]

your correct in that what we think we will do and what we really will do in the clutch are rather dissimilar.
thing is ... no one tried while people died and the sidearms all slept in the safe.

I do believe that if more people CC or OC....incidents like this would be few and far between....at least I would like to think so.

 

[MP22]

This joker walked into a theater and caused a chaotic scene with the tear gas. The theater was a place that banned concealed carry. He definitely isn't planning on someone shooting back.

If someone started shooting at him he may have ducked for cover. He may have been wounded or killed. Either scenario would be better than letting him just fire at will.

If he wasn't expecting someone to shoot back...why was he wearing full body amour? I doubt he would duck for cover.

 

[MP22]

I've heard a great quote but I don't remember where. An armed society is a polite society.

I agree that we all should CC and or OC...whatever you choose. But I don't think history suggests a more "polite society" as just because people carry....?

 

[MP22]

Welcome to the forum...looks like you are using your phone.

 

[venomballistics]

I do believe that if more people CC or OC....incidents like this would be few and far between....at least I would like to think so.

I suppose in the larger scope of things, these events are few and far between. If they were as common as auto wrecks the media couldn't sensationalize then like this.
You can't stop a nutball from going hot, but I'd sure like to hear better endings than a wackjob allowed to run all mags stone dry without resistance.

 

[Kanewpadle]

I do believe that if more people CC or OC....incidents like this would be few and far between....at least I would like to think so.

I honestly don't think it would have a difference in this case.

People like this don't care about concealed carriers. They only care about their agenda and the outcome.

 

[MP22]

I honestly don't think it would have a difference in this case.

People like this don't care about concealed carriers. They only care about their agenda and the outcome.

Your probably right...but if everyone you come in contact with was carrying....it might make the perp stop and think....and them maybe not.