Would we dare to fire to protect ourselves

[John R]

Here, people are too civilized to riot.

What's worrying, is shooting someone who happens to be a gang member, and being subjected to revenge from other gang members.

In any event, you have to do what you have to do to protect yourself. What happens after that - so it goes.

Shoot them too.

 

[REM 3200]

I know this is the popular zeitgeist, but is there really any empirical evidence or confirmation of looters being shot dead in the 20th and 21st centuries?

Yes, after Katrina.

 

[Protected One]

Considering all the violent riots and property destruction certain elements of our society heap on communites every time one of our dedicated LEOs shoots an aggressive non-complicant suspect, whether armed or not, I often wonder what would happen to one of us private citizens who might have to shoot for the same reason to protect ourselves/family at home or this time of year in a shopping center parking lot.
Get's sort of scary when you really think what could happen to our family from threats like the LEO in Ferguson got and finally had to resign from his job.

Well now it won't do much good to be armed and be unwilling to use it if the situation arises, will it?

 

[CO_Kid]

There are a lot of people out there who fall under Jeff Cooper's statement to the effect of "Owning a gun doesn't make you armed any more than owning a guitar makes you a musician".

I was at a store the other day, in line at the register. In front of me was a guy sorta kinda open carrying (gun IWB but over a tucked in shirt so the butt was open). I watched that guy for the few minutes we were standing there. Never once did he turn to look at me to acknowledge there was someone behind him. Never once did he look around to gain some situational awareness. And the entire time we were in line, until it was his turn at the register, his face was buried in his phone. He would have been as useless as a screen door on a submarine trying to stop a surprise attack.

 

[firebreather]

Have any of you ever punched a lawyer?

Yup, a couple, including an A.D.A. Sometimes lawyers get a little over zealous with their titles and have to be reminded about laying their hands on people from behind in tense situations, especially LEO's.

 

[cmort666]

If you let somebody murder you, you have no worries.

No plan I have ever had, have now or ever WILL have in the future involves letting somebody harm me.

My solution to the immediate and credible threat of unlawful deadly force is the sudden, unannounced, and overwhelming application of deadly force until the threat is neutralized.

I don't care who doesn't like that or why. If somebody wants to harm me because I wouldn't let somebody else, connected to them or otherwise, harm me, then they'll just get more of the same.

Nobody who would counsel me to let myself be harmed would lift a FINGER to "protect" me.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Yes, after Katrina.

Legally? According to the Times-Picayune, 16 officers who shot shot people were prosecuted. The rest of the reported legal shootings were at people who were shooting at officers.

Looters and the Lessons of Katrina

You would have though a legal looter shooting would have made the paper. Or at least the documentary. I searched "katrina looter shot," "katrina looter killed," "citizen shoots katrina looter," and several other variations. Not a single story about someone being shot for looting.

 

[getoff]

in my brief LEO stint, (12 mo.) i had my sidearm out of the holster 2 times. neither time did i have to use it. in all the years i have had a permit to carry, i have drawn once, and put my hand on the grip ready to draw once. once was after being threatened by some dudes white lining on the interstate and felt i had cut one of them off. the other was an aggressive panhandler who said he didn't belive me that i had no cash and wanted to find out for himself. the biker crowd split as soon as they realized after showing me he had a gun, mine was already out and aimed in his direction. the panhandeler recognized my stance and where my hand was. it changed his mind without even seeing the gun. am i proud or happy about either of those stories? no. am i happy that i had a gun with me when the need arises? yup. would/could i have used it to protect myself and my kids? without a doubt. its a dangerous world we live in and i intend to keep on living for a long time.

 

[DevilDog72]

y e s..........

 

[Bull100]

For 25 years I stood ready willing and able to protect myself and others day in and day out. Today I limit the others to my family and friends except in a very dire circumstances. If I happened to be in a convience store late at night and a team came into the store with intent to rob I'd let them, unless they try to heard me and others into a back room then I would reconsider protecting someone I didn't know.

 

[John R]

I searched for this story. There was a burglar shot inside Fuel City. The owner, armed with a firearm, awoke to find a burglar in his business. This is a valid shoot all day long. This was a burglary of an occupied structure, and the owner felt his life was in danger. Shooting looters on sight, as has been suggested, doesn't happen. You cannot shoot a person running out of Best Buy with a big screen television under each arm.

Carrying that much weight just take out a knee cap and watch him collapse.
These looters are animals and should be treated as such.

 

[Badkarma 1]

I think a saying I heard as a kid sums it up best "If ya can't stands the heat, best stay outta the kitchen!"
Dale

 

[John Rus]

If I had absolutely no choice I would shoot. But if there was something I could do to avoid it, I would. But with some people that's not possible unfortunately.

John.

 

[S&W SS Revolvers]

This thread is important,thoughtful and enlightning to say the least. Personally I beleive property does justify shooting. Being in business , not personally , yet running a dealership for semi-trailers shows how hard it is to really make a profit , and to win. It's tough.

What has always intrigued is the fact that looters tend to "pick" on the businesses and neighborhoods in their part of town. Weird. At the end of the day we , freedom loving and responsible citizens must weigh all aspects in a split second and live with the results. That's a bad answer yet it is what it is...it sucks. Commonsense dictates otherwise.

I do know this anyone that harms any member of my family will not find any corner of this earth to hide unless they are simply lucky. At that point they are dealing with a man who really doesn't care anymore.

 

[Jim1392]

I spent my time protecting others and now the only people I'm concerned about would be my wife and myself. I'm not a LEO anymore and I have no reason to confront bad guys. Unless I walked into a situation that I knew was going to go bad for me I would not get involved. As far as my mindset about carrying a weapon. My feeling is if you haven't mentally commited to being able to use your weapon you shouldn't be carrying it. The seconds you spend thinking should I, or shouldn't I, will cost you your life.

Also Goldstar225 couldn't have said it any better.

"If I am given the choice between defending myself or family and suffering bad publicity, legal fees, and other negative side effects vs. dying or watching a loved one die, the decision is a no brainer".

 

[GatorFarmer]

If one pokes around case law regarding fleeing felons in their particular state, interesting things will pop up. A felon was traditionally outside the law, including no longer being protected by it...hence outlaw. That still colors fleeing felon cases in many places.

It should also be noted that a hostile crowd is a deadly threat by virtue of its numbers, even if unarmed, and that every member of that crowd had assumed the risk.

I am not aware of any vengeance killings where associates of the deceased have taken revenge on a citizen for killing one of their associates. Against another criminal and business rival perhaps, but not a square Joe. I spent years living in the ghetto. No one bothers the white guy with a gun, nice clothes and a hard stare.

 

[jeeps]

It's not the skin ,but the sin. Thou shall not steal or kill.But the culture says were entitled and above the law. It's bull ! ,do crime and face the law. Robbing looting and killing is not right. Certian cultures think they have separate laws and benefits and are above the law .

 

[Wagonmaster]

As the OP please excuse the late response. I appreciate all the responses and hope I would do as most stated they would do. I feel I would have do doubts about protecting myself and the wife but was wondering what the majority good guys out there thought this was what they would do. All the responses just makes me more convinced "make my day".

 

[fredj338]

No wondering about it, there will likely be a trial & depending on the circumstance, it could be long & costly. There almost certainly will be a civil suit following. LEO have some relief from liability, civ do not. Castle doctrine or stand your ground is not legal cover. Yes, deciding to have &/or carry a gun for SD is a serious burden to consider, & your mindset should be established before you make the purchase or put the gun in a holster.

 

[one eye joe]

Be alert, prepare for the worst, and hope for the best.

Sorry to say this, but these people that are rioting are just looking for an excuse to have a free for all.

If Wilson had been indicted, the same people would have done the same thing using the excuse it was a celebration.

Just no way of winning with this mindset.

What really gets me is these people come from all over the country to cause problems, like I said, it's just one big free for all.

A friend of mine said it best, Fly over and drop job applications and watch them scatter.

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