Its your duty to concealed carry (aurora theater shooting)

[palmettosunshine]

My wife texted me today asking if I'd heard about this senseless tragedy. My response was, "yep, still think I'm a lunatic for carrying all the time?" Her response, "nope."

Now the reality is my M&P 340 loaded with .38 Federal Hydra-Shok's would have just gotten me killed. You see that's all I carry in the summer heat. In the dark, with smoke grenades going off, muzzles flashes punctuating the dark, and the incredible noise of up-close gunfire, could I have gone for a head shot with a snubbie? Doubt it seriously. All I would have done would be to draw fire to me and my family. Does this mean it's time to put that .357 Sig barrel in the Glock and carry it no matter what? Or just strap on the 65-3 and leave the shirt out?

I don't have the answers and hope to never find out what I would do in that situation but I've always said I want the option to shoot back. Would I? Could I? Please God, lets never find out.

 

[Old cop]

As a LEO I've been in situations where I used my duty weapon. Now retired 15 years I only carry my J Frame w/one reload. To be honest the circumstances would have to be in my favor before I risked a shot that might miss, or injure an innocent person, and I'm a good shot w/my J (I practice often).

That said if I did get the chance I would take the bad guy out and hope to stay out of the media limelight. The newsies think nothing of ruining your family life just to make their deadline.

 

[old curmudgeon]

It's easy to say I would do this or that...pound your chest...look at me...I'm not afraid. Honestly...you have no idea what you would do. It's not about being a hero or a coward...it's about using your brain to get out of the situation alive.

Did you notice that you are sneering at a LEO?

I think he knows what he would do.

LEO's consider it bad style to show a yellow streak.

 

[MP22]

For some reason this post followed by the sig line "when in doubt-use the M&P" is somewhat entertaining.

For some reason....your lack of judgment is entertaining....

 

[MP22]

Did you notice that you are sneering at a LEO?

I think he knows what he would do.

LEO's consider it bad style to show a yellow streak.

Well...I guess he thinks all the people who hid behind whatever they could get behind are all cowards. He is a retired LEO...not sneering at him...he as a retired LEO should not call people cowards because they did not storm the BG shooting. All I am saying is....everybody did what "they" had to do to survive....end of story. JMO

 

[VMaxSplat]

For some reason....your lack of judgment is entertaining....

That's strange, I don't recall making a judgement call on anything in this thread.

 

[Ptarmigan]

but here in North Carolina, concealed carry is not allowed anywhere that charges admission

Could you share with us the logic of the NC legislature when they made that decision?

 

[frdtgh91]

Prayers are with the Aurora victims, family, and friends.

 

[Kanewpadle]

These threads crack me up . I would do this or I would do that!

That's all I heard on the radio shows today too.

Thing is, we weren't there so we can speculate all we want.

Blind intervention and protecting yourself and family are two different things. Not even close.

And I'm willing to bet that there were a few concealed carriers at the movie who chose not to act for good reason.

 

[old curmudgeon]

Could you share with us the logic of the NC legislature when they made that decision?

Logic in the NC legislature?

You must be kidding.

 

[smithman 10]

These threads crack me up . I would do this or I would do that!

That's all I heard on the radio shows today too.

Thing is, we weren't there so we can speculate all we want.

Blind intervention and protecting yourself and family are two different things. Not even close.

And I'm willing to bet that there were a few concealed carriers at the movie who chose not to act for good reason.

I doubt seriously there was another person in that building with a firearm.

 

[Kanewpadle]

I doubt seriously there was another person in that building with a firearm.

Colorado is a Shall Issue state. I'm willing to bet your wrong.

But seriously, does it matter?

Everybody wants to be a hero. Blindly intervening will just get you dead.

I'm not saying that we should do nothing. But to jump out in front of hail of bullets is foolish at best.

Fight your battles on your terms not his.

 

[Moonman]

This story was a real tragedy. I really doubt anyone could have been of much assistance. The Perp was well armed, well thought out execution of his plan, had surprise (some thought it was part of the show), darkness and confusion going on.

Someone armed would have been at a serious disadvantage and would have put even more people at risk with a firearm discharge.

The story appears to have all the firearms being legally obtained and the person not having any law enforcement problems. We shall see as the investigation continues, and we'll know a great deal about him over the next couple of weeks.

He aledgely told law enforcement he was "THE JOKER" and had colored his hair. We will just have to wait and not speculate so much.

The world has Mentally Disturbed people and JUST EVIL ONES TOO.

 

[MP22]

Colorado is a Shall Issue state. I'm willing to bet your wrong.

But seriously, does it matter?

Everybody wants to be a hero. Blindly intervening will just get you dead.

I'm not saying that we should do nothing. But to jump out in front of hail of bullets is foolish at best.

Fight your battles on your terms not his.

Totally agree...

 

[HayesGreener]

What Would I do?

The variables are so many that it it difficult to know what one might have done, or might have had the opportunity to do, during the 2 minutes or so that the shooting rampage lasted. You would have had to be sitting in one of those theatre seats to know that. I was a law enforcement officer for 41 years. One of my greatest nightmares was to have a lethal situation arise before me and be helpless to do anything about it. I always am armed for that reason. As I have said many times before, I may be a victim, but I damn sure don't intend to be a helpless victim

 

[Kanewpadle]

This story was a real tragedy. I really doubt anyone could have been of much assistance. The Perp was well armed, well thought out execution of his plan, had surprise (some thought it was part of the show), darkness and confusion going on.

Someone armed would have been at a serious disadvantage and would have put even more people at risk with a firearm discharge.

The story appears to have all the firearms being legally obtained and the person not having any law enforcement problems. We shall see as the investigation continues, and we'll know a great deal about him over the next couple of weeks.

He aledgely told law enforcement he was "THE JOKER" and had colored his hair. We will just have to wait and not speculate so much.

The world has Mentally Disturbed people and JUST EVIL ONES TOO.

If we REALLY stop to think about this and picture in your head what it must of been like during the shooting, I think we would realize that taking any type of action would have been extremely difficult.

The shooter had a perfect killing zone. Multiple weapons. And body armor. At least that's what has been reported so far.

As concealed carriers many of us would have been seated in an aisle seat in case of fire and we probably would not have considered a mad man PREPARED to execute a mass shooting.

People would have been trampling each other to get to the exits. So where does that leave you in your aisle seat? If you get up your likely to be shot. If you sit there, you can't bend over or hit the floor to take cover. If you wait until people are clear to take a shot, you just became the next target of the mad man with an AR-15 AND a shotgun while you hide behind a seat!!

For a concealed carrier to win this situation the events would have had to unfold perfectly for the concealed carrier. And what are the odds of that?

 

[venomballistics]

looking up CO laws ... seems the no guns allowed signs do not have force of law there. Did Denver louse it up on the city level and why was he not reduced to goo under a barrage of legit defensive return fire?

 

[Smith357]

At the range I'm a pretty darn good shot and I have a few trophy's to prove it. In a dark crowded theater under stress with a lot of panicked people running around and a 5 shot .38 snub nosed revolver against an armored up rifleman I'm not so sure I could have been much help. Would I have done something, anything??? I would like to think as a former Marine I would try, but not having been there it would be nothing but speculation.

 

[MP22]

At the range I'm a pretty darn good shot and I have a few trophy's to prove it. In a dark crowded theater under stress with a lot of panicked people running around and a 5 shot .38 snub nosed revolver against an armored up rifleman I'm not so sure I could have been much help. Would I have done something, anything??? I would like to think as a former Marine I would try, but not having been there it would be nothing but speculation.

I agree.......

 

[cbr6864]

Nutnfancy is the worst thing to happen to CC and the gun community as a whole with his whole sheep dog thing. I carry and have for a while now I carry to protect my family and myself, above that its a case by case basis. Pulling a perfect head shot seems easy but when you factor in limited vision in the dark, muzzle flash, people running all over the place are you 100% sure you can make that shot?

It may sound harsh but i carry to protect my family and myself not the guy next to me he has the same opportunity to protect himself as I do....not my fault if he doesnt.