For the he should have known better files:

[Waveski]

Well , he took on the mission of removing others from danger by intervening in a robbery attempt...I’d say he succeeded but at a very high price.

 

[MistWolf]

The moral of the story is that he shouldn't never have tried to take out the gunman he saw. After 28 years in the Infantry and 25 years in LE I am well aware that people who set out to be heroes often get hurt or killed. People, especially someone with his experience need to be calm enough not to rush into a situation they don't know all the details of. This isn't the first time a would be hero was shot by an accomplice he didn't see. Unfortunately it won't be the last.

You weren't there. I wasn't there. SSG Ruth assessed the situation and acted. If he made any mistakes, he paid for them. He should not be counted as a fool or second guessed or dishonored for his actions. SSG Ruth is a hero.

 

[shafter]

There is a difference between a fat, out of shape wannabe who fantasizes about finding themselves in a situation where they can play hero, and a highly trained warrior taking a calculated risk. I wouldn't put him in the same category as the former.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

As an Army veteran, both enlisted and commissioned and as someone who "saw the elephant", I have always been rather skeptical about Ranger training, yes it is very tough and demanding, but their claims that its stresses "exceed those of combat"-if nobody's trying to kill you, it's not combat. And a Ranger tab does not make you bullet proof. He ran to the sound of the guns, yes, but if he wasn't armed, and a lot of crime-robberies, especially daylight ones-like combat, are done by teams, then he took unnecessary risks.

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

Lessons learned to be sure, but going to have to disagree with the theme of this thread.

Good on you, SSG Ruth.

 

[danez71]

I'd venture to say that every victim of a robbery gone bad is evidence that what statics suggest don't always reflect real world results; same with lotto winners.

Every heroic decision is tactically unsound when you think about it.

Agreed.

I suggest we agree to disagree.
It will be interesting to see how the thread leans.

 

[Speedo66]

“No good deed goes unpunished”

I wonder if alcohol was involved in his decision making?