It seems like we have this conversation every so often here
Sigh
There is no right answer to this question. Every situation is different. My fight will not be the same as your fight. Let's review:
The OP says that we are in the back of the store and apparently unnoticed. In order to come up with a better answer then shoot him/don't shoot him be a good witness we need a bit more information. Information that will be available to you in a real life situation but has not been provided to us.
Where is the door? Can you exit the store unnoticed? Is there a bell or chime on the door that sounds when it's opened? Many convenience stores have them, and the existence of one may have a bearing on what you decide to do.
How is the store laid out? Is there a large open area in front of the counter? Do the aisles run parallel to the counter or perpendicular to it? What system is in place to allow the clerk to watch the aisles? Mirrors, CCTV? Can the bad guy see the activity in the rest of the store from where he's standing?
Are there other people in the store? Where are they? Are they aware of what's happening? Can they see you? Do any of them look agitated or like they are about to panic? Do any of them look like they might be with the bad guy?
Answer these questions and we can start planning a course of action.
How many members here even take note of any of these things when they go into the convenience store? All of those things could potentially have lethal consequences to you should you decide to take action.
The problem I have with the "shoot the bad guy dead" types is that they often don't think the situation through at all. It's easy to be brave on the internet and impress everyone with your moral superiority with bold talk of gunning the bad guys down so the criminals get the message and the crime rate drops. But real life is a lot different.
In their world, the brave CCW holder quietly slips up into range and makes a well placed shot into the brain stem of the bad guy dropping him in a no reflex kill and splattering the attractive (other job is as a Hooters Girl) clerk with the bad guy's blood. When the police arrive our hero is holding the clerk tightly to him to comfort her. The patrol sergeant shakes his hand and slaps him on the back. At the next city council meeting the mayor give him the key to the city and the chief of police presents him with an engraved city issue service weapon in a display case with a nice certificate and the crime scene photo in the lid. The clerk/hooters girl has left him so many voice mails offering anything to show her gratitude that it's becoming somewhat embarrassing.
How do I know this? Because with a couple minor variations, it's the exact same fantasy most rookie cops have when they start on the job. All you have to do is replace CCW holder with off duty officer.
Why do cops grow out of this fantasy? Because it isn't long before they see the gritty, nauseating truth about violent situations and they quickly get enough experience with the court system and they are able to see things as they really are, not how we'd like them to be.
Should you shoot in this situation? I don't know. We don't have enough information here to do anything but guess.
What I do know is that there are no right and wrong answers to this question. No one knows how they will react in that situation. The right answer for me might be wrong for someone else.
Shoot/don't shoot in this situation is a question of personal morals and values and really isn't appropriate for THR.
The question that would be on topic here in the Strategies and Tactics forum, would be; I have decided to act, how should I go about it?
Jeff
Sigh
There is no right answer to this question. Every situation is different. My fight will not be the same as your fight. Let's review:
The OP says that we are in the back of the store and apparently unnoticed. In order to come up with a better answer then shoot him/don't shoot him be a good witness we need a bit more information. Information that will be available to you in a real life situation but has not been provided to us.
Where is the door? Can you exit the store unnoticed? Is there a bell or chime on the door that sounds when it's opened? Many convenience stores have them, and the existence of one may have a bearing on what you decide to do.
How is the store laid out? Is there a large open area in front of the counter? Do the aisles run parallel to the counter or perpendicular to it? What system is in place to allow the clerk to watch the aisles? Mirrors, CCTV? Can the bad guy see the activity in the rest of the store from where he's standing?
Are there other people in the store? Where are they? Are they aware of what's happening? Can they see you? Do any of them look agitated or like they are about to panic? Do any of them look like they might be with the bad guy?
Answer these questions and we can start planning a course of action.
How many members here even take note of any of these things when they go into the convenience store? All of those things could potentially have lethal consequences to you should you decide to take action.
The problem I have with the "shoot the bad guy dead" types is that they often don't think the situation through at all. It's easy to be brave on the internet and impress everyone with your moral superiority with bold talk of gunning the bad guys down so the criminals get the message and the crime rate drops. But real life is a lot different.
In their world, the brave CCW holder quietly slips up into range and makes a well placed shot into the brain stem of the bad guy dropping him in a no reflex kill and splattering the attractive (other job is as a Hooters Girl) clerk with the bad guy's blood. When the police arrive our hero is holding the clerk tightly to him to comfort her. The patrol sergeant shakes his hand and slaps him on the back. At the next city council meeting the mayor give him the key to the city and the chief of police presents him with an engraved city issue service weapon in a display case with a nice certificate and the crime scene photo in the lid. The clerk/hooters girl has left him so many voice mails offering anything to show her gratitude that it's becoming somewhat embarrassing.
How do I know this? Because with a couple minor variations, it's the exact same fantasy most rookie cops have when they start on the job. All you have to do is replace CCW holder with off duty officer.
Why do cops grow out of this fantasy? Because it isn't long before they see the gritty, nauseating truth about violent situations and they quickly get enough experience with the court system and they are able to see things as they really are, not how we'd like them to be.
Should you shoot in this situation? I don't know. We don't have enough information here to do anything but guess.
What I do know is that there are no right and wrong answers to this question. No one knows how they will react in that situation. The right answer for me might be wrong for someone else.
Shoot/don't shoot in this situation is a question of personal morals and values and really isn't appropriate for THR.
The question that would be on topic here in the Strategies and Tactics forum, would be; I have decided to act, how should I go about it?
Jeff
