http://www.wave3.com/story/20061670/deadly-shooting-at-hillview-walmart
What would any of you do if present during this?
I've been asking myself the same question all day but have yet to come up with an answer.
Do you ignore and keep your name out of it?
Or possibly save lives by taking action?
There was a shooting at the Wal-Mart in my town, the shooter was actually an interstate kidnapper who was acting strange in the parking lot, so someone called 911 and reported a suspicious person, a pair of Kitsap Deputies arrived on scene, and after confronting him the kidnapper killed his kidnapee and injured the two deputies in a shootout, well a third deputy decided to roll on the call even though she wasn't specifically dispatched to the scene, she took the back loading dock road behind the Wal-Mart and when the shots fired call hit the radio she came up and popped the kidnapper from behind.
Now in case you're wondering why this is relevant, well it is, this means don't get involved in shootouts if its not nessecary, say you confront the shooter and kill him, and just as that happens a deputy rolls up behind you, she hears "shots fired" on the radio and sees someone with a gun and a dead body in front of them. it's more likely you'll be shot by responding officers. now if you are physically there when it happens, like in view where you can get a reasonable shot and there's no LEOs in sight then sure go ahead and try. but if you are not in view and not directly threatened I'd be cautious about getting yourself involved. cops have bullet proof vests, full sized duty handguns, two or more full reloads and a radio that can be used to quickly summon backup/SWAT/helicopter/ or whatever other support is available, and they're wearing uniforms that allow people to immediately presume they're not the criminal shooter. you don't nessecarily have all of that. And any LEOs that respond are going to be jumpy, so if you do stop the shooter you should immediately re-holster your pistol, I wouldn't want to have a gun in my hand when officer friendly arrives having been told someone's gone postal...