Would you shoot at a fleeing bank robber like this guy? what would you do?
It's the morning of Christmas Eve. You are in a bank to transact some business. Two men enter the bank waving handguns and yelling for everyone to put their hands in the air. Caught off guard you comply like everyone else.
The robbers get a bag of money and then run out of the bank.
You run out after them and draw your weapon.
You know the law of NYS allows you to shoot and kill a fleeing robbery suspect. But do you shoot?
This guy did and missed 5 times. Fortunately he didn't hit anyone else either.
I'm not going to fire my weapon in that situation.
First there is he risk of injury to an innocent bystander, for which I could be prosecuted for negligent homicide if an innocent person dies.
Second, I'm not the bank's security guard or the police. Let them catch the robbers and recover the bank's money.
Even if I hit the robbers my life will be substantially changed from such an event and I'm not willing to subject myself and my family to that stress for a bank's property.
The Wyatt Earp wannabe will probably lose his permit over this incident.
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No way would I shoot. Moment they are running away (and assuming they are just running away), immediate threat of harm is over. Time to call the police with as much information as possible, and that is it. I probably wouldn't have even run out of the bank after them. They leave, 911 gets a call.Originally Posted by nogods
hatchet19
I agree...there's no way in hell I would take shots at a fleeing bad guy. I'm not a leo. That's what they get paid for. Although I might secretly want to.
hatchet
If you run out, get a cell-phone photo instead of shooting after them. That will be more help to the cops.
-Doc
The Anti Sheepdog
See that's where I deviate from the OP I'm not going to chase the bad guys out of the bank. As the OP states I'm not a cop, I'm not bank security and my CHP didn't come w/ a bat cape.
Good witness, observe & report
Last edited by Treo; 12-25-2010 at 06:42 AM. Reason: edits in red
Flip 'em the bird and die like a VIKING
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Thats the kind of crap that will get all of us permit holders in hot water. Way to go tough guy.
Yep, no threat on your life anymore!! The clown should lose his gun rights so the rest of us don't!!
Why is there such animosity towards this person? Obviously his actions were justified in his state:
andNo charges have been filed against the customer who fired the shots.
His shots would have been justified in Washington, as well:But after interviewing him at length about the incident, they did not charge him.
RCW 9A.16.050: Homicide
andRCW 9A.16.050
Homicide — By other person — When justifiable.
Homicide is also justifiable when committed either:
(1) In the lawful defense of the slayer, or his or her husband, wife, parent, child, brother, or sister, or of any other person in his presence or company, when there is reasonable ground to apprehend a design on the part of the person slain to commit a felony
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9A.16.020
Personally, I won't make judgmental statements regarding the person in question. I will say that his actions were justified. IF he would have actually hit the suspect which resulted in the criminals' apprehension or death, how many of the same previous posters here would say, Good! The criminal got what he deserved, justice was done.RCW 9A.16.020
Use of force — When lawful.
The use, attempt, or offer to use force upon or toward the person of another is not unlawful in the following cases:
(1) Whenever necessarily used by a public officer in the performance of a legal duty, or a person assisting the officer and acting under the officer's direction;
(2) Whenever necessarily used by a person arresting one who has committed a felony and delivering him or her to a public officer competent to receive him or her into custody;
In simple answer to the OP's first question, without making less than honorable comments about losing rights and wyatt erp, I will say that I would not chase the criminals and shoot at them.
Remember, the Brady Campaign says exactly the same things about ALL people who carry guns that you are saying about this JUSTIFIED shoot! Maybe we should attempt to conduct ourselves on a higher level than the Brady Bunch does.
It's not justified to endanger innocent people. It was an idiotic cowboy move. Apparently he wasn't a good shot either, as he missed everyone. He is lucky he missed as if he would have hit one of them or a bystander, legal or not, his butt would have been sued for everything he had. He would have single handedly set back conceal carry for decades. Headlines would have read. "Rogue cowboy guns down innocent bystanders"
The threat was over as the badguys were fleeing. Who knows if they might have retunred fire. Cops arriving on the scene could have mistaken him for a Badguy and shot him dead.... Too many variables with no imminent danger. Your right to carry, is to protect yourself and those around you. A cop wouldn't even do that on a bad day.
In other words Common sense, USE YOUR FRICKIN HEAD!!
The Anti Sheepdog
First of all I want to say that I agree that the shooter acted rashly and reiterate that I would not have done as he did in the same situation.
Having said that I would invite mpohio to undergo a similar adrenalin dump take off running add to it the fact that for possibly the first time ever you are actually shooting at another human being and see how well you do.
Flip 'em the bird and die like a VIKING
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