Ut-oh, CCW holder plays cowboy. Oops.

[SC Tiger]

If he had been carrying a .50 S&W the round would have gone through the bumper and hit the tire. Shame on him for carrying anything smaller.

perhapps he should have taken a head shot instead of a tire shot?

No - he needed the .88 magnum. It would go through the radiator, engine, body of the car and take out the rear tires (shockwave would take both out). When it came out the other side it will make an impact crater large enough for the car to fall into, thus stopping the escape.

[kn1080]

I don't see how this proves only police should have guns?

All this proves is that people who have guns should know the law, which includes the police. The law varies with the State.

If the police are not present at a robbery and criminals decide to rape and pillage, then the chances of a better outcome are insured if some clients at the scene have guns.

If the store owner had a gun then he/she could have held the robbers for the police. I think even this fellow could have decided to pull his weapon if he had stopped the robbers while they were in the store. The problem is when and where he decided to start shooting. At least, that's my take on where the problem lies.

Lester

I havent heard any mention of the two guys in the car having any sort of weapon... all I heard was that they basically shoplifted. I dont think the store owner could have met them with a firearm either, even to hold them. Am I wrong?

[kn1080]

No - he needed the .88 magnum. It would go through the radiator, engine, body of the car and take out the rear tires (shockwave would take both out). When it came out the other side it will make an impact crater large enough for the car to fall into, thus stopping the escape.

excellen thinking. perhapps a 155 howitzer?

[Midnight]

Just saw the story.

While I know it's legal in a lot of states, I would likely never draw my weapon for people I don't know. I've got to look out for number one, and I don't feel strangers are worth my time and effort to save since I'll have to tie myself up in the legal system.

If you think I'm a bad guy, blame gun restriction and incomplete Castle Doctrine laws on that.

[Alaska444]

Just saw the story.

While I know it's legal in a lot of states, I would likely never draw my weapon for people I don't know. I've got to look out for number one, and I don't feel strangers are worth my time and effort to save since I'll have to tie myself up in the legal system.

If you think I'm a bad guy, blame gun restriction and incomplete Castle Doctrine laws on that.

If you don't take into consideration the legal ramifications before pulling your gun out of your holster, then you really are not facing the reality of the situation. The CCW instructor at one of my classes noted a case he was involved with as an expert witness for a shooting of a dog that cost $235,000 to defend in the civil case. That was a dog that attacked him and his dog on his property. For that involving a person, you will need to consider a lawyer to avoid or defend a criminal charge and then if you are fortunate to avoid prison time get ready for the civil case that WILL follow. It really brings home that we are authorized to use deadly force in the face of grave bodily harm or death only. Use it wisely and only in the gravest extreme as Ayoob tells us.

[SC Tiger]

Just saw the story.

While I know it's legal in a lot of states, I would likely never draw my weapon for people I don't know. I've got to look out for number one, and I don't feel strangers are worth my time and effort to save since I'll have to tie myself up in the legal system.

If you think I'm a bad guy, blame gun restriction and incomplete Castle Doctrine laws on that.

Midnight - I don't think you're a bad guy. I think you're a smart guy based on what you said. I'll pull my weapon to defend myself, my family (including the cat if he's on my property), and close friends. I might make rare exceptions but that would be HIGHLY unlikely. Anyone else can use their firearm to defend themselves. Oh, they don't have one? That's their problem. The gun stores are full of them and CCW instructors are plentiful. Everyone has the same opportunity I did to purchase a firearm and carry it for defense.

I'm not a cop, I don't play one on TV and I didn't stay at a Holdiay Inn Express last night, so I'm not going to try to be a cop.

In SC you stand in the shoes of the person you help. Example, say you walk up on a situation where a little old lady has a gun pointed at her by a large thug. You pull your weapon and wind up shooting the thug. Then you find out the little old lady had pulled a weapon on the thug, and the "thug" was actually a law-abiding citizen who had drawn his weapon to defend himself. In that case deadly force by the little old lady would not have been justified, and so you would be charged with murder. I think the idea is to keep people from playing amateur cop or vigilante.

[Unfettered Might]

Just saw the story.

While I know it's legal in a lot of states, I would likely never draw my weapon for people I don't know. I've got to look out for number one, and I don't feel strangers are worth my time and effort to save since I'll have to tie myself up in the legal system.

If you think I'm a bad guy, blame gun restriction and incomplete Castle Doctrine laws on that.

I'll give you that one, but I think you meant incomplete self defense laws.

One reason I like ours, if you are justified in using deadly force, no criminal or civil cases are permitted. I don't have to second guess myself in saving someone else, although knowing what the entirety of the situation is still applies.