I would never run toward the sound of gunfire.

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HKUSP45C

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I saw this posted by a forum member and wondered how many of you feel the same way.

I carry a gun everywhere I go, usually my head's on swivel.

I'm fat, slow and (moderately) untrained but, I'm no coward.

I would run to the sound of gunfire.

I don't think I'm the mall ninja. I don't think I'm the police. I just think that a decent human meets force with force.

What do you think?
 
I wouldn't run towards it either . . . .not unless I had a squad of Marines with me. :)

I might stay put and look for some cover, but I'd be getting on the phone and dialing 911 before I started running towards gunfire. There's way too many unknowns and (assuming it was legal in Illinois) if I was carrying a gun it's for protection of myself and my family.

Just my .02

Regards,
Dave
 
It all depends on the situation. I too carry my weapon for defending my family and myself, but feel a sense of responsibility for our society as well. My actions will vary depending upon where I am, how I am armed, who I am with, and a boat load of other variables. If the safety of those I love is assured then I would likely investigate and see if I could help, if not then I would not involve myself.
 
I carry a gun everywhere I go, usually my head's on swivel.
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I carry everywhere I can carry legally and my head is on my neck. I have seen the guys with swivels. How do they keep their heads from flopping over?

I'm fat, slow and (moderately) untrained but, I'm no coward.
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I'm fat, slow, have had a good bit of training and have my own gun range. I am no coward, but I am also not a martyr nor do I wish to exchange my life for the sole purpose of protecting the life of a stranger.

I would run to the sound of gunfire.
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Absolutes when it comes to fighting are few and far between. For example, I would never run toward gunfire...unless a loved one is in harm's way or I am trying to position myself between the probable threat and loved ones.

I think a lot of people confuse issues when they talk about cowardice and get all caught up in being macho. Unless I have no other choice, if I am moving toward the sound of gun fire, it will be while making use of available cover along the way. It doesn't do anyone any good if I get killed just running willy nilly to the sound of gunfire like a moth to a bug zapper.

I don't think I'm the mall ninja. I don't think I'm the police. I just think that a decent human meets force with force.

What do you think?
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That is interesting. Try not to get shot by the cops when you lumber into the middle of their firefight or get caught in the crossfire of a driveby conducted by opposition gang members. If you weren't a part of the reason for the fight and are trying to enter the fight after it has started, just how are you going to be able to assess exactly who are the good guys, bad guys, and innocents if they aren't wearing uniforms and labels? What happens when you come to the aid of a wounded combatant and shoot his aggressor and then learn that your wounded combatant was actually attempting to murder the guy you just shot, but who had successfully defended himself against the bad guy...only you misinterpreted the situation because you didn't actually know what was going on?

Brave, fat, slow guys make for easy targets.
 
What happens when you come to the aid of a wounded combatant and shoot his aggressor and then learn that your wounded combatant was actually attempting to murder the guy you just shot, but who had successfully defended himself against the bad guy...only you misinterpreted the situation because you didn't actually know what was going on?

According to NC law if you are carrying and respond to a fight and pick the wrong guy to shoot you WILL be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
 
Running towards gunfire=Better chance of being shot!:banghead: that counts towards offensive operations which is the problem for the local law enforcement not average joe with a gun. Now if Le is not around or getting a beating and in need of help then maybe. Just remember the objective of a fire fight is not necessarily to win but it is definatly not to loose.
 
Honestly, I don't know what I would do, next time. Neither do most folks. Those who believe they do are decieving themselves.
 
I
wouldn't run towards it either . . . .not unless I had a squad of Marines with me.
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I HAVE had a squad of Marines with me and I STILL didn't want to run toward the gunfire.




But I did. It was part of my job.:D


Oneshooter
Livin in Texas
 
It looks to me like there are two different topics at work here--the first is a discussion of tactical issues civilians must confront, and the second issue is the philosophical issues we identify as core individual values. It looks to me like the opening poster is examining the second set.

XavierBreath pretty well nailed it for most of us, I think, for those of us seeing this kind of situation as an example of seeking to do the best ethical behavior. stubob2517 presents what is arguably the thorniest tactical issue.

I've not been a cop, but I have been a teacher. I always ran towards the problem, and I was one of those who "stopped to help." For me, and I suspect for many cops, the belief one should act to help others in need is deeply ingrained. Now, however, to do so is fraught with potential liability, and particularly so WRT firearms.

Jim H.
 
I would head towards gunfire, and have in the past. Of course, I'm a cop.
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Ditto. This reinforces what I've said for a long time that it takes a different kind of person to be a cop.
 
I a not a first responder.

No one really knows what they will do in any given situation, including one trained for.

That said, I have run toward gunfire, fire, natural disasters and other first response situations.

Next time , I won't know until there is a next time.
 
without knowing what is going on, it seems foolish to run to the sound of gunfire, regardless of your armament, physical conditioning, and training level.

i am not suggesting it is never a good idea to help someone in need, but you could be making a bad situation worse if you interject yourself into something where you have no clue what is going on.
 
I would not rush towards the /sound/ of gunfire. I would (at least I think I would) rush a nut-with-a-gun at close range if my life was in danger.

I'm also fat, slow, and untrained, but even I can close that gap a lot faster than he expects.

I would not rush somebody with a knife. The knife is much more dangerous the closer you get. I might throw my ever-present heavy glass coffee cup at his head.
 
What happens when you come to the aid of a wounded combatant and shoot his aggressor and then learn that your wounded combatant was actually attempting to murder the guy you just shot, but who had successfully defended himself against the bad guy...only you misinterpreted the situation because you didn't actually know what was going on?
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A very good question.

In fact, the OP's question is too vague. The only answer is "it depends". In a mall or a crowd, where my loved ones are with me, is one thing. In that same crowd, when the gunfire is coming from the direction where I know my loved ones just went? Different response altogether.

I am not trained, not licensed, as an LEO. I figured out long ago that I cannot save the world. If I go running blind into a firefight, just what am I going to bring to the situation that will help? Ignorance of the situation? Inability to know who the bad guy is? Unawareness of where the shots are coming from and how I should approach to stay behind cover?

Still, all that said, I don't know what I'd do, and I hope I never find out.

Springmom
 
IF my family is in the direction of the fire, my ass is there. If not, I am on HIGH aleart and getting the F.O.O.D. (Family Out Of Dodge). If I am caught in the area, I will
  1. Look for cover and use if available.
  2. Identify the players.
  3. If and ONLY if I know who is the BG, return fire.
 
Been there, done that. Either you would as your brothers keeper, or you wouldn't as your only conscious of self/family defense. Trouble can come at you from anywhere, what you do alot of times depends on the circumstances surrounding the situation. Would I retreat to remove my daughter from harms way, for instance. If we where blocked in I would get her undercover and take out threat. If I could safely extract her then return to neutralize threat without fear for her safety, absolutely. Everyone reacts differently depending on their situation, there are too many variables.
 
What happens when you come to the aid of a wounded combatant and shoot his aggressor and then learn that your wounded combatant was actually attempting to murder the guy you just shot, but who had successfully defended himself against the bad guy...only you misinterpreted the situation because you didn't actually know what was going on?
Click to expand...

And what happens if one tries to fight back against an attacker, suffers a squib load, and has their firearm kB? There will always be some scenario where there IS no right answer, and where one is simply screwed. That's life.
 
I've experienced a few drivebys, at the sound of gunfire I automatically drop to the floor, and run at the first opportunity away from the gunfire.
 
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