Let's apply some risk management techniques here. We'll start by identifying the risks. How about the following:
1. The shooter sees the witness, and although he first appeared nonchallant, the shooter raises his gun and fires, wounding or killing the witness. What's the best mitigation strategy? How about getting out of harm's way?
The smart person moves to cover as soon as the shooting starts and acts from there. The witness arrived by car, that provided him with plenty of steel and cast aluminum (engine block) to put between himself and the shooters handgun.
Alternative mitigation strategies? Well, the witness
could stay and aim his gun at the witness, intending to shoot. That creates two more risks:
2. The shooter, who had not intended to shoot the witness, realizes that the witness has now become a threat and shoots first, killing or maiming the witness. How would you mitigate that one?
Avoid the situation:
Again,
The smart person moves to cover as soon as the shooting starts and acts from there. The witness arrived by car, that provided him with plenty of steel and cast aluminum (engine block) to put between himself and the shooters handgun.
By the way, wouldn't it be the a revoltin' development if the witness were to lose his lower jaw or be paralyzed, and as Duke of Doubt suggested, the shooter were to be found to have been justified in using deadly force for self defense?
Finally,
3. The witness fires and hits the shooter. Based on witness testimony, forensic evidence, security camera evidence, or whatever, the witness is charged, perhaps convicted, and/or sued. Best case outcome? Very high legal costs. Worst? Imprisonment and/or high civil judgements. Mitigation strategy? Again,
The smart person moves to cover as soon as the shooting starts and acts from there. The witness arrived by car, that provided him with plenty of steel and cast aluminum (engine block) to put between himself and the shooters handgun.
From this analysis, I conclude the following:
The smart person moves to cover as soon as the shooting starts and acts from there. The witness arrived by car, that provided him with plenty of steel and cast aluminum (engine block) to put between himself and the shooters handgun.
Now, I've never been in such a situation The limited training I have says simply to try to first attempt to avoidance, disengage,, escape or evade before firing. As in move to cover....
Where's the upside for doing anything else?