It all depends on distance. A man with a pistol against a rifleman firing from 100 yards away is in trouble. A man with a rifle inside an elevator with a man with a pistol is likewise in trouble.
If the terrorists had waited until the crowd was streaming out, got out of their vehicle from 50 yards away, and opened fire on the crowd while using their car as cover, there would likely have been casualties on our side.
“It all depends on distance. A man with a pistol against a rifleman firing from 100 yards away is in trouble. A man with a rifle inside an elevator with a man with a pistol is likewise in trouble.”
Always use the correct tool for the task at hand for the best results.