WHY DID NO AMERICAN MAN OR WOMAN JUMP THE BATMAN KILLER?

Vanity. | 07/21/12 | Golux

[golux]

There are lots of experts in this forum of one kind or another. Here we have James Holmes. Why wasn't he taken down? Would you have done it?

[Gettin Betta]

I’ve been asking the same question. Its been proven that since 911 you can’t fart on an airplane with passenger intervention. I dont get it.

[rovenstinez]

This is a good topic, I´d like to see the discussions here regarding this. We had a mad man in the Mexican Subway systrem start shooting randomly at crowds, and 50 people were behind him, walked away, even police officers ran. ONLY ONE guy gave him the face, and got shot several times, when people saw his valiant response, reluctantly others got involved. But this IS indeed something to say about society, that we don´t want to defend our fellowman. We want the guys in the Army to do it for us.

[Baynative]

People reported that they thought his appearance and setting off smoke and gas grenades was part of the show. Such displays were common place at this theater where people often come in costume and set off pyrotechnics at mid night shows.

By the time he actually shot people, the tear gas was overwhelming the patrons. I think I would have made a run at him if I was close and could see anything. (but, I'm old and don't give a damn)

[albie]

Nobody was armed, complete confusion and panic, too many sensitive, diverse and tolerant metrosexuals?

[Mr. Impatient]

Nobody there was feeling suicidal perhaps?

Seriously, try applying a little bit of common sense here. If someone has an automatic weapon and is currently firing it, are you going to try to bum rush him?

Or are you going to increase your chances of not getting shot a dozen times by NOT charging right at the crazed gunman?

[driftdiver]

You’re assuming someone didn’t try to stop him and wound up dead.

[sean327]

Here is the problem. Very few Americans have ever been trained for a situation like this. Unless you are Active Duty Army or Marine Corps, or a veteran of those 2 services, or a cop your 1st reaction is to get away. Americans have been conditioned to think the police will save them. They have been told that flight not fight is the best course of action. The average American has no clue what a combat situation is like.

[Mike Darancette]

I would look to the age demographic of the crowd.

[kabar]

Human nature. Who wants to the one leading the charge and more than likely suffer certain death? Self-preservation is a very powerful force.

The ones that do overcome this basic instinct are called heroes, which is why they are rare and worthy of praise.

[avacado]

- Dark theatre
- Shooter wearing black clothing
- Tear gas flooding the theatre and choking everyone

[Revolting cat!]

IBIBQ (In Before Irrelevant Bible Quotes!)

[spokeshave]

Would you have done it?

1. Light up a flare and stuff it up under the back of his amour vest.

2. Wearing a gas mask eh....so put a plastic bag over the fiter.

3. If have a gun ....aim for the mask lenses. (aim small...miss small)

[TsonicTsunami08]

Comfortable in your chair? Shock and Awe is hard to respond to.
What are Colorado gun laws like? Can you bring a weapon into a movie theater lawfully?
No weapons turns a movie theater into a slaughter house of sheep!
Training can prepare one for a surprise attack but you never know how it will unfold. Thinking instead of reacting can get you in a world of hurt quick fast! All the rest is comic book shoulda, coulda, woulda!
Pray for the victims!

[onceone]

has an automatic weapon and is currently firing it

First I heard of that. Citation please.

[OldCorps]

Consider the age group. Not many real men go to see batman I suspect. Posers?

Seriously, do you think many military vets are going to watch batman? That's the group i would expect would try to do something to the shooter.

I read here on FR that one of the male attendees ran and left his baby, fiance, and her child. Of course that's another sad comment on society: Parents taking kids to a movie at midnight, and children without their natural father being married to their mother. What a sick world we live in.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

I have posted about this on other threads.
My theory...
1. this was a very young crowd. Not many people over 50 go to a Midnite movie, let alone Batman.

2. we have taught young people not to have a sense of morality and decent, civilized behaviors in our society( thug clothes, moral realtivism, rap music , calling your teacher a MF, denouncing the ethical , moral values of religious teachings, etc.)

3. Our society is battling the most clear rights to ‘stand your ground.”(ie Zimmerman case)

4. Young people are taught: run away, wait for police, get on your cell phone and DON’T GET INVOLVED. Remember years ago even the subway guy that shot at thugs on the subway? he had hell to pay for defending himself.

Your points about the situation has merit..tear gas, darkness, loud movie, costumes, etc.

but I bet if this was a matinee in Georgia, Fl or KY..and there were over age 50 guys or veterans, they might have reacted differently..as the case in the cafe where an older man shot at and chased out two would be thugs.

[Copenhagen Smile]

Survivors have described watching him walk by them as they played dead. Why did nobody DO something? I don't know, but I think I might have tried to tackle him or something. I do know that if I didn't do anything I would regret it the rest of my life.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

good point.

[Positive]

I would have taken him down, if I had my Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 Magnum with me at the time.