Well, if you don’t actually kill the perp with the shot, a bullet to the face serves as a permanent warning to anyone who ever comes upon this criminal.
Works for me.
Going back 25 years ago I knew a guy who managed a chain Italian restaurant. One of his guys left the back door open while taking out the trash and a gunman came in demanding the safe be opened.
My armed friend fired first hitting him in the face. Went in one cheek took out some teeth and existed through the upper part of the other cheek.
The guy lived and served 10 years. The first couple of years he was out of jail my friend was paranoid and watched his back all the time. Things have settled down since then.