The lessons to be learned here are:
1. LEOs (off and on duty) have no personal nor civic duty to to respond. Period.
2. We all will react differently to each scenario, and we would have to live with what we did or did not do....
3. Some folks think bullets being fired during a crime are not “a lethal threat” nor a display of intent to harm...
4. Others are of the opinion that “until they start executing” is a component of a reasonable lethal force response (assuming the first victim is not “you”).
5. Every one has opinions and assumptions-and they usually are not accurate, myself included.
We all have the benefit of being third persons in this story-we all can say what we could have, would have, should have done, but the fact remains, we were not there so we can only surmise.
I am glad no innocents were injured (if being terrorized and robbed at gunpoint isn't injurious?) or killed. I would have liked to hear that the perps were stopped so they do not do it again, by the off duty LEO or a private citizen, whomever.
I remain firmly of the opinion that none should ever assume any one else, private citizen or hired agent of a government entity, will prevent one from being subjected to criminal horrors.
YOU ARE YOUR OWN BEST DEFENSE.
Get good training, get experience (as you will only tend to do well what you practice in stressful situations) and remain aware. Let your spouse and children etc have fun (while training them too), you remain vigilant, it is the honor of being responsible.
My point was exactly that. We weren't there, and I for one, will not second guess any CCW or LEO for what they do in that situation.