Posted on 02/01/2020 7:57:24 PM PST by PROCON
If you’ve never seen the Sergio Leone film “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly,” one of the characters admonishes a would-be assassin “When you have to shoot, shoot; don’t talk” after having dispatched him. Something like that exact sentiment is why warning shots, verbal warnings and other attempts to dissuade a violent attacker are a bad idea.
If the threat is real, draw from your concealed carry holster and fire – and stop the threat.
Warning Shots Will Only Land You In Jail
Warning shots sound great on paper. The gunshot will frighten the bad person enough so they give up or think better of what they’re doing and cheese it. Sounds good, right?
It’s likely to send you to jail instead.
There are two primary factors that will put you in a prison uni because of a warning shot. First is that a prosecutor will argue that since you weren’t threatened enough to actually shoot the person in the first place, you weren’t really threatened sufficiently to merit pulling a gun in the first place.
The act of drawing a pistol in the first place is an act of deadly force before the eyes of the law. Use of deadly force without the requisite reasonable belief of imminent death or dismemberment is a felony.
Second is what the bullet does after it leaves the barrel, which is part and parcel to why police officers don’t fire warning shots. If the threat is real, they tend to shoot to stop the threat and that’s exactly what you should do if confronted by a violent criminal.
Granted, a bullet into dirt will likely stay there, but pavement and other materials can cause a ricochet. Firing up into the air is equally reckless; what goes up, after all.
It Might Just Get You Killed
A recent tragic reminder about why warnings and warning shots are often fruitless is the recent case of Pedro “Pete” Cain of Norfolk, Va. Cain was visiting with some neighbors when a young woman came up to the group and asked to use a cellular phone on in late May of this year, according to the Virginia Pilot. She was told there wasn’t one available, but Cain was concerned that she was actually casing for a robbery and went back to his apartment to retrieve a handgun.
Cain’s suspicion was correct, and soon after returning with the gun, a man wearing a bandana appeared with a handgun. Cain aimed at the man and told him to drop it.
The man began to comply, but suddenly fired, hitting Cain in the abdomen. Cain was taken to the hospital but died of his wounds. Five people have been arrested for their roles in the robbery. The alleged shooter, one David Barrington, is facing a charge of 2nd degree murder as well as ancillary charges.
This isn’t to say it’s Cain’s own fault he was killed; it was the murderous criminal’s fault. However, it may well have turned out different had Cain merely fired. The shooter may have wound up on a slab, Cain’s fiance wouldn’t be mourning his loss and his son won’t be growing up without remembering his father.
Shoot To Stop The Threat
If you are confronted with a real and honest threat to you or someone else’s life or posed with a threat of serious bodily injury by a person bent on doing evil, shoot to stop the threat. Don’t try trick shots to the kneecap, don’t resort to warning shots. Verbal commands may work, but as can be gleaned from the Cain case, won’t always.
It certainly isn’t the case that you should shoot first and ask questions later. The threat has to be real and reasonable. But it is the case that if presented with a real clear and present danger, shoot until they stop.
If the danger is real, drawing and shooting will be justified. Since the best place for bullets is inside an attacker, there’s no danger of ricochets or bullets landing somewhere they shouldn’t after being fired in the air. Best of all, you’ll probably get home alive.
Everyone of us who EDC need to decide what we'll do if we're confronted with a life and death situation.
What would you do?
I know I've heard stories here from FReepers who have had to pull their firearms.
As concealed carriers, pulling our firearm is the last thing we want to do but we have that option.
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Tuco’s Rule
Harry Truman didn’t give Japan a warning shot, even though some of his advisors wanted him to.
Warning shots, unicorns, Santa, the Easter Bunny, the good fairy, are bullshit. Shoot till the threat is gone. The best gunfight is the one you’re never in, but you have to be the winner if that’s the last resort. IMHO
This is very good advice for the situations described and for the literal acting of aiming directly at and firing shots directly at a threatening/advancing bad guy.
But it’s also good advice for Republican Attorneys General.
If you’re going to arrest criminal conspirators, arrest them. Don’t talk about it, especially endless talking, with all kinds of pre-talking through surrogates predicting bombshells and booms.
Just do your darn job and arrest the SOBs.
Sorry for hijacking the thread, but when I read the title and saw the line from Good/Bad/Ugly it’s what I thought the article was actually about.
Now back to the actual ontopic discussion. Sorry again for the digression.
It kills me when people say to rack a pump shotgun to scare the bad guys.
The chamber should already be loaded and you click off the safety and shoot the perp!
As concealed carriers, pulling our firearm is the last thing we want to do but we have that option.
= = = = = = = = = = = =
Two things that one must keep close at hand.
A firearm and a parachute.
If you ever REALLY need either and don’t have, chances are pretty good you will never need anything again.
Warnings are for rattlesnakes. Bad guys advancing are for graveyards. You have to win, there’s no other choice. The door lock was the warning. Advance further the brakes are off.
Your thoughts are appreciated.
ALL THE REASONS TO OWN FIREARMS
https://www.brighteon.com/0001ced9-b75d-4bf7-9960-94b91c258f07
I do keep my pump with an empty chamber as a double safety precaution. But I do agree, having to rack a round is a minus not a plus. It’s not my primary home defense weapon.
That’s always a good scene.
From me, the bad guys will just as much warning as I give deer before shooting them...none!
I also like in the Rockford files where he sucker-punches a guy and says “sorry, I guess I should have said, “1-2-3 Go!”
One of my shooting coaches recommends that you always fire three warning shots: two in the chest, and one in the head.
That first pic shows a problem. The apparent home owner is well lit and the perp is in the dark. I keep the hall to our bedrooms dark and a small light in the living room so any intruder will be in the light and I will be in the dark. Helps with sight picture and lessens their night vision.
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