why one should ALWAYS carry your weapon

[duke7595]

I have a question for TRIPLE R ,

You make a valid point about a Off duty cop taking the suspects into custody with out any shooting.

Case scenario; Two men rob a bank, they exit onto a crowed street guns in hand, off duty cop witnesses the robbers . Cop is with in 30 feet of them he Identifies himself as a policeman he also has his weapon in hand and orders them to drop their weapons he then takes cover behind a mail drop box, the robbers open fire on the cop what should he do ?

!. Return fire ?
2. Don't return fire ?

3. Don't Identify himself as a off duty cop and keep the robbers under
surveillance while calling 911 and giving Intel on the suspects every move ?

Back to the waffle house shooting. The shooter is a customer in a public place where there are a number of innocent people.
Any good cop worth his salt would not engage while in the waffle house if at all practical. He would wait until the suspects leave the waffle house, unless there is a strong possibility that one or both suspects intend to harm someone.

Remember this is a off duty cop trained to react properly to this kind of situation. If shots were fired inside the waffle house it is more then likely the other customers would have been injured or killed . It so happened that only the suspect was killed.

A policeman is trained to never engage where there is a chance of innocent people being harmed . Money is replaceable human lives are not.

The scenario about the bank robbery is a true story it occurred in New Jersey in a business district and the street was crowded with people. If a single shot would have been fired a civilian would have been hit.

I chose # 3 and followed the suspects and they were apprehended without anyone being hurt. I am a retired State Policeman (Trooper) and now live in Missouri.

I felt compelled to share this story because of the waffle house incident, we have many citizens carrying weapons, and we must be responsible for are actions.

Sincerely, Duke

 

[2manyrocks]

I'm not from NJ or Missouri, but thank you for your service.

 

[duke7595]

Thank you sir,
You are very welcome for your kind response.

Sincerely, Duke

 

[texasjohn]

Duke, you are correct.....a response to a situation depends on many factors, each situation is unique and circumstances vary. FYI, I selected option 3 because there was no immediate life threat, LEO was outnumbered, backup was needed, delay could wait for backup and fewer bystanders.

Welcome to TBN....and thanks for your service...and good judgement under stress:thumbsup:

 

[TripleR]

Actually, according to the NRA, he's right. Granted the data is older (1996 vintage). It does state that there were more suicides committed in the United States by firearms than there were homicides (justifiable or otherwise).
NRA Information - Gun Violence in America

Keep in mind that this data is for deaths caused by firearms only. It is not about all homicides or suicides, just those committed by firearms.

Surprised me.

My point was that not all "homicides" are a crime as "justifiable homicides" ie Law Enforcement and civilian self defense are included in many reports.

As to suicides, I am saying that while guns may be used in suicides, they do not cause suicide as other countries with strong gun control have higher suicide rates, they just find some other way to commit suicide.

While the statement that strict gun controls reduce the number of suicides by gun may be defensible, it does not mean strict gun control reduces the number of suicides.

I use to research all this, but have kind of lost interest as it seems everyone's mind is made up and unwilling to change absent some personal experience. Plus, I may be getting lazy.

 

[polo1665]

My point was that not all "homicides" are a crime as "justifiable homicides" ie Law Enforcement and civilian self defense are included in many reports.

As to suicides, I am saying that while guns may be used in suicides, they do not cause suicide as other countries with strong gun control have higher suicide rates, they just find some other way to commit suicide.

While the statement that strict gun controls reduce the number of suicides by gun may be defensible, it does not mean strict gun control reduces the number of suicides.

I use to research all this, but have kind of lost interest as it seems everyone's mind is made up and unwilling to change absent some personal experience. Plus, I may be getting lazy.

Hey, I certainly don't prescribe to rsewill's viewpoint on handgun ownership, but it remains that the statistics he posted on homicides vs. suicide are correct. I also agree that if the guns weren't used some other means would be employed, especially when it comes to suicide.

I typically stay out of these handgun/firearms melees, now I see why.

 

[TripleR]

Hey, I certainly don't prescribe to rsewill's viewpoint on handgun ownership, but it remains that the statistics he posted on homicides vs. suicide are correct. I also agree that if the guns weren't used some other means would be employed, especially when it comes to suicide.

I typically stay out of these handgun/firearms melees, now I see why.

I don't argue with the statistics, just what they mean. I have seen the same set of statistics to argue both sides of a discussion. Darrell Huff wrote a book entitled "How to Lie with Statistics".

 

[Mace Canute]

Suicide rates between Canada and the USA are virtually identical. One would suspect that if guns caused suicides that the USA would have a much higher rate than Canada. Apparently the argument against having guns because of suicides is a Red Herring.

Also from Black Men Live Longer Behind Bars @PolicyMic | Matthew Clair...

A black man has a longer life expectancy in prison than in average society.

According to a recent study published in the Annals of Epidemiology, black men in North Carolina prisons have a significantly lower chance of death in prison than out of it.

What sort of lifestyle on the outside would have a bit to do with that I wonder?

 

[firedog]

Then comes this:

A New Hampshire man who fired his handgun into the ground to scare an alleged burglar he caught crawling out of a neighbor's window is now facing a felony charge -- and the same potential prison sentence as the man he stopped.

New Hampshire Man Arrested For Firing Gun Into Ground While Catching Suspected Burglar | Fox News

 

[Bird]

I don't argue with the statistics, just what they mean. I have seen the same set of statistics to argue both sides of a discussion. Darrell Huff wrote a book entitled "How to Lie with Statistics".

You probably have a better memory than I. I had to read that book many years ago, but I would have had no idea now who the author was.:laughing: