What should you do if involved in a shooting?

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JustaShooter
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What should you do if involved in a shooting?

Post by JustaShooter »

Not sure if this belongs in training and tactics or another forum, so mods, please move if appropriate...

Anyway, the thread on Concealed Carry Draw Technique has a sub-thread on re-holstering and talks about re-holstering after a shooting, and it got me to wondering - what *should* I do if I'm ever involved in a shooting? Yeah, I know, notify, don't say anything, etc., I'm specifically referring to what to do with my firearm. Is it better to re-holster while waiting for LEOs to respond? Perhaps sit down and place my firearm at my feet? Sure doesn't seem like a good idea to have it in my hand when LEOs arrive (unless the threat is still active), or is it?

I'd especially like to get a LEO perspective on this...
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Re: What should you do if involved in a shooting?

Post by JediSkipdogg »

Here's my 2 cents. If possible, get the firearm out of your hands and let the dispatcher know where you have placed it. If you reholster it, that's fine. Then follow all commands of the officers.

Now, if the threat is still active and you must have the firearm in your hand, follow their instructions very carefully. Hopefully someone is on the phone with a dispatcher that can advise you are the victim and that info is relayed to the officers on scene. They will most likely tell you to drop the firearm, at which point I would slowly step back, lower the firearm, and then kick it their way. Then follow their commands to get on the ground.

Each situation is different and therefore it's hard to give specific instructions. The best outcome is you have totally ended the threat, you can resecure the firearm, and wait outside for police arrival. That seems to be the easiest method and the one I actually hear occur most often in self-defense shootings from dispatches.
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Re: What should you do if involved in a shooting?

Post by BobK »

I will reholster. When the police arrive and find the bad guy lying in a puddle of blood and guts doing a convincing imitation of the victim, I do not want to be the man standing over him with a gun in my hand looking like an armed perpetrator.

No point in risking that misunderstanding.

Of course, I will scan the scene for additional or continuing threats before holstering.

When the police arrive, my hands will be shoulder height showing my empty palms. If I survive the gunfight to go home to my family, no point blowing that during the ensuing police encounter.
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Re: What should you do if involved in a shooting?

Post by carmen fovozzo »

Conceal Draw Technique. Jedi...Can you respond to that thread ? Thanks...
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Re: What should you do if involved in a shooting?

Post by Klingon00 »

Concerning the discussion from the draw technique thread, I wonder, which is the larger threat to your continued health and well being?

1) The threat that continues to exist in front of you for whatever reason?
2) The responding LEO who may misunderstand your actions/intentions?
3) Risk a negligent discharge by not looking while re-holstering to maintain eye contact on the continuing threat?
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Re: What should you do if involved in a shooting?

Post by carmen fovozzo »

My guess would be #1 and #2....
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Re: What should you do if involved in a shooting?

Post by JediSkipdogg »

Klingon00 wrote:Concerning the discussion from the draw technique thread, I wonder, which is the larger threat to your continued health and well being?

1) The threat that continues to exist in front of you for whatever reason?
2) The responding LEO who may misunderstand your actions/intentions?
3) Risk a negligent discharge by not looking while re-holstering to maintain eye contact on the continuing threat?
I'll post to that one in a bit. Heading into work now.
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Re: What should you do if involved in a shooting?

Post by Klingon00 »

carmen fovozzo wrote:My guess would be #1 and #2....
But an accidental shot to the femoral artery can cause unconsciousness in seconds and death usually follows rather quickly. I would argue that it's possible to be just as large a threat to yourself or bystanders by not following the rules of gun safety and making sure that muzzle is continuing to point in a safe direction nor anything caught on the trigger.
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Re: What should you do if involved in a shooting?

Post by carmen fovozzo »

I have no clue what you are talking about.

When I re-holster the gun is pointing to the ground, or by some chance IF I get careless the skin of my thigh...
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Re: What should you do if involved in a shooting?

Post by Tweed Ring »

Call 911.
On initial contact, ask for a medical checkup at the ER.

Ask for a lawyer, and do not say anything else until you talk to a lawyer.

Shut up.
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Re: What should you do if involved in a shooting?

Post by Klingon00 »

carmen fovozzo wrote:I have no clue what you are talking about.

When I re-holster the gun is pointing to the ground, or by some chance IF I get careless the skin of my thigh...
Appendix or many other forms of IWB carry, the femoral artery is often in the danger zone. Let's not forget, a loud bang, might also startle responding LEO into action against you as well. :shock:

Here's a nice article from Shooting Illustrated on the subject:

http://www.shootingillustrated.com/inde ... -and-easy/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
In a gunfight, one only re-holsters after the attacker is down and no longer a threat. One should then assess his immediate surroundings, searching for any remaining threats. We re-holster only when we are satisfied the world is once again a peaceful and lovely place. Therefore, there is every reason to re-holster slowly and carefully.

I'd also like to point out that if LEO is on the scene, the bad guy may have more things to worry about while you are re-holstering.
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Re: What should you do if involved in a shooting?

Post by carmen fovozzo »

Klingon00 wrote:
carmen fovozzo wrote:I have no clue what you are talking about.

When I re-holster the gun is pointing to the ground, or by some chance IF I get careless the skin of my thigh...
Appendix or many other forms of IWB carry, the femoral artery is often in the danger zone. Let's not forget, a loud bang, might also startle responding LEO into action against you as well. :shock:

Here's a nice article from Shooting Illustrated on the subject:

http://www.shootingillustrated.com/inde ... -and-easy/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
In a gunfight, one only re-holsters after the attacker is down and no longer a threat. One should then assess his immediate surroundings, searching for any remaining threats. We re-holster only when we are satisfied the world is once again a peaceful and lovely place. Therefore, there is every reason to re-holster slowly and carefully.

I'd also like to point out that if LEO is on the scene, the bad guy may have more things to worry about while you are re-holstering.
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Re: What should you do if involved in a shooting?

Post by ArmedAviator »

Here's a question for you. I believe that I am fairly well versed on the concealed carry and other related firearms laws of Ohio. Does it say that if you shoot in self defense that you must to remain at the scene?

Drive away to another parking lot while dialing 911, tell the dispatcher the BG's location and description, your location/intended location and make/model vehicle (if applicable), and your physical description. If the self defense shooting occurs at home, well in that case I wouldn't go elsewhere.

If a shooting occurs and the BG had friends who may get riled up, I do NOT want to be around for them to retaliate before the police arrive.
They will most likely tell you to drop the firearm, at which point I would slowly step back, lower the firearm, and then kick it their way.
Better not be on concrete/blacktop or I may miss the "kick it" command.
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Re: What should you do if involved in a shooting?

Post by fyrfytr310 »

ArmedAviator wrote: Better not be on concrete/blacktop or I may miss the "kick it" command.
+1

From the outside looking in I would say to reholster as the LEO is coming on scene but before the LEO is in a position to fire. Hopefully I never have to ability to speak from experience on this one.
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Re: What should you do if involved in a shooting?

Post by pleasantguywhopacks »

Reholster, hands up, call or ask people to call 911. That's the way TDI teaches.
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