Hostile situation. Bad guy has a friend at gun point?

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David spargenator

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If there was a bad guy that had your brother at gun point. And the bad guy was right behind him holding him in a headlock. What would you do if you have a pistol and a cell phone in your pocket that day? The bad guy says that he'll shoot your brother and you if you try to call police or try to pull a gun on him. And even if you did get a gun out of your pocket, your likely to hit your brother instead of the bad guy.
 
"Buddy, there's only one way you're walking out of here alive. If you shoot him, you're a dead man, and you know it. Let him go, and run, and you'll live. I'll give you a 30 second head start."
 
Um... what does he want? Probably your wallet and keys. Comply. Life isn't worth the money.

Stuck in that situation, I'd only draw/shoot when either safe, or when it appeared this was turning from robbery to execution and my hand was forced.

The best among us can't draw from concealed holster, acquire a plate sized target, and shoot accurately and safely, faster than it takes the hostage taker to squeeze the trigger and/or duck.

In addition to the real risk of you provoking the death of the hostage (which would be horrible and you'd forever live with that grief and guilt), or the real risk of him shooting you also, or the real risk of you missing and hitting the hostage... you'd be likely face criminal and civil legal problems in the event that whatever offensive actions you took resulted in innocent death/harm.

Say you draw, the hostage taker kills the hostage, you shoot and miss as he aims his gun at you while you dive for cover, and you shoot and kill an innocent person walking by... your actions would be armchair-quarterbacked at length and could result in serious criminal and/or civil suits with huge ramifications.

This is a lose-lose situation.
 
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Hypotheticals are dangerous. You do whatever it takes to get out of the situation with as many parties alive as humanly possible.
 
Um... what does he want? Probably your wallet and keys. Comply. Life isn't worth the money.
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I'm inclined to agree.

If the would-be shooter has the drop on someone already, particularly someone you care for, then the stakes are way too high to do anything but as they say, especially if this is probably a robbery.

Comply, unless you have a strong indication that this person has ill intent beyond taking some valuables.

If that is the case it is impossible for me to say what I would do... create a subterfuge?
Get them to think there is someone coming behind them and use that to draw . Once you'd have drawn in that tense athmosphere, I expect there might little else available than to fire.
I don't think there would be the luxury of negotiation in that scenario..
 
I agree with the "appearing" to comply and work it out, but make sure "you" are prepared as well. Practice for it ahead of time, and it wont be as scary a shot, especially if youve done it a millon times before, and know its not as tough as it might appear.

ry%3D400
 
Brother? No biggie. Shoot him until he drops, then shoot the bad guy. Two problems solved at once. (Collateral damage, don't ya know?):D

Wife? She knows to just collapse her legs and drop, but she says she trusts me enough to not miss, that she isn't worried about it.:)
 
ry%3D400

I've always been amused by such bad guy situations
as shown in the foto.

At the range portrayed, with all that he's got exposed,
and the gun pointed at me instead of the victim...

;)
 
At the range portrayed, with all that he's got exposed,
and the gun pointed at me instead of the victim...
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Yea, they arent the best, but you work with what you can get.

Still, they help get your brain in the game, and beat trying to "imagine" it, while shooting at bullseyes.
 
1 second from concealment at 15 yards on a target that small (they arent "life" size, right?), seems a pretty lofty aspiration.

I understand and agree with striving for better than you need to be, but I do think you need to be somewhat realistic too, otherwise youre likely just to frustrate yourself.

Drawing and shooting on a target in that situation would probably not be my first choice, although I do practice that. For me, 1 second aint a happening thing, I do know that, 2 maybe. 15 yards would be my max too, and 10 in is where most of my practice is done.

I practice a couple of different ways other than from the draw too, and none are "static". The three I do the most are from SUL, a pulled in ready, and one handed, with my arm hanging, from behind my back leg when bladed to the target.

The more you practice, the better you get, the more confidant you get, and the less likely youll be to hesitate when you need to shoot.

I do think the more realistic the target (ie "photo" type) are a better choice, as they get your brain accustomed to real people, and not just generic outlines. They also help with targeting decisions, especially from angles other than head on.
 
Ya I've been practicing with little pocket pistols. Since that's probably what I'll havre if that happens. It would be a very difficult shot to make. Would it be better to descretely call 911?
 
my brother is a Marine, the bad guy would be bleeding profusely long before any threats came from his mouth which in turn would give me plenty of time to draw :D
 
Bottom Line: 95% of gunfights take place in 0-21 feet. (Source- FBI)
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I understand "the stats", and how they come by them, the only problem is "Murphy", and for me, his apparent fondness for me.

If the stats were 100%, then we could all carry a 5 shot J frame, and adhear to the rule of threes. ;)

Personally, I think you need to practice (within reason) beyond what you plan to encounter, so if Murphy does stop by, youre in a better position to deal with things.


A man's got to know his limitations. ;)
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Absolutely!

Just dont limit yourself trying to figure them out. :)
 
Throw down whatever he's asking for and back away toward cover(shooting rest). He'll look at what you dropped and probably expose more target.
I've killed coyotes and skunks at 25 yards with my carry pistol(I had a little more than 1 second but not a lot)-I can pop this guy's melon at 20'.
 
A man's got to know his limitations.
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VERY appropriate quote!

In that situation, I would say comply or at least give the appearance of compliance, unless and until you suspect that one of the innocent parties is about to die.

You have to realize that you'll create some movement (error or intentional), the hostage will likely move, and the bad guy will likely move. So, you've got three moving pieces and metal flying at high velocity between them. Not a sure thing!

I've seen well trained cops and government security teams drill the hostage target at 3-5 yards in training. I wouldn't want to take a similar shot unless I felt that it was the only way to prevent an innocent person from being maimed/killed.

Try something like this target...then do the same with it moving!
http://www.letargets.com/estylez_item.aspx?item=PHT-ST
 
Do what you could to comply, and if things look like they're going that extra dangerous step, then reevaluate.

This kind of situation isnt hollywood, and I doubt you're as good as the movies make the heroes out to be.
 
I'd also give the BG what he wanted as nothing in my pockets is worth a life. That said, if he was distracted by whatever I tossed his way and "presented" a clear target I'd likely shoot him as he's still a threat.

My brother is very close to 300lbs. and spent most of his life working heavy construction (steel and concrete). It's quite possible all I'd have to do is sit back and watch him turn the BG into a bloody rag doll.

All of this is, of course, armchair quarterbacking and absolutely worthless.
 
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