Boston Bombers Shootout - Would you take the shot?

[BPNovum]

If you had the opportunity to stop the Boston bombing suspects engaged in a shootout outside your home's window, would you take the shot? Look at the information here and let me know what you think...

http://texasgopvote.com/issues/restore- ... hot-005397" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[baldeagle]

In Texas, I would take the shot. In Boston? Not a chance in Hades.

[mrvmax]

A CHL is not a badge, let law enforcement do their job- if they need your help I am sure they will ask. If there is a direct thrat things would be different.

[K.Mooneyham]

In Texas, I would take the shot. In Boston? Not a chance in Hades.

I agree...up there, the criminals and other assorted low-lifes have more rights than the regular citizens...and do NOT get caught defending yourself against a bad guy. Remember, only the police are allowed to do that.

[BPNovum]

A CHL is not a badge, let law enforcement do their job- if they need your help I am sure they will ask. If there is a direct thrat things would be different.

I can just hear this radio call "Unit 346 to dispatch, please call the resident at 123 zyz street and ask him if he would mind getting his gun out of the safe and helping us out".

Regardless of defense of police, is this also a self defense situation?

[Salty1]

Not a chance I would take a shot unless they entered my house, who knows if the LEO's would consider you a threat to them when you shot, personally I would not chance having myself and my house lit up by rounds.

[Dave2]

A CHL is not a badge, let law enforcement do their job- if they need your help I am sure they will ask. If there is a direct thrat things would be different.

I can just hear this radio call "Unit 346 to dispatch, please call the resident at 123 zyz street and ask him if he would mind getting his gun out of the safe and helping us out".

Regardless of defense of police, is this also a self defense situation?

How about the resident at 123 zyz street calling 911 and asking the operator to ask the police if they want said resident to engage? They do have access to the cops' radios.

[baldeagle]

A CHL is not a badge, let law enforcement do their job- if they need your help I am sure they will ask. If there is a direct thrat things would be different.

So you think a gun battle right outside your house doesn't represent a direct threat to you?

[cling]

In Texas, I would take the shot. In Boston? Not a chance in Hades.

If the gun battle is already running my first priority is to avoid getting tagged by "friendly fire" but in general I agree with you.

[mrvmax]

A CHL is not a badge, let law enforcement do their job- if they need your help I am sure they will ask. If there is a direct thrat things would be different.

So you think a gun battle right outside your house doesn't represent a direct threat to you?

From the scenario, no I do not think it is a threat to me. In my street is still far enough away for me to be protected. I can watch it go down from my security cameras. The "what if" states they are in a gun battle with the Police, not with you. No place in that scenario does it mention you are threatened, just that you see it going down. Let's suppose you are sure it is them so you shoot one. Let's also suppose in the heat of the moment you only thought it was them and it ended up being an off duty or undercover officer and instead of them being in a firefight with Police they were actually fighting with the real suspects.
People need to really think about what they are doing, people have gone to prison for doing what they thought was right in the heat of the moment. After the fact is no time to find out your vast comprehension of our legal system (legal knowledge that you picked up from internet forums and surfing the net ) was actually wrong.

[mamabearCali]

No, no, no. I am not a LEO. I carry and keep weapons for me and mine. He shows up in my house, all bets off....but outside my home I will call police direct them to his location and stay the heck out of the way.

[SQLGeek]

From the beginning of the article: " You look out the upstairs window and see the scene on the right where two young men resembling the pictures you saw earlier engaged in an active firefight with police down the street."

I wouldn't be looking out any windows. I'd be in the house, the furthest point away from the gun battle and on the ground. As mamabear said, if the bad guy is coming in the house, then it is time to do something.

[jmra]

Risk management. How much risk are you comfortable with in this situation?
I have a wife and two young sons. I need to provide for them. I can not do that if I am ruined physically or financially, or if I'm incarcerated.
Given my situation, my acceptable risk level is very low unless my family's safety is directly affected. Now, if I were in my 70s, terminally ill, and had no one to provide for then my acceptable risk level would be off the charts.

[jimlongley]

This is a very tough question.

CHL does not apply, you are in your own home.

This is a "gun battle" in progress right out front and I frankly doubt that anyone would not at least take a peek before heading for cover.

And a peek is probably not enough to accurately assess the entire situation, a longer look would be necessary.

So you cautiously lift your head over the window sill, recognizing that the wall of your house is merely concealment, not cover, and one of the bad guys sees you there and opens fire on you because you are a perceived threat. You fire back and the police open fire on you because you are a perceived threat. Obviously a no win scenario.

Not that it would surely be that bad, but there is that chance.

And in the scenario presented it's dark out and even at the relatively short distance it's not easy to tell the good guys from the bad guys, I think the better part of valor might just to be arm yourself (in case they decide to come inside uninvited) and seek real cover.

As the author stated "Shooting in self-defense is a highly charged and very personal decision with long-lasting consequences. Shooting in defense of others is even more complicated. What would you do?" is a very tough question.

[EEllis]

Not in that situation. There are enough trained officers on the scene that to just jump in would be inadvisable at best. That is not to say I would never do so in other circumstances. If it were a single or just a few officers and they were pinned down or exposed and taking fire I would like to think I would help, here in Texas anyway.