Would you draw if your in a bank while it's getting robbed?

[g31357]

Was wondering what a CHL holder should do if they armed and faced with a situation like a bank robbery. Would you just cooperate and wait until they leave or try to get involved? I read a story earlier about a guy who shot a robber at a waffle house, I'm thinking he could have also put other people in danger if gun fire were to be exchanged. What is the right thing to do?

[MoJo]

Unless the robber is getting ready to execute a teller or customer I would take it all in and be a good witness. I don't go inside a bank unless I absolutely have to. Banks have insurance that covers losses I have insurance that might pay for a funeral.

[mrvmax]

Yep, the CHL does not make you a peace officer. Only if I think someone is going to be killed would I try and intervene.

[Thomas]

Too many different circumstances and scenarios to play out in one forum post.

Here's the short answer: It depends. You won't have any luck getting the long answer from me.

However, just be sure to read up on the penal code. You're allowed to defend others, but if the adrenaline gets to you and you hit a bystander by mistake, you might wish you never drew. So, your question is one that you will have to think about and figure out for yourself.

[tomtexan]

Was wondering what a CHL holder should do if they armed and faced with a situation like a bank robbery. Would you just cooperate and wait until they leave or try to get involved? I read a story earlier about a guy who shot a robber at a waffle house, I'm thinking he could have also put other people in danger if gun fire were to be exchanged. What is the right thing to do?

Use the drive-thru and you won't have to be bothered with it.

[dac1842]

The best weapon you have is your eyes and ears. You have a CHL, most CHL holders do not have LEO experience or training, you do not want to take a typical robbery and turn it into a hostage situation. Most officers, if off duty will not act inside the bank for the very same reasons unless there is imminent danger. You don't know if there is someone in the bank sent in by the BG to determine security in the bank who may be watching for the hero to send you to the place most heroes end up, the graveyard.
I am a former LEO, with SWAT experience, while we cannot sit here and say what we would do in every situation, in most instances I am going to be a good witness, nothing more.

[Oldgringo]

Was wondering what a CHL holder should do if they armed and faced with a situation like a bank robbery. Would you just cooperate and wait until they leave or try to get involved? I read a story earlier about a guy who shot a robber at a waffle house, I'm thinking he could have also put other people in danger if gun fire were to be exchanged. What is the right thing to do?

Use the drive-thru and you won't have to be bothered with it.

[Wes]

Unless the robber is getting ready to execute a teller or customer I would take it all in and be a good witness.

[philip964]

I got my CHL because I was inside my bank a few years ago when it was robbed. I have posted before on this, so sorry if your reading it again.

My guys were professionals. If your in a bank when it is being robbed I hope you have professionals too. They ran in. I thought boy they are in a hurry to make a deposit. Weird how your mind works.

The bank had free cookies that morning and was half way through eating one and talking to the branch manager, when they ran in. The two men were completely covered head to tow with loose fitting clothes. Gloves scarves hats with ski masks, and loose coats. Hands in pockets with either their fingers or guns pointing from the pockets.

First guy hurdles the teller counter and is immediately standing on top, second guy is with me and the manager and the other customers. Both our hands go in the air, me with the half eaten cookie. First guy is now on the teller side and is getting the tellers to fill his bag with money. Money is flying everywhere. Second guy now goes to the top of the teller counter still pointing his pocket at us.

Then they are both on the teller side and disappear behind the door and are in the back of the house part of the bank. I hear women screaming.

Up until then it was, well you don't see this everyday. But when the women I couldn't see started screaming. I got upset. I felt helpless. I didn't know what was happening back there. Since I was no longer being covered by a finger or a gun, I bolted from the bank and began calling 911. I knew they would ask what was the intersection, so I immediately looked for the street signs. Seemed forever, yes same silly questions, over and over again. Before long a police car roars down the street with lights and sirens, going right by the bank.

There was a back door in the bank, I didn't know about it. The men used that door to leave, the women screamed when they ran through that area to get to the door. They shed all their extra clothes radio transmitter money and die packs on the way to the car which was parked behind. The whole event maybe took a minute or two at the most.

If that's the sort of bank robbery you experience, you don't draw your weapon. If however you have non professionals and they have problems, things may change and you will have to make a decision.

Having a finger or a gun pointed at you, changes your life. You no longer think the same about anything. I solved that mental problem by getting my CHL, buying a pistol, joining a shooting club, buying another pistol, buying another pistol and learning to shoot well (odd order I know)

The bank employees got therapy and a few days off. Most later quit. I got a call asking if I was ok. I later told them I got my CHL, they asked me to please not draw my weapon if there was another bank robbery. That branch has been robbed at least five more times since then. I have fortunately missed those robberies. The last time was by a weird cross dressing man, that of course made the news.

[Dragonfighter]

I got my CHL because I was inside my bank a few years ago when it was robbed. I have posted before on this, so sorry if your reading it again.

<SNIP>

Wow. Great insight from a been there, done that perspective.

[AEA]

Use of the SEARCH function would show that this has been discussed at great lengths in the past. The various answers have not changed.

[The Annoyed Man]

Unless the robber is getting ready to execute a teller or customer I would take it all in and be a good witness. I don't go inside a bank unless I absolutely have to. Banks have insurance that covers losses I have insurance that might pay for a funeral.

This.

The bank employees got therapy and a few days off. Most later quit. I got a call asking if I was ok. I later told them I got my CHL, they asked me to please not draw my weapon if there was another bank robbery. That branch has been robbed at least five more times since then. I have fortunately missed those robberies. The last time was by a weird cross dressing man, that of course made the news.

I trust that you changed banks?

[RPB]

Depends on if I NEED to or if it would make the situation worse.
Two of my experiences in stores being robbed:
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=52757&p=642906&hil ... er#p642906" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Had I or my manager been armed and drawn, it probably would have cost some lives. However, upon being told to lay on the floor, if the bad guys A) run out of the room, I wouldn't need to draw, B) point a gun at the head of anyone laying on the floor, it's time to draw.
That's a personal decision whether to wait until that point, or judge by the peoples' actions and words what they intend to do. I can't say what I'd do, until I'm in a particular situation and ASSESS the circumstances.


Also, a Jewelry store owner in Houston and his wife had guns to their head while 3 robbers were zip-tying their hands to execute them, and the guy drew, shot one of them in the head who was zip-tying them, got shot, but survived and saved their lives. Ramon Castillo and Eva, his wife of 30 years, Jewelry Store owners face-off with three armed men who were going to tie them up and shoot them in the head. Four bullets pierced Castillo's body six times because he had to run around getting 3 different guns to fight back. http://www.google.com/search?q=Ramon+Ca ... =firefox-a" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

he owner of the store, Ramon Castillo, 52, and his wife, Eva Castillo, 48, were assisting the men when a third man entered the store, pulled ...

The two men who had posed as customers also then pulled pistols on Ramon and Eva Castillo, police said.

So, whether I draw or not depends on the situation after I ASSESS what's going on.
There could be other "bad guys" in plain clothes in the room who you don't see at first. At what distance is each bad guy from me? What/WHO is between me and each bad guy? Who is behind each bad guy? WHAT is near me? cover? or just concealment? or nothing? Do the bad guys appear to have a plan or are they clueless?

Unless the robber is getting ready to execute a teller or customer (including me, since I'm a customer) I would take it all in and be a good witness. I don't go inside a bank unless I absolutely have to. Banks have insurance that covers losses I have insurance that might pay for a funeral.

This.

[kvo45acp]

no, I would not unless I felt my life was in immediate danger

[speedsix]

...an old man's answer...Depends...