Not even relevant.SCone wrote:What if you "draw & fire" only to find the "gun" isn't real?
If you think it is real and you are using due diligence to make sure this IS A ROBBER (not a movie shoot, some friend showing his buddy behind the counter his new gun, etc.) then you must decide this:
Are you going to intervene in an armed robbery? Are you willing to take on that responsibility? Are you going to bow out? Are you willing to live with that instead?
This is not my decision for you but it is best you decide now -- at least in general outlines -- the cases where you will and will not intervene. Doing it now while you have time to consider and plan is a good thing. Having to do all this in the split second to few moments you will actually have during the situation is not the most efficient and effective method if you wish make a good decision.
Now, having plan that includes OBSERVING the "firearm" and determining if it is real or not might be an important part of your decision (or mine) but if you have determined it is a firearm then you have to react (or retreat) based on that information, or find a way to gather more.
If you KNEW it was a fake firearm, you might just pull out your phone and LOUDLY dial 911
or merely say, "Hey, you. Get out of here now." Are you sure it is fake? Worse to be wrong on this one than to shoot a real bad guy with a fake firearm -- that was his doing, not yours.For me, I won't watch someone be murdered, raped, tortured, or some innocent beaten to the point of permanent or great bodily harm. I don't care if he gets away with the "company's money" from the register. I do care if he harms me, mine, or some innocent clerk.
That's my choice and I have plans for trying to determine the situation as quickly and as accurately as possible.
Can I be wrong? Of course, so having backup plans for those plans is good too -- and ultimately you accept responsibility for everything you DO or Do NOT do.
Also, one practical suggestion is to CONSIDER getting a little CLOSER if you are doing to take action -- grabbing some large, light item (think potato chips only quieter) and holding it with the weak hand in front of the pistol. You might also need to
change angles -- if the Line of Sight is: You, bad guy, clerk (or other person) where are your misses or through and throughs going to go.
You can train not to miss, but you have to PLAN for that happening anyway.