What would YOU do?

[The Annoyed Man]

Hypothetical question:

You, your SO and maybe your spawn, are in your neighborhood Walmart on a Saturday afternoon looking for bird feed, kitty litter, and some snackers, mixers, etc. Suddenly, you hear what you perceive to be gunshots! You are legally carrying your fully loaded, cocked and locked .45 cal louden boomer.

What do you do?

Even though they changed their rules on open carry I would still try to find the attacker, while telling my family to leave to the vehicle and leave to saftey. In no way shape or form am I trying to be a :Hero" just trying to do what's right in my eyes. Mainly if it's a mass idiot shooter, END the threat!!!

For those who responded they would run toward the gunfire or otherwise seek out an Active Shooter, just be aware that these days there is VERY heightened pressure for officers to 'respond' as quickly as is possible (engage shooter).

ANYONE with a drawn weapon is going to be putting themselves in a potentially bad situation, depending on the LEO's level of training and ability to control their nerves.

A responding officer may NOT have any information about the active shooter(s).

May not have a description, may not know the number of shooters or the weapon involved. Good way to get yourself shot if you are perceived to be a threat in any way, shape or form.

But I leave it up to you and circumstance. Just think it over...

except for the fact that a cop has NEVER shot a good guy with a gun in a mass shooting situation. It just doesn't happen.

....until it happens....

[apostate]

Are you counting off duty and plainclothes cops as good guys?

Because plenty have been shot by other cops because of mistaken identity.

[Oldgringo]

Are you counting off duty and plainclothes cops as good guys?

Because plenty have been shot by other cops because of mistaken identity.

EXACTLY!

[rotor]

Get the family to safety and watch out for a mugger in WalMart parking lot. That's the most likely scenario.

[AdioSS]

So far this month there has been 2 times where police were called to Supercenters in Tyler for gun-related incidents.

The first one on 9/2 a man got into an argument with an employee, pulled out a pistol, chambered a round, & threatened to kill people. NO shots were fired. He was arrested outside the building & is out on bail now...

The second one was on 9/11 where the sound of gunshots were called in, but they came from the wooded area behind the store.

Both times brought additional police presence to all the local Walmarts for a while after, but soon things went back to normal.

We really don’t know what we will do when faced with a real threat until it happens. With that in mind, I think that in the situation in the OP, I would draw my pistol, keep it at the low ready & work my family to the back of the store. There are usually multiple emergency exits in the back room/receiving areas that will trigger alarms when opened. When I know they are safe & secure, I would go back in to help others.