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The simplest answer is that in some cases where there's a bad guy with a gun, you're at risk of being a victim of lethal force, too, as in an "everyone get in the back!" robbery with gun-waving...or a mall rampage. If you're not at immediate risk but can see that something is going on, then you're likely at a distance where you can call in the police instead. Missed shots can go on to hurt other people.
If a bad guy is threatening someone and is just armed with a knife, then a gun can be an effective deterrent at range, with a command voice yelling at them to drop their weapon. If they instead come at you, you're acting in self-defense.
In my state, lethal force is expressly authorized for three things, other than self defense or defense of one's home and curtilage.
1. To prevent the imminent use of deadly force upon a third party in the commission of a crime such as armed robbery. In other words, the BG is about to actually shoot the clerk or is shooting at helpless people running around.
2. To stop an act of sexual assault or kidnapping.
3. To stop an act of arson.
My idea? Have a gun, pepper spray and cellphone. Use your judgment as to which would be the best solution to the threat.
And recent example, here. A man was thrown out of a club, returned with a handgun and started shooting at the bouncer and into the club, thankfully missing everyone. A CCW holder came out of the club, aimed, and shot the perp twice. The perp fled, pursued by an angry mob, and fell a few blocks away. The club owner said that his bouncer would likely be dead if the CCW holder hadn't intervened, and it was all protected by state law.
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