These are vastly different scenarios here.
For soldiers and security contractors, they are in a war zone and can fire back indiscriminantly if they do not back down. That is war and anyone who engages you is the enemy.
This is very different from the LA riots where you are dealing with civil unrest. Just because a mob is moving in your direction does not give you a right to start "mowing them down". Not even the police would do this unless they were fired upon. How do you know you are the target? Now if I was some of the drivers that got attacked, I would defend myself with lethal force if they tried to drag me out of my car and beat me up. First of all, I would avoid areas of civil unrest at all costs. The only reason I would go is if I had to pick up a loved to to remove them from the area of unrest. I would go with several people who would all be heavily armed. Anyone that approaches in a hostile manner will be starring down multiple barrels. Any agression will be met with gun fire. If I was caught in the riot unexpectedly, I would use my car as a weapon if needed. I would lay on the horn and plow through anyone that was intent on harming me. Always drive with your doors locked!
As for looters after a hurricane, I went through some of that after Hurricane Andrew. People were breaking into a mall and carrying stuff off. Are you going to shoot people indiscriminately over property (probably damaged anyways) or are you going to let insurance cover it? What if you owned a convenience store or grocery store? Could you really open fire on people just trying to get food and water for their families? Most people will say that those people should have been better prepared. What if they didn't have the money to stock up? Many people are at the subsistance level. Are you just going to mow them down? Not me. Now if they are forming gangs and roaming my neighborhood, I will blockade the street (maybe the whole gated community) with my neighbors and limit access to residents only. Visitors would need approval from the resident before being allowed in. If a mob approached, they would be warned to turn back. If they continued to approach, a warning shot might be fired. If they continued still, shots might start firing until they turned away.
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The ATF should be a convenience store instead of a government agency!
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