Banana Gun...what would you do?

[Duxman]

Dont try this at home or at the bank:

From SI online today 4/12/06

Chicago police officer Kelly Davis, who doubles as a bodyguard for prominent athletes, was off duty last month when he walked into a bank robbery in progress. The robber, clad in a clown mask and armed with what appeared to be an Uzi, fled the scene on a bicycle. Davis gave chase and caught the man, restraining him until backup arrived. The suspect was found with nearly $6,000 in cash in his pocket and what turned out to be a plastic weapon. Not to be outdone, Davis, after police arrived, pulled out his own "weapon," procuring a banana from his pocket.

This is hardly the most surreal scenario in which Davis has been involved: I know him from his days as one of Dennis Rodman's chief protectors.

OK gentlemen - so if you noticed that the bank robber had a "fake" gun - and you know 100% it is fake - would you apprehend if you had a real gun, what about if you didnt?

[dragonfire]

Being it that airsoft and other toy guns look so real these days it could be hard to tell i thimk id leave it to law enforcement.Now if the gun clearly had the orange tip I may think about it.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

If I saw a banana, I would split.

[atlctyslkr]

Check your state's laws on using deadly force to stop a forcible felony. I know here you can. The only tricky part is convicing that jury that you really thought the lives of others were in danger. There are many plastic toy copies of guns out there that look very real up close and from a distance of more than a few feet would be practically impossible to tell the difference. I don't know if I could tell a starter pistol from a real .38 accross a bank lobby (assuming it had a full length cylinder and no flourecent paint on the barrel).

[Twycross]

if you noticed that the bank robber had a "fake" gun - and you know 100% it is fake - would you apprehend if you had a real gun

Yes.

what about if you didnt?

Probably. Really all that you have to do is prove to everyone else that the 'gun' is indeed a fake, and that doesn't necessarily mean tackling the guy right there in the lobby.

[Trip20]

I wouldn't get involved at all other than being a good witness. Even though I "know 100%" it's a fake gun, they pay people to deal with this sort of thing. Also, what if I were wrong about the gun?

If the bank isn't concerned enough to station an armed guard(s) on it's property (or the guard present is not intervening), I sure don't care enough about it's money to lift a finger. I'll protect life, not a bank's cash.

Of course this all would change if a really loooooow fixed interest rate were a potential reward. Kidding.

[PPCLI 2 can.]

2 things come to my mind

1 walk up and give him / her the biggest uppercut straight from detroit

2 beat him up to with an inch of his life then have my way with him :barf:

" my mind is a terrible thing to taste " ministry

[loosecannon]

No not for a bank robbery if somebody was getting hurt and there was a way I could stop that, that would be a different matter I would try to help if I could.

[kentak]

Since you are 100% sure the gun is fake, what's the compelling reason to take action with no one in danger? Sure, you might get 15 minutes of fame as the local hero, but there could be downsides as well.

Instead, be the best witness you can. Maybe even follow him out of the bank to try to get a vehicle description or tag number. But leave it at that.

I know what many of you are thinking. Most of us would have a normal sense of moral outrage at seeing someone commit a crime. We bristle at the idea of the bad guy getting away. Maybe we'd even like to dish out a few lumps. But that might be more rash than rational.

Just my thoughts.

K

[The Pilgrim]

If I was absolutely sure the gun was fake I'd jump in. What are the chances of getting your butt kicked in a public place by a crook?

If the gun was real, or might be real...I think he can have the bank's insured money. My own cash is another story. I honestly think I might be stupid enough to play the odds. I have heard (don't know if it's true) that less than 25% of shootings, even at close range, are fatal.

[USNavy_233]

If I was absolutely sure the gun was fake I'd jump in. What are the chances of getting your butt kicked in a public place by a crook?

Considering most people are "dumb sheep", I'd say the only thing necessary for you to get your butt kicked in a public place by a crook is for the crook to absorb your initial blow and counter attack. Don't EVER trust that the average Joe will jump in to help if you decide to play hero and things start going south for you. Besides, if the gun is fake then there is no real threat posed; just monitor closely and report his description, vehicle, etc to the police.

[banditt007]

Anyone care to guess how long it'll be before the goblins, vermin, whatever start painting orange bands on the front of their firearms?

ERIC GEL, they already do. Orange tip or not shoot their ass. they do this so people people think its fake, and or even to get others to just hesistate so they get the upper hand.

Law enforcement knows (or at least dam well should) know about this, its not very popular but some do it, and there are confirmed cases of this.


BTW if you are in a bank and someone has what appears to be a real gun aimed at a bank teller, you can shoot them correct?

I mean someone elses life is in grave danger, and what are you supposed to do wait until they shoot someone?

[Ledbetter]

Bad facts. No one is ever 100% sure of anything and that is not the legal standard. Reasonable fear for the physical safety of self and others is.

Consider: "Hey Bozo, drop the gun (NOT "drop the banana"). If Bozo pointed his banana at me after that warning, he would be looking out of a third eye at the two holes in his chest.

[steelheart]

Give peace a chance.

I carry a firearm for the purpose of protecting my life and the lives of my family - not to save a billion dollar bank chain from being robbed of $6000 by a clown.

I'll take care of my family - since the police aren't obligated to. That will free them up to attend to their priorities - billion dollar bank chains and other big business, as well as protecting their elected bosses (politicians).

[Smoke Screen]

If I saw a banana, I'd split too!! LOL! But only if it was Sundae! ----> *slaps knee and snickers*

(sorry, had to follow up with something!)

[Rightwinger]

The problem I have is that in the situation ou have no idea as to where it is heading. A simple grab the cash and dash is far different from the bank robber taking the customers hostage and taking their posessions (money, jewelry, electronics). Besides that, if the guy takes everyone hostage and finds your CC firearm, do you think you're not the first one he's shooting if it comes to that?

Gun out and very direct verbal commands to drop the weapon and raise hands above the head.
Do I pursue if he flees? Hell no, the imediate threat to me and my fellow patrons is in the past.
Do I shoot if he aims the "gun" at me? Yes.

[PPCLI 2 can.]

If I saw a banana, I'd split too!! LOL! But only if it was Sundae! ----> *slaps knee and snickers*

(sorry, had to follow up with something!)


teeehhhheee that was good

[marlboroman84]

I know where I live practically all the banks have no firearms allowed signs posted, so even if the situation was bad enough to warrant me shooting a robber in a bank, I'd imagine I'd still have some explaining to do to the police on why I carried my gun in anyway. If the robber was hurting other people or threatening me, real gun or not, if I had the chance I'd take him down. That being said though I have had military training so I'm not average joe hey i learned to fight from the bruce willis collection. On the other hand if he just grabbed the money and ran I'd just let it go, because training or not , my luck the robber would be some ex-black ops-kung-fu-ninja that would hand my butt to me on a platter.

[joab]

If I were %100 percent positive that it was a fake gun (if that'seven possible)
I would do nothing but be a good witness.

Nobody is in danger and the bank's own policy is to let the money go

[robmkivseries70]

Hi All,
Yeah, the BG could have his own backup, complete with lead pipe, knife etc. Let the money go, it's replaceable.
best,
Rob

[shield20]

I always wonder what a potential hero would do, once convinced the BG's gun was fake and while making the attempt to detain him, if the BG told him to "screw off - are going to shoot me?" as he starts to run away. NOW what do you do? A little embarassing I think, maybe a little dangerous too?

And you KNOW his gun is fake, so shooting him now would be a little hard to explain. Do you tackle/wrestle him? Where is your CCW? Reholstered? In your hand? And now he KNOWS YOU have a gun. Does he want it? Are going to roll around with him?

[PSE]

lets see. guy robs bank w/ bannana.
bank hits silent alarm.
cops in route.
i pull weapon and detain bannana guy.
the cops show up ready for another N Hollywood shootout and see me w/ gun.
Uh, NO!

[JoshB]

I've thought this this one through a few times as I suspect most others have. Bottom line is that my 1911 comes out to the ready and BG is ordered to drop his gun. If he doesn't comply, he has a few Fed Hydraschock .45 rounds tearing through his chest!:barf:
One of my good friends carries a 454 Taurus Raging Bull in the winter. He always says if he ever had to take it out he may never have to fire it! I certainly would not want to be on the recieving end of that!

[razorburn]

The guy probably wouldn't be able to tell a 454 casull from a .22 when it's pointed at him. At any distance greater than a few inches, it's hard to see a difference in size of less than a 1/4" of an inch. Is he going to describe the ballistics of the 454 to the guy and hope he pees himself? If he fires, he'll blast straight through the guy, as well as people or walls until it found and possibly killing or injuring any number of people behind him.

[NJDAG]

Being it that airsoft and other toy guns look so real these days it could be hard to tell i thimk id leave it to law enforcement.Now if the gun clearly had the orange tip I may think about it.

A big problem that we are having in Trenton with these gangbangers is that, if they get a hold of one of those Airsoft guns, or a pellet gun, that has the orange tip, they paint it or marker it black. With some of those guns, you can't tell if it's real or not until you see the diameter of the muzzle, and who wants to get that close to it if they're not sure?