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Old April 27, 2008, 03:16 PM   #19
BillCA
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 28, 2004
Location: Silicon Valley, Ca
Posts: 7,117
Let's stop quibbling over the definition of terms. The important point of the OP is that you find yourself in a {semi}public place where someone is moving around and shooting other people. More specifically, despite your efforts, you find yourself in a situation where you might have to engage the shooter to survive.

One can easily see how heading for the exit is appropriate, however we can also foresee the gunman rounding the corner before you can reach the exit. Do you take refuge in that cramped Orange Julius shop? Or do you engage the shooter?

Likewise, as you're heading for the exit the shooter reveals himself, facing away from you to fire at fleeing folks. Do you pause and engage him or not?

And if you engage, what then? What techniques should you practice to stay alive?

As much as I dislike laser do-dads on my guns, this is one situation where it is probably a great advantage if they are properly regulated and maintained.

Should you practice shoot & move? Or practice shooting from concealment/cover/barricade positions?

Should you practice for a headshot or COM? Should you practice controlled pairs (double-taps) or shoot to slidelock in this scenario?

The problem with a discussion on this topic is that such a situation resembles a fluid-dynamics problem.

How many civilians are present? Are they all moving in similar directions or are they randomly fleeing in all directions? Is the shooter wearing body armor or not? Is he armed with a long-gun or handgun? Single or multiple shooters? Is there serious cover nearby or only concealment? What distance will you have to cover to make the shot? What kind of handgun are you using? (None of us have script writers to make us deadly accurate at 67.3 yards with a 2-inch Airweight .38). Are you on a floor above/below the shooter? Is the shooter just shooting people or is he/she/they taking hostages?

Situations change rapidly too. If the mall pedestrian areas empty quickly and the shooter pauses to reload do you take a shot if he's at 20yds? 40yds? Over 50 yards? If you fail to stop him, do you have an escape route?

Scary scenario #132: You take the shot from 35 yards and your target disappears from line of sight, perhaps behind a decorative planter box. Now what? (me: Wait for the Marines.)

All of these questions alter the type of training you might want to focus upon. Your response will be considerably different to a teenage amateur shooter than a team of 2 to 4 shooters who are also taking hostages or dressed like jihadists.
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