Quote:
As I was standing near the front counter trying to get some of the kitchen help to get out, the suspect came from the office area and began running in my direction.
I immediately noted the large semi-automatic pistol in his hand. The distance was about 15 to 20 yards. I drew my weapon, announced myself and took a kneeling position behind the counter. Unfortunately, the suspect raised his weapon at me and the gunfight erupted
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The off duty officer DID NOT initiate the gunfight. As his words described. he was still at the front counter attempting to clear the area of bystanders. He only drew when he saw the BG running towards him with a gun in his hand. The BG did not know that this guy was a cop or even if he was armed. He saw people fleeing and rushed to ?? (what). If he was ushering his family out and the gunman saw this and rushed them, what would the gunman have done? Human nature for many is to see trouble and flee in the other direction. Others freeze to watch like it's some movie. We have no idea what the gunman would have done! Was he done robbing the place or would he have held up the patrons? Would he have ushered the people into the cooler, ala Brown's Chicken, and shot them all for no reason? You have no idea what the gunman was thinking.
The off duty cop did not escalate the situation until the gunman was coming at him with his weapon drawn. The cop did the only right thing in trying to de-escalate the situation. It didn't work and a little girl died. If the cop left with his family the gunman may have left or he may have killed 10 people. No one knows and will ever know. However, the gunman reacted when he saw a patron helping others to safety. That could have been anyone helping their family to safety. The gunman acted first in an aggressive manner to people attempting to flee.
The cop did everything right with a bad ending. The ending could have been worse. There is no logical sense to armed criminals. They don't think like you and I do.