Omaha Mall

I'm a CCW holder, but if my family is with me, that takes the priority.

I got my CCW to protect myself and my family. I admit, I'd have the urge to go back in, once my family was safe, but there are so many problems with that. What would you really be facing, how will responding LEO know who you are (BG or GG), etc.

I know the scenario I've presented is sketchy, but in today's world we never know what situation we'll find ourselves in.

Once my family is clear and safe,hunting down an unknown threat (who has a rifle,at that!) is foolishness,at best.

If I was being directly attacked, then I most likely would respond. However...If I heard gun fire in a area away from me, then my first post would take precedence.

ZeroTA said:

Once my family is clear and safe,hunting down an unknown threat (who has a rifle,at that!) is foolishness,at best.

Click to expand...

Completely agree!...CCW is not a license to protect humanity.

I also have my CWP but I would get my family and myself out of danger. I am not in law enforcement so I would leave that to the professionals. After all they are trained in that kind of situation. I have had to draw my weapon only one time so far on an attempted robbery of my wife and I in a mall parking lot around Christmas. Luckily I did not have to use my weapon.

I believe we would all engage if we were directly attacked or being faced by the BG. In the scenario though, I was pretty specific that you 'Heard' gun shots.

Not enough info to decide

After I knew that my family was safe, I would reenter the building to see if I could do something. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't walk headlong into his gunfire, but if I could do something, then morally I feel like I am obligated to do what I can. I am not being macho, just feel like its civic duty to fellow citizens to at least try. Of course, I am a firefighter of over 15 years, and we go running headlong into burning buildings too, maybe I have a skewed sense of civic duty.

I voted that I`m not sure what I`d do. That being said...here is why. If the shooting was close by, I would definately make sure my family was secure and then engage if possible. If the shooting was distant...I`d make sure my family was secure and then ASSESS whether proceeding to engage was appropriate or not. There are many variables that we could discuss at great length before coming up with a black and white answer to this. Anywho...those are my thoughts.

The guy wasn't behind cover at all, apparently, he was just standing on the third floor shooting down at people on the first. If I was on the third floor, I'd have pushed my loved ones behind some solid cover and then seen if I had a shot. If I were on the second, I probably would've holed up in one of the shops and called 911. If I were on the first floor, I would've gotten my family out, and while they called the cops I would've gone back. I'd have crouched or hit the deck and, laying on my back, slow-fired one mag's worth of suppressing fire while everyone else got out, and then gotten the hell outta dodge myself.

I can think of a lot of things that could change my answer, but I checked: Get my family out and call 911.

They are the first priority.
Me being around with them and for them is the second priority.

If I/we are in the open and I think we will be a target, then yes I will engage.
Otherwise, if I/we can get away safely, I will opt for that.

To be honest, blunt, and maybe cold...
Those other people that I might be "saving" by engaging this clown could have armed themselves. They made their decision, and they can live (or die) with it.
If my family and I are safe, I see little reason to expose them to danger by engaging and drawing the shooter's attention my way in order to help someone who can't help themselves.

That makes a lot of sense, honestly. But we also have to live with our desicions. If my family was safe and I knew it, yet I didn't go in to even see what I could do, I just couldn't look in the mirror without gagging for a long, long time.

I would either look in the mirror and be thankful I didn't leave my family without a Dad and husband.
Or....
Do just exactly what you said.

It may depend on the day.
Just like what I'd do if I were there. Depends on the day.

Soon after I made my post above, I happened to read an account of the scene by a first responder... and all I wanted to do was get a chance to shoot the guy, even now, two days later. So maybe I would go back for him.
Hard to say. We don't know until we know.

I am all for helping out where I can but I would also like to go on looking in that mirror, along with my family for many years to come!!! Then again not really being in that situation it is really hard sitting at the computer trying to decide what one would actually do in that instance.

When I first posted this I left a lot of detail and options out intentionally. After all, in Omaha the entire event started and ended in six minutes. No one involved had many more details than I gave you, or unfortunately the time to think and react appropriatey.

I simply offered up this thread as food for thought... what would/could I have done?

How true!!! Until you are actually faced with a situation like that one really never knows. When I had to draw my weapon that one time I had no other choice. He had a weapon that he was probably going to use and I knew good and well that my wife or myself was not going to be on the receiving end of his knife!!! It was kind of funny in that I drew my Colt Delta Elite, in 10MM of course so fast that he actually dropped to his knees and dropped the knife. Looking down the bore of that Delta I am sure that he needed a change of pants!!!! Never want to be in a situation like that ever again.

Probably get my family clear and call 911. I have a CCW and carry always. I also am the caretaker of a wife with advanced MS. If I do something crazy and get killed no one will be left to care for her. I say probably because if I'm in the middle of a mess like that I may change my mind if I feel I can safely engage and neuteralize. I wouldn't want to get caught with a weapon in my hand as a non LEO when the police roll in though. Mistakes can happen and I hate to be on the receiving end of that kind of mistake.