Standing in line at CVS

[Tzadik]

Police are going to identify themselves before hand and not let someone be standing behind them before they act (at least any with training).

If you are that close to the person you ARE in immediate danger as is the cashier.

Hopefully I would have enough sense to be aware if there was anyone else that could be an accomplice. If there are others that are suspicious, I will make my decision
based on there location in relation to me. If I don't believe someone has the drop on me, I certainly have the drop on the BG in front of me and take the shot or 3 and
put my back against something and scan for others.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Saber]

If you are 5 feet away, the cashier isn't the only one in danger.

I agree and so my gun comes out.

[claude clay]

you do nothing---its a toy and he takes the money and leaves
-----------------its real and he takes the money and leaves
-----------------forget about the money, he's psycho; shoots the cashier and you shoot him.
or perhaps he fiddles with the gun such that you strongly feel he is going to discharge it--and you shoot him
either he's DRT or he shoots and misses everyone, wounds or kills someone--you are responsible for his bullet

.....lots more branches but the idea is---it hard to PROVE he was going to (if its real) shoot it and his intended use of it:
intimidate-display, threaten injury-fire a warning shot or kill with it-this kind of crazy is happening often enough that it needs to be
taken into account.

---I've got a 642 in my vest pocket, hand on it and pointed at his lower spine--

if he lights off a round so shall i

[retsupt99]

BANG

I disagree, it should read, "Bang, Bang".

[Doodle]

At 5 feet I could put one in his temple and stop the encounter by shutting down his computer. If someone in the room has a gun in their face I think I would be compelled to act because I don't want an innocents preventable death on my conscience.

[OldVet]

"If he is pointing the gun at the cashier and has his back to you. What direct, immediate threat is presented towards you?"

In FL, he has committed a "forcible felony," presents a deadly threat to anyone in the area (especially me), and I have every legal right to drop him on the spot, no warnings or commands required. If I feel I have a significant advantage, I may give him a chance to drop the gun, but maybe not.

There was a recent report this week in the news where some armed clown entered a business and announced a robbery, and some thoughtful CC'er shot him for his troubles.

[etinetalmai]

At 5 feet I could put one in his temple and stop the encounter by shutting down his computer. If someone in the room has a gun in their face I think I would be compelled to act because I don't want an innocents preventable death on my conscience.

Every time I think of this situation, the answer in my head has always been the same. I'd have to drop him. I just can't agree with waiting for him to pop one in the cashier or anyone else first before I decide to shoot.

[jwhite75]

Try to back to cover and draw. Be a good witness unless he actually points gun at you or acts as if he is gonna shoot the clerk. I definitely agree with potential back up he may have there, and waiting before I immediately showed my cards.

[Old School]

At a distance of 5' drawing against the drop (I know he does not have the drop on you but he can turn in your direction very quickly) is possible if you have trained for it.

If his entire attention is on the cashier he may not react to your movements but then again he might.

Are you on his gun side or his off side or directly behind him because it does make a difference in your tactics.

If you have extensive H2H training, at that distance it may be better to react with deadly force in that manner then to access your weapon.

If you have combat knife training it allows for another option at that close of a distance.

The situation is not cut and dry except for the fact that I will do whatever is needed to get myself out of it in as close to one piece as possible and that may include just being a good witness.

[Inspector71]

As for me, I'd just slowly move out of the line and pretend to look at some picture frames or something. Now if he turns to watch me with his gun pointing at me - well, now that's a different scenario. Otherwise just mind my own business and wait for one of you fellers to put him away. Then while I'm on my way home you can go downtown and answer questions for the LEO's, and CVS management, when after you shoot him his finger instinctively closes on the trigger and he shoots the clerk in the eye killing same instantly. Then you can make an appointment with the DA for the next day while you begin to put together your own legal defense team. That's my problems with these scenarios. They can and most often in reality have the possibility of more than a good old boy saves the day ending. Maybe instead of a HCP or CCW the states should have just given all of us a LEO badge and set of cuffs and told us to go out and clean up the town.

[Harryball]

Sometimes we have to be an asset to society, sometimes we do not. If your going to be an asset, then be one. If not Dont, either way this is a personal decision that needs to made in each one of us.

[ntkb]

Perhaps a bit off topic

Under what law would you be charged with for the death of someone during a felony? I have always heard that you would be charged with it if you intervened and it went bad. However if someone dies of a heart attack during the commission of a felony, or some of your accomplices gets killed, the surviving members get charged with felony homicide.

[oneshot]

Perhaps a bit off topic

Under what law would you be charged with for the death of someone during a felony? I have always heard that you would be charged with it if you intervened and it went bad. However if someone dies of a heart attack during the commission of a felony, or some of your accomplices gets killed, the surviving members get charged with felony homicide.

^^^^^^^^^^^I'm not putting any dog in this fight,^^^^^^^^^



but, I would think it wouldn't take a Philadelphia Lawyer to articulate to the jury that it was the perp who originated the whole scenario, and it was YOU, who acted in good conscious, as most REASONABLE persons would have.

[21bubba]

I just curious as to what can go on while some here go through their mental checklist about what if...

[smolck]

You don't know if it's an undercover LEO preparing to arrest a person caught pilfering narcotics at the pharmacy.

Maybe some of the LEO's on here can clarify, but I don't think an undercover cop is gonna wait in line and then when it is his turn pull his gun out and point at the cashiers face to make an arrest. More than likely several uniformed officers would be charged with the task of hauling them in. So this isn't even a consideration for me. If I was the guy behind them, I'd draw, point and say "drop it". If he wheels around......BANG. At 5 ft I am confident in my ability to hit him directly in the face.