Trouble at Best Buy

[WebleyHunter]

Try this scenario out for size…

It was just about 8:00 pm Sunday evening. The Best Buy parking lot was still crowded, especially since many prospective shoppers lost over four hours of the day watching yet another Tim Tebow comeback against the Vikings. Since this is the third stop of the evening, your tired and cranky two year old daughter is not interested in yet another boring store. You and your wife start herding the kids towards the doors, and of course, your five year old boy almost darts in front of a speeding Subaru.

When you make it inside, the distracted greeter in a Santa hat offers a weak welcome, as your wife and daughter drift off to a display of digital TVs. Is it time to finally replace the old 31 inch Sanyo big screen tube that has given yeoman's service over the past ten years??? As you and your son follow, a prominently displayed CD set catches your eye- a digitally remastered collection of Nirvana’s best live performances. Wow, what a flashback to being a high school punk back in 1992- Good times! As strains of Smells Like Teen Spirit flow through your head, you don’t immediately notice the commotion by the front door, about 30 feet behind you.

A simple scream snaps you back to the present. Two men, wearing hoodies and surgical masks, are slowly moving through a small group of customers towards you and your family. They are brandishing a couple of Glocks, shouting that they are going to shot anybody in the back of the head who tries to run. Amid the screams and yells, you see your daughter is already upset from the sudden disturbance, and your son is running towards you crying "Daddy! Daddy!" One of the men heads towards the cashier area, grabbing a sobbing young college girl by the arm and telling her to open the register. The other is about fifteen feet from you, sending disapproving stares towards your family as the kids continue to cry. As you kneel down by your son, his body blocks the view of your front pocket, where your hand now rests upon the grip of a pre-lock S&W Model 60 containing five Cor-Bon .38 +P 110 gr JHPs. Thoughts are racing through your head- What should you do next???

The real life occurrence- 2 men rob Best Buy, threaten to shoot customers | 9news.com

Though my family has never been to this particular Best Buy, we could have easily been in that store if it happened more on the west side of metro Denver. I welcome you comments on what YOU would do in this scenario.

Thanks,

Hunter

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Eaglebeak]

Play scared "wimp-daddy" and continue hiding behind your son to remove you and your family as a potential threat to the BG since his primary interest is most likely going to be getting the money and high-tailing it out of the store without incident. Should he begin to raise or point his weapon toward you, simultaniously push your son out of the way while drawing your S&W, and start unloading on him while quickly moving away from your family.

[SIGguy229]

Let them take the money and run; do not provoke...look for exits. Can I get to my phone? Dial 911. Stay down...cover my child...get them under one of the displays. Be prepared to act...hating the fact I brought a snubbie and not my hi-capacity semi-auto that I usually carry. Be prepared to act should they start herding people to another location....if that happens, be prepared to fight like your family's lives depend on it.

[tacman605]

Yeppers to what has already been posted. Do not provoke in this situation.

Should it turn into them shooting someone then you have to make the decision to engage or not. If you do engage eliminate the threat without hesitation and if possible gain control of his weapon and continue the fight if needed.

[dukalmighty]

Unless they escalate and start shooting people,not a damn thing,if they start shooting,hopefully you have rehearsed with your wife to escape and evade with the kids while you engage the threat.Even If I was by myself once they fire shots hopefully I won't be on their radar and attack from their blindspot,by the time they figure out I'm shooting it will be due to the fact my bullets are impacting flesh

[Bark'n]

Four good responses already posted above. My only difference is that I quit carrying a five shot snubby as my primary a long time ago.

I have no problem with my SP-101 as my BUG or using it against a single opponent. But more and more you find armed bad guys traveling in pairs or even more. Which really complicates things for the person with only five or six rounds.

In this scenario, even though I'd have my high-capacity primary pistol plus a BUG, the scenario dictates keeping a low profile, and not to provoke any engagement. Engage only if engaged by an armed aggressor first. Look for an escape, and hold tight.

I doubt I'd be the one dialing 911 on my cell phone. That act would likely provoke a confrontation. No doubt there will be plenty of other people in the store doing the 911 thing.

[archer51]

IMO SIGguy229 nailed it.

I'm not a cop, I'm not a hero, and I sure don't care about Best Buy's money. As long as that is all they want, let them take it and go.

[357and40]

First off, Nirvana is NOT punk. Sex Pistols, UK Subs, Ramones, Richard Hell, sure... NOT Nirvana...

Second... I have not shopped at Best Buy since the early 90s and never will. Got treated horribly there and swore I would not be back and have not and will not. They are insured. I am not a cop. Nobody in danger, not my issue.

[ppkheat]

Become the "grey family" and try to stop the kids from screaming.

My families well-being is my most important focus at the moment and my goal is to leave with them unscathed once this is over. They can take all the BB stuff they want, but the buck stops right there if they encroach on my family.

[Mike1956]

No worries. When it got to the 5-shot snubby in my front pocket, I would know I was dreaming.

[Mcameron]

if i was in a bestbuy.......i would try to move my family and myself to the TV section, and find the biggest TV to hide behind.......its a little known fact that LCD Tvs are reasonably bulletproof and will stop most handgun fire.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZRkGbgtnOE

ide simply wait there and hope they simply took the money and ran, but have my hand on my gun in case they didnt.

I doubt I'd be the one dialing 911 on my cell phone. That act would likely provoke a confrontation. No doubt there will be plenty of other people in the store doing the 911 thing.

dont be so sure about that.....

read into the "bystander effect"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect

pretty much, you, and everyone else will be thinking "surely someone else will be calling 911...so i dont have to"........and guess what.....no one calls 911....

if you think 911 needs to be called...CALL THEM YOURSELF.

[glockman10mm]

Nothing, until something left me no choice.

[sd976]

No worries. When it got to the 5-shot snubby in my front pocket, I would know I was dreaming.

Actually, lots of good advice above. Do you really care about Best Buy's money? You don't have a duty to react. Let them get the money and get out. Unless they made threatening movement towards me or my family, I would lay low.

[RevolvingMag]

Four good responses already posted above. My only difference is that I quit carrying a five shot snubby as my primary a long time ago.

I have no problem with my SP-101 as my BUG or using it against a single opponent. But more and more you find armed bad guys traveling in pairs or even more. Which really complicates things for the person with only five or six rounds.

In this scenario, even though I'd have my high-capacity primary pistol plus a BUG, the scenario dictates keeping a low profile, and not to provoke any engagement. Engage only if engaged by an armed aggressor first. Look for an escape, and hold tight.

I doubt I'd be the one dialing 911 on my cell phone. That act would likely provoke a confrontation. No doubt there will be plenty of other people in the store doing the 911 thing.

Nothing, until something left me no choice.

I think these two have it right; do nothing until you have to. Try to hide/be forgotten, get your wife on the phone to 911, and keep the kids calm. Once/if the shooting starts, THEN you take action.

I don't carry anything smaller than 6 shots. My little .357mag is my second favorite gun- led by my Springfield 1911. While, I would feel comfortable/confident with my .357, I don't typically carry it anymore- only when I need something 'smaller' than my Springfield. Which, I don't think I would be doing knowing I was going shopping in large crowds.

I most likely would have that with me; 8rnds .45ACP. If I need to take an 'offensive defense' I would be doing so while making a HUGE gap between myself and my family. Hopefully I would be able to get one of the BGs down before I had to start moving.

But, either way- the main point is to hunker down and try to not exist until after they leave.

[HKinNY]

After being with my wife for 20 years she know my looks. If she is able to see me, she will know what to do. Eyes will say it all. If she and my daughter are in another section, half the problem is covered. She hears gunfire, she will out of dodge. She is not ready to be my backup yet. Has license does NOT carry. My son will be gentlly swept behind me. Would rather die on my two feet protectiing him than knealing down and looking up a barrel.