Man runs off with your baby, what to do?

[Devone6]

Alaskan 454,

Good catch, My miss.

Missed the carrier, basket reference somehow, and with that in mind I also would go with the COM. However with no carrier or if the infant was grabbed from the carrier I believe the pelvic shot would be best.
As for yelling intent, I would, but to each his own.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[MattInFla]

The original question, I think, said that the child was still in the carrier. If that is the case, then considering the combined weight and bulk of the child and carrier, it is more likely (and was my assumption when formulating my response) that the child is either being carried to the side (if carried with one hand) or held at or slightly below waist level in front (if carried with both hands). In either case, a shot to the pelvic area would be much more likely to hit the child than a shot higher, say middle to upper back (COM). In your version where the child is being carried at chest level, a shot lower would be wiser and likely equally effective if well placed. My $0.02

My initial reasoning for the aim for the pelvis / thighs was concern over penetrating the BG and hitting the child.

Of course, if the carrier is off to the side, COM would be the preferred point of aim.

The reason for the yelling is simple - one, it acts as a focus, ala the martial kai. Second, and more importantly, it focuses the bystanders on what the BG is doing. The police will probably be asking why there is a guy lying on the deck with holes in his back. I'd like the bystanders to support my statement that I was stopping the commission of a violent felony.

Matt

[lowflyer]

It depends on the scene. If near a busy street, I would shoot. If at a park, I would chase him down. In either case, the perp would not likely survive the encounter.

[Shizzlemah]

Wow, this sure seems to be a fair case to shoot someone in the back.

Here's a reason for the extra trip to the range fellas.

I'd run in hopes of catching up, draw by the 3rd step and hope he stopped before I put up a 124gr stopsign.

[smo]

Excellent responses everyone. It seems to be consenus to do what it takes to protect your baby. I find all of your comments very interesting, as I my first child will be born in May. My mind often has horror stories running through it at this point. I think I am starting to drive my wife nuts with all my security and safety precautions....
Anyway, thanks again for the great comments on this threat! I never thought I would get such numerous responses.

[hickatheart]

So there are an infinite number of variables involved (baby carry height, backdrop, my/your abilities to shoot or run, other children present, my/your reaction time to what just happened, does the BG falter,) any of which could change in an instant, producing an equally infinite number of reactions on my end.

What a great place to play out scenarios!! Thanks for the opportunity. H@H

[Cajun]

How did that old commercial go?? Bang Bang fizz fizz, no it was plop plop fizz fizz. Well this one would be bang bang, flop flop, wizz wizz. If this guy has kidnapped a child, why would he hesitate to kill said child? Punishments are nearly the same for forcible kidnap and murder. Free room and board, better known as 3 squares and a cot, for both crimes. I would say the chances of getting the child back alive without shooting would be near zero.
D

[Joel]

I don't know if I would shoot or not. Depends on all the variables. If it looked like I could catch him, if someone ahead of him looked as if they would slow him down, if many people were in the line of fire, etc. Where is he carrying my baby? High? Then he will lose his legs. Low? Then his sinus problems would be cleared up. Who knows what would happen, but I know TWO THINGS.

1) I would stop him

2) Since my wife is with me, this is an entirely different scenario. This woman is a mother, and someone just took HER kids??? Deadly force hasn't been fully described until you see what she unleashed on his @ss. No one can imagine what would befall the man who snatches one of Momma's cubs. I would, at that point, be a secondary player. Momma would handle it and no gun, knife, stick, or weapon not attached to her body would be employed. The man would BEG for death and death would be too slow to arrive. At that point, I would want the man dead, but I would fear for his life while breath was still there and my wife was unleashed. She is a fantastic woman, full of compassion and logic... but as I said, when someone messed with Momma's baby..... the man would scream for the police to come to his rescue.

My job is just to catch 'em, her's would be to skin 'em.