Man runs off with your baby, what to do?

[smo]

First off, remember this forum is for scenarios, this is hypothetical, for the sake or argument, etc, etc...

So you are walking down the street with your family, and your wife is carrying your newborn child in a carrier, case, bassinet, whatever you want to call it. As you are walking, a man runs up, shoves your wife down and runs off with your child (Still in the bassinet or whatever).

You draw your weapon and realize you only have seconds to shoot if you are to make a clean shot. Once you have drawn and obtained a sight picture, the BG is about 7-10 meters away. You can get a back shot without much risk of hitting your child.

Do you:

A) Take the shot or shots needed to drop him.

B) Panic and call 911 hoping the BG waits for the cops to come.

C) Chase him down keeping the gap between you to as small as possible until help can arrive or you get even closer then the original 7-10 meters to make an even safer shot?

D) (Insert your option here)

This can be any street, anywhere. At the mall, a block from your front door, on vacation, where ever you want it to be.

For me, I don't think this would take much thought, I would probably do it. Although the BG may be running from me and have his back to me, he is still posing a "clear and present danger" to the life of my child. With the things people do to children these days, I would probably unload my magazine on his back....

Just curious as to the general thought on this one....

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[produman]

Wow.....
I would probably chase him down in hopes of the BG giving up once he saw my weapon. If for some reason I can not keep up I would take the shot. Great Question...

[raysheen]

7-10 meters with a clean shot and little chance of striking the baby? ...I'll take the shot, in the back if need be...not a question, no hesitation...this is a scenario that I have though of.

Stealing my baby will bring a deadly force reaction from me.

abduction / kidnapping is a defense for justifiable homicide everywhere I carry


New York

2. A person may not use deadly physical force upon another person
under circumstances specified in subdivision one unless:
...
(b) He or she reasonably believes that such other person is committing
or attempting to commit a kidnapping, forcible rape, forcible criminal
sexual act or robbery; or

Maine

2. A person is justified in using deadly force upon another person:

A. When the person reasonably believes it necessary and reasonably believes such other person is:
(1) About to use unlawful, deadly force against the person or a 3rd person; or

(2) Committing or about to commit a kidnapping, robbery or a violation of section 253, subsection 1, paragraph A, against the person or a 3rd person; or

New Hampshire

II. A person is justified in using deadly force upon another person when he reasonably believes that such other person:
(a) Is about to use unlawful, deadly force against the actor or a third person;
(b) Is likely to use any unlawful force against a person present while committing or attempting to commit a burglary;
(c) Is committing or about to commit kidnapping or a forcible sex offense; or
(d) Is likely to use any unlawful force in the commission of a felony against the actor within such actor's dwelling or its curtilage.

[mbj0186]

This is a toughie, but I would have to agree with Produman on this one. I would definitely chase him down. Being that he's carrying the baby he will lose some speed, plus my adrenaline would be pumping so hard to save the life of my child I don't think he would get very far before I caught him.

You also have to take into consideration that fact that you could hit your baby. A bullet might not always lodge in someone. It theoretically could pass through, and being that you would shoot him in the back he would be holding him/her at about that level.

Lastly, if you do shoot him and he falls, it could really cause serious harm or even death to your baby if he drops him/her or even falls on him/her. Plus he might get scared if he knows you have a gun, and will intentionally throw the baby down, knowing that your going to stop chasing him and tend to your baby. This scenario is tough and I hope nobody has to ever deal with this situation.

[Musketeer]

As a father of a 4 year old little girl and a newborn the thought of child abduction is foremost in my mind.

I take the shot.

If needed I can then pursue but my chances of a good shot after running for X amount of time will be far less and being fairly short and with a short leg I doubt my ability to chase down anyone. As soon as you loose sight of the BG you run a high chance of never seeing your child alive again. Chasing him may or may not result in my catching him but one or more 135gr 10mm JHPs in the back will certainly slow him down.

[mbj0186]

oh yeah, I would also hope that me yelling at him and getting others attention would be enough for some good samaritans to jump in, being that it occured in a fairly crowded area.

[speedlinehobbies]

Yup , thats an easy one . I would take the shot , probabley multiple shots !! In Florida , he would be committing a Forcible Felony (IE Kidnapping) and that alone would justify the use of deadly force , I would hope authorities would see it this way also . If it meant saving a family member , i would take the shot and worry about that later .

[jowgafist]

I would take the shot.

[Scott]

I don't believe any jury would convict you for shooting someone who grabs your child.

[houndawg75]

That's a tough one. Your child is not only at risk from a poor shot, but if you do manage to hit him he will most likely drop the child. That also puts the baby at severe risk. A fall for a newborn is almost as bad as a gun shot. The child would most likely suffer from shaken baby syndrome. I would chase him down. He isn't going to run very far with the baby in a carrier. Even a newborn in one of those things seems heavy and awkward. Once he stops then he is in for the beating of a lifetime. When my girls were in the carriers, I always carried them in my left hand, so that I still had access to my gun with my right.

[PapaScout]

I would guess that the vast majority of child abductions end with a dead child.

Given this I would do whatever I could to catch the abductor - at 10mph to start with and 1100fps to end with.

[QKShooter]

Even though justified shooting this individual in the back I would give chase as far as possible.
As per houndawg I would hesitate taking a shot at a perp that is running full speed with a newborn infant.
It's very possible that forward momentum would land the adult BG right on top of the little baby or the baby would go sailing through the air.
I would think it would be best if the shot were taken either before the chase got fully started...or when it slowed down.

[MSGTTBAR]

I'm 62 years old. I'm not chasing anyone. BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG. Call 911 for ambulance and police.

[walther1]

My answer is C.

[Fragman]

Bang.