What would you do? (Another What If..)

[steve-o]

Let's say you pull up to a convience store and you get out of your car/truck and approch the front door. After you scanned the parking lot for threats, you noticed that there is a hooded BG standing at the counter with a gun pointed at the clerk. The guy has not made eye contact with you, so your still unnoticed. How would you react?

It's better to have it and not need it, Than to need it and not have it

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[buckeye .45]

If I am unnoticed, find a good vantage point with cover in the parking lot and call the 911, and be a good witness.

[Pete]

Back in vehicle.
Start engine, engage gear.
Call 911.

In that order.

If he comes out I am ready to move, if he doesn't I am able to relay his actions and present location to those paid professionals that should be dealing with idiots like him.

[Rock and Glock]

Back in vehicle.
Start engine, engage gear.
Call 911.

In that order.

If he comes out I am ready to move, if he doesn't I am able to relay his actions and present location to those paid professionals that should be dealing with idiots like him.

I'd probably pull out, to an adjacent parking lot, if possible.

[Pete]

I'd probably pull out, to an adjacent parking lot, if possible.

Agreed, but I would call that shot if I could when there in that actual scenario. The ability to watch him from such close quarters would be useful to dispatch.
Of course this is negated in my case by the fact I am a chronic 'combat parker' so I would be watching him in my rear-view mirror, so yes I would most likely relocate.

[rocky]

yup, clear the lot, call 911. watch and report. If the BG has a getaway car or accomplice, you may have created more distance for yourself.

[lowflyer]

Call 911. Observe from a safe vantage point.

[Sheldon J]

Call 911. Observe from a safe vantage point.

Yep +1

[Tom G]

I would call 911 first and relay any info. I could. I would not get involved unless the BG was a threat to the clerk's life. I would back out and find a better spot and observe and take down tag numbers of those who might also be involved as I wait for the cops.

[Pete]

OK, we're all in agreement, now can I throw in a twist?

Same scenario, but the BG in the store looks familiar, on closer inspection you see it is someone you know.
Maybe a neighbor, maybe a friend.
But you know him.
And he's holding a gun in the local stop-and-rob.

Do you go in and see 'what's up'?
Do you call 911 as you would with anyone else?

Something inbetween?

[HotGuns]

First, Id radio dispatch and check 10-8 while advising them of the situation.

Second I pull out the AR and watch very closely from the cover of my truck where I stay until uniformed officers arrive.




Did I win ?

[purple88yj]

911.

Don't know if I would risk getting back in the car or truck and starting the engine on my vehicles (daytime running lights come on as soon as the key is in the on position).

Perhaps cross the street adjacent to the property and maintain a visual on the store to tell PD when the BG leaves, what kind of vehicle (if they get into one) they are in, and whether they are the driver or passenger, and direction of travel. Also give what ever description of the BG and the mode of transport I can.

Other than that, leave it to the paid pro's.

[purple88yj]

OK, we're all in agreement, now can I throw in a twist?

Same scenario, but the BG in the store looks familiar, on closer inspection you see it is someone you know.
Maybe a neighbor, maybe a friend.
But you know him.
And he's holding a gun in the local stop-and-rob.

Do you go in and see 'what's up'?
Do you call 911 as you would with anyone else?

Something inbetween?

Good twist, but a scum bag is a scum bag either way in my book.

[buckeye .45]

With the twist, I definately wouldn't go in still, but would be able to give the police much better information on the guy, especially if he left after robbing the place.

As far as why I said find cover and watch instead of leave originally, odds are I would not be unnoticed from whe I pulled into the parking lot. My truck has a big old Chevy 350 small block with a 4bbl carb, and the exhaust system is a cherry bomb set-up, with only glass pack mufflers. If I started it up, the robber inside would know, so some good cover would be a better idea for me at least. If I was driving a vehicle with real noise reducing mufflers, I would probably consider leaving the parking lot.

[farronwolf]

None of my friends are going to be doing an armed robbery. So if they are holding a gun on someone else, they probably deserve it. I don't think I want to step into a situation where two people are holding guns on one another very easily. If one of my friends was holding a gun at someone behind a register, it would most likely be the bad guy that just knocked off the clerk, and I would not want to distract the friend by entering the store and saying hey Joe whats up.

If it is simply someone that I know, same results as others posted, get safe, call 911 relay information about the incident and see what happens.

Think about it, we all probably know a 1000 people or so. Knowing someone don't carry much weight with me.