Quicky Mart

[VegasSIG]

Okay this is a pure hypothetical, but definitly possible. Here goes.

You're in a Quicky type store. You're in the back of the store looking for a drink or something from the coolers. You turn to check your six, you notice the store is being held up. Lone male with a firearm to the clerk. No one else in the store. You are armed. There are several isles providing concealment. Being the clerk on the gunman are both moving a clear shot comes and goes. Do you hunker down and dial 911 from your cell?? Or go on the offensive to protect the clerk?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Duisburg]

I'd hang back, take cover, draw my gun and not be seen while being a good witness and only let loose deadly force after the gunman started shooting.

[MitchellCT]

Too many questions.

Does the holdup man know about you?

Is the clerk handing over the cash?

Does the robber look like he is ready to go off at any second? Is he calm?

Can you make a head shot and be sure you won't hit the clerk or make his weapon discharge injuring or killing the clerk?

Is the clerk ugly and always short changes you, or is she really cute, friendly, single and always wearing tight clothing? (Its important to me...not that her attractiveness of lack thereof is going to make my actions different...for the most part...OK...I just want the image...)

I'd probably also wait a moment to also see if their is another guy I didn't see just at the door, because I'd hate to think I was shooting at the back on one robber, then get shot by his backup.

Another thing, what does he appear to be armed with? Does stickup man have a 9mm? Sawed off shotgun? SKS?

What cover do I have if I miss or end up shooting it out with his friend who is standing outside?

If it goes bad, am I trapped or can I scoot out the back?

Depending on his actions, either let him walk with the cash or go for the head shot based on how it develops, but the one thing I wouldn't do is react without taking at least 2 or 3 seconds to gather more info.

[grady]

If it's a small store, calling 911 might alert the BG to my presence.

I would draw, but I'm not sure what I would do after that. It might depend on other variables present at the time.

[Cupcake]

I don't think I'd get involved unless he started showing some unnecessary violence. (shooting the cieling, smacking the clerk around, etc). Until then I might hope that he takes the $20 and leaves. If he comes my way he gonna have a bad day. Definately try to make sure that he is alone. Even other patrons are suspect, so after you acting quickly and decisively, just might have to order the other patrons to round up and put their hands on the counter or maybe order them out of the building. You can't even count on the clerk to be innocent. Gun stays out and I find a defensible position until PD gets there.

[ppkheat]

Never consider the potato chip rack as "good cover".

[plus p]

I asked Ayoob about this exact scenario, but with me in line to pay when I see the BGs car pull up to the door, and see their masks - knowing what's gonna happen when they get out of the car.

I asked him should I shoot as soon as they come in the door, catching them by surprise? He said NO!!! So far, it's only a robbery. If I were to take it to a lethal level and someone else in the store got killed, I would be charged with their murder!!

If I were already in the back of the store, I would conceal myself and be a good witness. If one of them saw me and started back there, telling me to come out, I would throw my money clip with my "mugger money" toward him, and tell him it's all I have, and to leave me alone...(of course, my firearm would already be in my hand).

If he continued toward me after he had my money, I would assume I was in grave danger of death or crippling bodily harm, and shoot him until he was no longer capable of being a threat to me.

I would then do whatever I had to do, depending on what his cohorts in crime did from there.

[Sheldon J]

Hang back, dial 911, observe, be a good witness, unless the clerk is about to get shot, in most cases the BG only wants the cash and to split ASAP, do not escalate the situation unless a life is in danger.

[CelticWolf]

What about all the mirrors that are in the quick mart stores now a days so that the clerk can watch everyone? They could show your weapon...

[mcp1810]

Different states have different laws on this sort of thing. Here in Texas the BG has just made himself a target of opportunity. Whether I shoot or not I would have to decide right then and there. All depends on exactly how he is behaving at the time. Basically am I going to sleep better tonight if I shoot or if I don't?

[retsupt99]

Different states have different laws on this sort of thing. Here in Texas the BG has just made himself a target of opportunity. Whether I shoot or not I would have to decide right then and there. All depends on exactly how he is behaving at the time. Basically am I going to sleep better tonight if I shoot or if I don't?

Am I going to be sleeping tonight, or in just a few minutes? I don't want to shoot anyone, but I want to leave the store alive. I'm going to quietly try to exit or hide in the aisle...but if the BG starts moving the clerk to the rear of the store or in my direction, I will then assume he has very bad intentions...I will shoot to stop the threat(s)...OMO

[sui-juris]

Different states have different laws on this sort of thing. Here in Texas the BG has just made himself a target of opportunity.

I love the 'target of opportunity' quote.

I would be hard pressed to not move closer to the robber, and tell him to drop it. As soon as he turned around or points the gun towards me it'd be too late for him..hopefully he will just drop the gun or raise his hands...

[brokenbow]

Different states have different laws on this sort of thing. Here in Texas the BG has just made himself a target of opportunity. Whether I shoot or not I would have to decide right then and there. All depends on exactly how he is behaving at the time. Basically am I going to sleep better tonight if I shoot or if I don't?

In Oklahoma the BG can start executing everybody in the store and I can't legally do a thing until he points the weapon at me or a family member.

[broknindarkagain]

My reaction would depend on the BGs behavior.

First I would take cover and stay out of sight. I would draw my weapon, take the safety off and pull back the hammer...If I had a second clip on me, I would pull my shirt above it to make it easy to access if I needed it.

I would use the mirrors that are in the store (for the clerk to watch customers) to watch the BG at the counter...This way I would have visual on the BG and be able to hear him.

If he was calm, I would not reveal myself...but still stay ready for **** to hit the fan. If he started being erratic, I would not give him much time to live at all.

If he starts going bonkers, I have a reasonable reason to believe that he will harm the store clerk. I can sleep knowing I took one BG off the streets, but I can't sleep if a good man dies and I could have prevented it.

Oh ya, forgot to mention I would call 911 from the cell when I drew my weapon...I would whisper into the phone if I was able to, if I wasn't then I would just let it sit there. Police are dispatched to any 911 call where no one talks and most cells phones now days have a GPS on them that e911 can track the location of.

[farronwolf]

Staying in the back of the store and seeing what happened or how the robber(s) were going to act would still result in this guy being dead. Even though he did what they told him to do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pH3z7H4S-XI

As a fellow Texan we have the ability to act if we choose as soon as the robbery starts, regardless of who is having the gun pointed at them.