Before reading on here, please check out part one of our bank robbery scenario.
What Would You Do: Bank Robbery Scenario (Part 2)
This is a tricky scenario that I put us in this time. There are a lot of different ways this could have ended, but I left it open because I wanted to hear how others would handle it. But, the first thing that I wanted to cover, was the poor sap who was executed early on in the story.
Though I'm allowed to open carry here in Pennsylvania, I don't—even though I do see that it has a purpose. The argument can be made that it makes you a target if you are ever in a situation where bad guys are taking over. Their first objective will likely be to disarm anyone who is perceived as a threat.
Personally, I'd rather keep my tactical advantage. This is, however, just my two cents, and I'm not trying to dissuade you from open carrying if it's allowed where you live. In fact, I have tremendous respect for those of us in the gun community with brass balls big enough to open carry.
Now, what I'm about to say next is counter intuitive for me because, generally speaking, Marines are known to run towards gun fire, not away from it. But, I have to realize that a majority of the people reading this are not going to be Marines, nor will they ever run towards something deadly.
It is my opinion that our hero in this bank story should not reveal that he has a weapon because he cannot safely take all three bad guys out before they react negatively.
For example, let's say that our former police officer is gung-ho and decides to go against the grain to defend the people inside the bank. Let's say that he shoots at the bad guy closest in proximity, who ducks out of the way just in the nick of time, and, as he does, grabs another innocent person to use as a shield.
However, if he were to wait and see how things play out, he has a tactical advantage in that he is the only one who knows he is armed.
Furthermore, if the bad guys start executing the innocent, things change a bit. Our hero will need to actively find someone to give his back up pistol to, and devise a strategy to take out the bad guys while minimizing innocent casualties. But, that will be a story for another day.
Sound Off Gun Carriers! Do you agree with my assessment? Would you have done anything differently? The dynamics of this story make it hard to do anything. Let us know in the comments below. Also, let me know if you like these stories and want me to keep writing them.
Thanks for the fake stories. No one can say how they will react unless they are actually there. Different strokes for different folks. It happens in combat and has happened in combat. If the situation should ever come up and I am carrying that day, we will see how it works out. I may be shot or shot and killed. Then again, I may take out two of them and the thirds runs into the police outside the door and is killed. Then again, I may simply do nothing and hope they do not find my weapon. I can probably take out the last two at the door, You just don’t know until you are in that situation.
right on target Sir and thanks for your service to America ….. not this pres worthless
Whoa there. A retired Officer or even a former Police Officer unless he/she was fired for cause, is not about to start firing trying to take these bank robbers out. It will have been pounded in his head NOT to do anything like that after they retire or even when they are still an active Officer. Lay low and do nothing but gather information on the suspects. You do not act until the bad guys have made it out of the Bank and are clear of innocents, period! The ONLY time you would even try to start firing on them is if they were executing innocents for no reason.
He did the smartest thing possible thing He could have done.
I think he’s smart for waiting and not giving away that he’s armed. Wait for an opportunity or until they leave.
I can’t imagine anyone these days carrying openly. As you said, that’s an invitation to a quick ride to the morgue. That being said, if all they were after was the money, that is insured and would be replaced. To take a chance at instituting a reprisal on the part of very heavily armed and ill-intentioned men over a few dollars, does not seem like a worthwhile endeavor. I would let things play out, remaining vigilant, and only draw my pistol if the robbers started shooting people.
Thank you! A very interesting scenario and hard to determine what one would do! But I also would wait out u UNTIL they put someone or myself in danger THEN engage without remorse for the bad guys!!! I’m a civilian who has trained extensively in “action shooting” and would plan on my cover and engagement before acting!!
I think ANYONE who carries should be trained in the use AND practice regularly in this type of environment!!!
I never open carry the reason being I think it just makes you a target. As a ex combat vet I would wait and see how things play out. Like the other post the money is insured but if they started killing people you have to decide on how you would start personally I would start with the closest one first and move as quickly as possible and hope maybe someone else is also armed.
No one really knows how they may react in an actual gun fight. All combat is chaos as I understand. Your bank robbers backgrounds matter. Are they a group of street thugs who just sat down, got a couple long guns they haven’t trained with; or maybe ex military types hopeless and down on their luck with nothing to lose. Those two could have very different out comes. What aut ourselves, the “good guy gunslinger”, how often have you drawn a gun, put 3 rounds on target in 2.5 seconds., or do you go to the range and shoot stationary paper targets and congratulate yourself on your marksmanship. Point is there are just too many variables to answer the question.