I may have to start a new category: Warning shots that work. I have routinely advised students against "warning shots" with the usual caveats; the bullet has to go somewhere, innocents may be hit, and a round is wasted that you might need. Many, especially on the Internet have claimed that a warning shot may be considered as evidence that you were not serious. I think that is unlikely. There is at least one prosecutor who thinks that it shows restraint.
Gunfire has been used as a means of signaling and communications as long as there have been guns. A warning shot is essentially a means of communicating a deadly threat, without actually harming the person being warned.
In Las Vegas, there was an attempted robbery on the 4 December, 2014.
From ljreview.com:
According to reports, a family saw the robbery and followed the suspect. The father, who holds a concealed weapons permit, fired a shot into the air. This was enough to spook the suspect into dropping the cash register and fleeing.
I find it noteworthy that the local reporter praises the armed citizen. From ktnv.com video:
Denise Wong: " I am sure that a lot of customers are very glad that guy had a gun on him last night."Second amendment supporters are winning the culture war. The police captured the suspect a couple of blocks from the dropped cash box.
©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch
There is always the consideratoin that in preparation that one load the first shot as a blank.
ReplyDeleteif your first shot is a blank, then you can fire a warning shot without fear of hurting anyone (unless the barell is up against someone).
with todays pistols mostly not being revolvers, your second shot which is real can be fired as fast as you can pull the trigger.
just an idea...
In general I agree that warning shots are to be avoided. The bullet does have to go somewhere, that is the law of gravity. However in this case it may have been the wisest course of action.
ReplyDeleteThose of us who carry concealed must be aware of what the specific circumstances are and weigh our options, usually without having the luxury of time to "mull it over."
If my family was present with me in a similar scenario I suspect I would have made a similar choice. I do not want to shoot a person if I can avoid it, and I certainly don't want to have to shoot someone in front of my kids if there is another safe option.