What would you do in this situation?

Cheetoh734

http://komonews.com/news/local/caught-on-camera-good-samaritan-violently-attacked-with-machete-chains-in-burien

This happened in my neighborhood yesterday. The cars in the background are traveling on what amounts to Main st in this city, there would be no less than 100 cars in direct eye line with this incident not to mention the walking traffic. The victim, last I heard, is in critical condition in the hospital. I typically scoff and the thought of getting involved in someone else's issues but seeing them attack that guy and most people stay in their cars and/or just drive off makes my stomach turn. So, what would you do? If it was a fist fight or even hitting each other with chains i might not get involved but a dude hacking a guy up with a machete crosses some line in my brain that makes me think that I would engage somehow. I don't know maybe I'm being silly, what do you think?

Fisheadgib

I would feel guilt for the rest of my life if I didn't try to help. 

earlyagain

Be hard to intervene without a gun. Might be hard to intervene with a gun without shooting. That's a serious attack and intervention would end with a serious outcome, maybe life altering.

Timing would effect my reaction.

Spk

I can understand why most people wouldn't stop. Most folks are accustomed to hearing about bad things on the news but to be a witness to a violent crime and having the where-with-all to do something requires a much different mindset.

Most folks are simply unprepared for such events because they usually only hear about stuff like this on TV. It seems unreal to actually be there, unless you've actually been there before.

If I was in my vehicle, I would stay in my vehicle and call the police. If it looks like the police isn't gonna get there "in-time" and I have my gun on me (I always do) I might shout at them from the vehicle and tell them to stop because the police is coming.

If they come at me, well I'm still in my vehicle and I can drive away. At least, I've stopped the attack for the moment.

If I'm on foot, I'm gonna call the police and tell them what's going on. If it looks like life and death and the operator (knowing I'm an armed citizen) hints that I might need to get involved; I would  again, shout at them but from a distance and tell them the police is on the way. Although, I might use a different, more helpful tone like, "Hey, you guys get outta here, the police is coming!"
(Having already given the police a full description)

If they come after me instead, I'll run. If it becomes obvious I can't get away, I'll shoot. From there it gets ugly but necessary. I think a judge and jury will understand.

cpj

Fisheadgib said:

I would feel guilt for the rest of my life if I didn't try to help. 

This. BUT! 
A. My family would have to be 100% safe. 
B. I'd have to have my gun on me. 

bisley

I don't think most people know what they would do. I have never stood by while a bully was victimizing someone, but I have never viewed any situation I was involved in as a life or death situation - usually just a punk doing what punks do, and I knew I could beat them up, if I had to. I hope that I would do the right thing, but what the right thing is may not be obvious.

horselips

Not knowing if the victim was a Democrat or a Republican, and yes it matters, I cannot say what I would or would not do. But because this sort of thing happens, and happens randomly, I'm glad I made the decision to carry - every day, everywhere I can. I never leave home without it.

10canyon53

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NN

10canyon53 said:

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check your drafts and copp7 and paste it.

10canyon53

Sometimes it makes a difference what state you are in.

shush

Jayhawker said:

Cheetoh734 said:

http://komonews.com/news/local/caught-on-camera-good-samaritan-violently-attacked-with-machete-chains-in-burien

This happened in my neighborhood yesterday. The cars in the background are traveling on what amounts to Main st in this city, there would be no less than 100 cars in direct eye line with this incident not to mention the walking traffic. The victim, last I heard, is in critical condition in the hospital. I typically scoff and the thought of getting involved in someone else's issues but seeing them attack that guy and most people stay in their cars and/or just drive off makes my stomach turn. So, what would you do? If it was a fist fight or even hitting each other with chains i might not get involved but a dude hacking a guy up with a machete crosses some line in my brain that makes me think that I would engage somehow. I don't know maybe I'm being silly, what do you think?

Sounds like folks need to start carrying guns.....just sayin....

Indeed.

earlyagain

Witnessing an attack like that in progress, you react right now. Good, bad, nothing, something. No time for thought or reflection.

cpj

.

earlyagain

cpj said:

.

That's what I've been saying for years.👍

10canyon53

NN said:

10canyon53 said:

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Your comment will appear after it is approved.

No it won't.

check your drafts and copp7 and paste it.

Copy and paste appears to be what was triggering the message.  I was trying to copy and paste the Florida Statutes on justifiable deadly force from the state website.  I was only able to post after I did a print screen and uploaded the pages as pictures.

Old Ron

I would never approach an armed man let alone 2 & not be armed. I would have the biggest pipe I could find then put a hurt on them. I had 4 gentlemen approach me with chains & tire irons at night....... I calmly explained to them the brought toys to a gun fight. They chose to find someone else.

Diver43

Makes me wonder why a whole bunch of people were not yelling at them to stop and taking video or pictures, if nothing else.

Not knowing the laws in Washington, hard to say if a handgun would come into the picture. They are already hacking away with a chain and machete on a guy, without being armed, not much else could be done by one person alone.

Fisheadgib

Diver43 said:

Makes me wonder why a whole bunch of people were not yelling at them to stop and taking video or pictures, if nothing else.

Not knowing the laws in Washington, hard to say if a handgun would come into the picture. They are already hacking away with a chain and machete on a guy, without being armed, not much else could be done by one person alone.

If you're in a vehicle, you're armed. If for some reason I didn't have a gun with me, the big guy with a machete would contribute to the numerous dents already in my truck. People that get hit by vehicles don't really spring back to their feet, that only happens in the movies.

shush

Just do the correct thing;

10canyon53

Years ago I helped a security guard in a store capture a shoplifter.  He was being chased down the aisle I was in so I just grabbed him in a bear hug.  I am 6' 4" and around 250 lbs.......he surrendered immediately.  That was long before I started thinking about whether he could have been armed or not.  If presented with the same situation today that I was then, I might be more likely to stick my foot out and trip him, then walk away as soon as it was clear the security guard had him under control.

Squawk Box

I would have shot them, if I had my gun with me, that was a heinous felony that was perpetrated.

CHIRO1989

At least try to distract the attacker, stop and lay on the horn while staying in the vehicle, back up traffic behind you and everybody is laying on the horn.

bobbyrlf3

Since I live not far from where this happened, I thought about it too.  I carry when I'm not asleep, so I'm sure that had I been in the area, I would have been armed.  It's tough to say that I would have intervened; unless it's happening to me, I prefer to be a good witness and call the police.  But, hacking at a guy with a machete and chain belt is a bit much.  If I can determine who is aggressor vs who is victim, and it seems likely that someone could get killed, I'd step in. 

10canyon53

bobbyrlf3 said:

Since I live not far from where this happened, I thought about it too.  I carry when I'm not asleep, so I'm sure that had I been in the area, I would have been armed.  It's tough to say that I would have intervened; unless it's happening to me, I prefer to be a good witness and call the police.  But, hacking at a guy with a machete and chain belt is a bit much.  If I can determine who is aggressor vs who is victim, and it seems likely that someone could get killed, I'd step in. 

If you live in a state where the self-defense laws favor the bad guys, it could be a tough decision.  I am not familiar with those laws in your state, but I am very happy to say they favor the good guy where I live.

earlyagain

A day or so before this happened, I chanced by a dicarded spade accidentally left behind by a careless work crew, well on my early morning walk.

Although there never seems to be a spade near by when one's needed, and I can't say for sure I'd put one to good use if the time was right. It surely does get a guy to thinking.

Linefinder

I'm sort of hesitant to take any side in a fight I didn't see start. I did, once, and almost got arrested for assisting the perp. Turned out, the defendant was doing pretty well on her own. Mike

knitepoet

Linefinder said:

I'm sort of hesitant to take any side in a fight I didn't see start. I did, once, and almost got arrested for assisting the perp. Turned out, the defendant was doing pretty well on her own. Mike

That's my thinking as well. Was "the victim" an idiot who attacked two "some doods" that then proceeded to tear into him "in self-defense"????

If I don't know the players, I ain't likely to jump into the game uninvited. (Unless one is a uniformed cop)

bisley

Same old story - discussing shooting scenarios can be somewhat useful, in that asking such a question may force a person to do some 'pre-thinking,' that might conceivably reduce some of the surprise effect of finding himself in a self-defense type situation. But it is never more than theoretical gaming that might cause a person to brush up on situational awareness type issues. When a guy says, "I would shoot them," without knowing all of the facts, it is more huffing and puffing than a sensible plan...I hope.

Using a lethal weapon against another human being is not something that the average person should be willing to do, except under the most dire of circumstances. The trick, for most folks, is going to be coming to the realization that they have to do it. I cannot imagine such a situation being anything but confusing. To be a winner in a fight where lethal weapons are being used, a person needs to commit as early as possible, but he needs to be right, too.

Fisheadgib

bisley said:

I cannot imagine such a situation being anything but confusing. To be in a fight where lethal weapons are being used, a person needs to commit as early as possible, but he needs to be right, too.

If it was a nun with the machete and a 12 year old girl with the chain belt then it might be confusing but a big guy hacking away and kicking at a guy on the ground and another guy flailing with a chain belt and kicking at the guy on the ground does not appear like self defense to me and if I witnessed this, I would feel morally obligated to intervene to the best of my ability.

bisley

Yeah, but what if it's two guys with a machete and a bicycle chain whuppin' up on two guys with baseball bats and brass knucks?

I'm just saying that these 'what would you do' scenarios don't necessarily have a pat answer.

Johnny reb

You have to be careful intervening in today’s times. About 12 year ago me and my wife were coming out of a store and a man Andy woman parked next to us were arguing. Well it escalated and he started beating the shot out of her so I got involved and long story short I was put in cuffs when the law arrived. I was the one treated like a criminal if it wasn’t for other witnesss it could of turned bad for me with assault charges.