Thread: Shooting in NW Portland on Saturday. What would you do?

In case you aren't familiar with the story:

Deadly weekend of shootings unfolds in Portland | City Center News

I wasn't there when it happened, but I'm in that area often (99% of the time I'm carrying). These stories always make me wonder what I would do if I was in the middle of that. If you aren't familiar with the area, this is a fairly popular spot on Fridays/Saturday nights with 10-15 bars that are usually pretty crowded, so there were probably bystanders everywhere.

I can imagine 2 different scenarios that I could find myself in. The first is if I don't see where the shooters are but am in close proximity. In this case I'd probably just try to get out of there as soon as possible. I'm guessing most people here would do the same thing.

The 2nd would be if I'm standing close to one of the shooters. I'm not quite sure what I would do in this situation. If I draw my weapon and point it at the shooter, wouldn't that add more confusion and increase my probability of getting shot by the police if they are showing up? What if the shooter is an undercover cop or another CHL holder that is trying to stop the other shooter?

Anyone have any thoughts?

Also, please don't reply with "Well I just wouldn't go to that part of town". These types of things happen all over, and you can't stay home for your entire life.

If I could identify the shooter, I would probably act accordingly.

But in reality, there would be so many people running around and knocking you over, you would be hard pressed to do much. Better to just keep your head down.

I would, however, make sure to stay holstered until I could ID the threat. Using cover and working the room is great in theory, but I wouldn't want another CHL holder/cop/whatever to see my gun and think I was the threat.

Unless they were a direct threat to you, it would probably be smarter to GTFO of the area than play "hero".

My $.02

Originally Posted by Unka-Boo

Unless they were a direct threat to you, it would probably be smarter to GTFO of the area than play "hero".

My $.02

+1 Leave the super hero BS to the mall ninja's.

Shoot the wrong guy and you go to jail for a long time. The only time i am drawing or getting involved at all is if i have seen and heard the entire event unfold (unlikely). Other then that, i am going to GTFA from any threat. And just try to be a good witness.

Being a hero sounds nice, but if you are even remotely wrong, it is your life and the life of someone else at risk.

Originally Posted by TonsOfOregonBrass

The only time i am drawing or getting involved at all is if i have seen and heard the entire event unfold (unlikely).

Yeah that's probably the best idea in these situations. I can't ever really see myself getting involved unless someone is about to shoot me or something. This statement sums it up nicely

Originally Posted by Unka-Boo

Unless they were a direct threat to you, it would probably be smarter to GTFO of the area than play "hero".

My $.02

+1

Ahh, not be there in the first place!
Nothing good happens at that hour.

My $0.02

Find cover and be a good witness. Leave the police work to the police.

Stuff like this reminds me of this quote...

A rattlesnake is so stupid that it can think itself cornered in an open field. As such, it coils and strikes at what it perceives as an attacker instead of slithering away like most other snakes would. This results in a great many rattlesnakes being killed rather unnecessarily, because the snake chose to stay and "defend itself" instead of fleeing -- unfortunately too many would-be warriors share in this behavior. Instead of the buzz of a rattle as the warning of the presence of a rattlesnake, the question of "What if I can't run?" is the usual warning sign of someone who is likely to find himself "rattlesnake cornered" Such people tend to dismiss the idea of prevention, avoidance and de-escalation and paint scenarios in their minds where they would have no choice but to use their deadly blade art on someone. In my opinion, they aren't looking for an escape. Instead they are looking for an excuse. As the old Murphy's Law of Combat states "Never share a fox hole with anyone braver than you are" you might want to remember "Never associate with someone who is looking for an excuse not to run from a knife fight"

SOURCE

Obviously his tactics are referring to knife fighting. Nevertheless, this kind of logic can be applied to gun fighting as well. If you can run, run. But if you can't run- then when you fight, fight without reserve and as though your life depends on it (because it very well might depend on it).

Make a defensive and be prepared to kill someone when threatened. If I was in a bar, I'd consider running to the bathroom or employee area. Avoid being apart of the panic, but think tactically at all times. Running towards a threat (especially gun in hand) is asking for trouble. Obviously, we would all like to be that guy that drops the bad dude doing bad things to good people. Nevertheless, my advice will always be to be a survivor, not a statistic. If you went running around looking for an active shooter with gun in hand and I saw you- I'd drop you in a heartbeat because you may very well be the man that is shooting.

Read Delta Force whenever you get a chance. Operators were discussing the possibility of their CIA hostage becoming a casualty because he might fight his attacker and attempt to help in the raid. Nevertheless, the operators are taught to scan and shoot at threatening targets, not scan for recognizable faces. Who is at fault? The operators trying to save him, or the man trying to save himself? Just think about it from that viewpoint gents, that's all I ask.

Prolly pull out dual Mac 10's and lay suppressing fire while women and children flee to safety.

and probably also throw in a couple tactical roll's for good measure. gotta stay frosty.

Originally Posted by sweetbeard

Prolly pull out dual Mac 10's and lay suppressing fire while women and children flee to safety.

and probably also throw in a couple tactical roll's for good measure. gotta stay frosty.

Why didnt i think of that.... I hope you can train to tactical roll, pull the Macs while rolling, take out the twenty "perps" infront of you, then run down a row of "bad guys" with one Mac in each hand blasting each BG as you throw in some tactical flips and cartwheels. of course never needing a reload. because we know full autos never run out of ammo.

Once you have that maneuver down, then i will be impressed, and will need some tactical training from you. I have everything but the cartwheels down.

Already well said....cover and or retreat. You can go from hero to zero in a second by not understanding the full situation. Defend you and yours but truly understand the threat before you draw your firearm.

Pop smoke and move.

Back in the late 80's when the crips and bloods came to Tacoma,I was in the mall with the wife and kid,

The thugs started brawlin' and chasing as I grabbed the wife and kid and exited.
I felt saving my kid was being more of a hero.
Years later in the same spot a store owner got killed by trying to be a hero.

Trlsmn

+1 Leave the super hero BS to the mall ninja's.

No shyte,kinda felt bad for these guys (60yo,135#white guy) until the 4 Rangers went over to have a talk with the thugs.

Originally Posted by Trlsmn

+1 Leave the super hero BS to the mall ninja's.

+2 Do you remember the story of a guy in Gresham trying to stop a robbery who shot at the fugitives in a crowded area? He is now behind bars ...

If you were not personally threatened to be shot, GTFO and leave the policing job to the police ... they are trained and paid for what they're doing ... sometimes they f**k-up but it's their responsibility

BigNickShooting,

Can you point me to that incident, I'd like to use it in my CHL classes.

Originally Posted by matt_w

Anyone have any thoughts?

Duck and cover, slip out the back jack.

My feeling, unless confronted, or seeing someone clearly victimized and readily identifiable as such, discretion is the better part of valor.

Originally Posted by oregonshooter

BigNickShooting,

Can you point me to that incident, I'd like to use it in my CHL classes.

I believe this is what he's referring to: http://www.northwestfirearms.com/for...illegally.html.

It was covered by most of the local news outlets. I know others teaching CHL courses are using it.

Thanks drew!