Right up front, I’m going to say that I hope I’m never in a situation like one of the several mass shootings we’ve just seen. I’m no hero, I’m too old for that kind of thing, and there are too many bad outcomes (for me) should I get involved with — i.e. by shooting back at — asshole gunmen on a spree.
That said, I also hope that if the situation is inescapable that I will have the gumption to perform my civic duty, i.e. by not running away and hoping that law enforcement will take care of everything, and doing my level best to end the threat.
I also hope I don’t get shot by the frigging cops, which is what seems to have happened in Sydney because to the untrained and panicked eye, the target becomes any guy holding a gun (or, in the case of the OzCops) and even standing next to the gun he just used, with his hands in the air.
What a shit show.
For those who think that I’m being silly to imagine such things happening, living as I do in north Texas: let me remind everyone that there was just such a mass shooting at an outdoor mall in Allen, just up the road from my house, only a couple years ago. (What makes it all the more chilling was that both New Wife and Mrs. Doc Russia had gone out shopping in Allen, and might well have ended up at the mall in so doing.)
So no: if we’ve learned one thing from all this, it’s that this shit can happen anywhere. And we would do well to be prepared to deal with it.
Once again, I’m absolutely not hoping that I get involved in some of this mayhem; but at the same time, I will admit to doing some mental role-playing in my head, dredging up all the old “Coinops” (counter-insurgency operations) drills I learned back in those far-off days when we all carried muskets and bayonets.
One thing is for sure, though: I will not be a helpless victim.
could these shootings be coordinated at some level due to next year’s midterm elections?
Why would you organise a mass shooting in bloody Australia because of elections in the USA?
Not even the WEF is that stupid, Australia is already firmly in their possession.
Where do the CIA assets end up? There was also the shooting at Brown University and some other mass casualty events in the US I believe.
I don’t have much faith in Bondi. I can’t recall the details but several high profile shitbags were investigated by the FBI and referred to DOJ for prosecution yet I haven’t heard of Bondi securing any indictments. There is the Seditious Six, that congress critter from Florida that was diverting funds, AOC was up for something as well, Shifty Schiff’s mortgage fraud, The prosecutor from NY also skated on Fraud charges, Pelosi’s involvement with Jan 6 protest etc
Ummmm I was referring to Bondi Beach in Australia, not the Attorney General.
True, but I expect La Bondi to lead the charge for Moar Gun Control.
Prof. John Lott said in his book “More Guns, Less Crime”, you are 13 times more likely to be shot by an LEO than a regular citizen.
Ol’ Remus famously said, “Avoid crowds.”
FYI – If you are in a shooting and waiting for the police (or they just show up). Holster your firearm and hold up you hands with your ID card visible in one hand (concealed carry permit, driver’s license, whatever you have). This is what undercover police trained to do, so it is more likely that will give the non-threatening vibe to the police in question – hopefully.
Of course there are cases of cops showing up at crime scenes and shooting other uniformed police, so YMMV.
The older I get, the less likely I am to be somewhere where the sh*t is likely to hit the fan. I just don’t go places much anymore. However, it seems more likely that said sh*t will come looking for my fan wherever I might be, so I have some “rules to live by” that I’ve picked up from more learned people than myself.
-Avoid crowds, especially crowds that REQUIRE you disarm before entering their potential target zone.
-Know where the exits are. Not just the public exits that the crowd will stampede towards when trouble steps off. Service entrances, loading docks, employee entrances, or construction zones, if they get you away from harm, use them.
-Always look for shelter where you can find it if you can’t make it to an exit. Bullet resistant is best, like behind something solid (a brick or concrete structure, a planter, a car or dumpster). If you can’t find solid protection, remember that invisibility is also protection. If the bad guy can’t see you, he probably won’t shoot you. Recessed doorways, behind bushes or landscape features, even dark shadows (if that’s all you can find). Bad guy is looking for targets, so try not to be one.
-If you are unarmed, ALWAYS be aware of things nearby that can be turned into weapons if you need one. Things you can throw, things you can swing, kitchen or garden utensils, bricks, stones, lumber. You don’t have to go “fist city” on them. Aim for face and groin. If you choose to throw things, throw LOTS of things. If the bad guy is busy ducking and moving, he can’t aim very well.
-Protect yourself so you can protect your family/friends. You don’t need to be a martyr, but if you go down, who will stand between them and evil?
-It sounds trite, but remember, when seconds count, help is minutes away. You’re on your own out in the big, bad world. Plan accordingly.
Kim, I think you’re exactly right. Avoid trouble religiously. However, either 1) trouble comes to you, or 2) you have a situation you cannot walk away from. That second one is hard; I carry to protect me and mine – I am not a cop. But if, for example, a large man was beating down a much smaller woman, or attempting to rape her, how do I stand back and say or do nothing? Will my conscience let me? I don’t think I could. Self-defense law also protects defense of others. It’s also true that intervening in a situation comes with its own hazards; things may not always be what they seem.
If trouble comes to you, be prepared, practice with your weapon so handling is second nature, and do what you have to do. Get away, if possible, is the first best advice. As a defense attorney, have a long bit of advice on how to deal with the law afterwards, which I’m sure I’ve posted here before. I won’t go into it again, but remember you may well have to win two fights – the one to keep you alive against a threat, and the one to keep you free if a prosecutor decides you were a little to diligent.
I’m with MurphyAZ. I live just outside the wire (DC Beltway) and have, off and on, for almost 20 years. I’ve been back in the area almost 10 years and have only set foot in DC once during that time. I won’t go again. I mostly stay at home, or head west to my tiny hidey-hole in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Still, it’s hard to avoid all the hostility, even in places you’d least expect it. Things got sporty at my local Costco the other day and that was my signal to hibernate until Easter.
My primary concern is that something, I don’t know what, is going to pop off before the midterms and it’ll be a trigger for a national (maybe international) event that winds up a bloody mess. If that happens, I want to watch it on the news, not be in the mix. Still, not gonna stop carrying, not gonna stop buying ammo and not gonna stop going to the range 4x month.