Have you witnessed a shooting?

Question

I mean literally being there as the gun (s) were fired

Obviously America has more shootings than any other country COMBINED. So I wanna see how common it is for someone to have a story of witnessing a shooting first hand.

I’m American and personally I’ve never witnessed a shooting in person. I’ve seen news stories of shootings happening in my area though. Never a mass shooting though.

I know people who have stories. My sister was just telling me a story of how she was at the club when she was younger and someone started shooting and she had to hide under a table with her friend.

MrOracle · Accepted Answer

The vast majority of shootings in the US are concentrated into small areas, and most involve gangs and the drug trade. Even those few instances of club shootings are nearly all tied to drugs and gang members, though obviously they happened outside of the known gang areas.

The point being that in 99% of the US, you are as safe as you would be anywhere in Europe. But certain areas are war zones: the south side of Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit, Central and South Central Los Angeles, El Paso (due to sharing a very close border with Juarez, Mexico, which is cartel-controlled), St Louis, and a few others.

These places have been crime-ridden for 50 years, and they have only gotten worse. They are also all in cities that have had excessively Democrat leaders for the last 50 years. There is no political will to solve these problems, in fact, they are intentionally making them worse by declining to prosecute crimes and by letting out criminals on cashless bail. This even includes murder suspects, several of whom have committed additional murders while out on bail, or who weren't prosecuted at all for their original crimes.

But these cities continue to vote for the same politicians with the same policies, decade after decade, so of course, nothing changes.

NYC used to be just like that in the late 60s and 70s and into the 80s, until they finally elected Rudy Juliani as mayor, and he actually enforced the laws finally, and crime went way down, wealthy people moved back to the city, as did big business, and the city was clean and safe. But not having learned the lesson, they elected Bloomberg, who went soft on crime, and then Cuomo, who was virtually pro-crime, and so people have fled NYC again, and the city is a mess.

Chazmatazz269 · Accepted Answer

It’s not true that the US has more shootings than any other country, let alone more than all others combined. That comparison is made against first world nations alone. Third world countries in South America, Africa, and Asia have WAY more shootings. Nobody talks about it, possibly for the same reasons that we only started talking about “mass shootings” in the US in the 1990s, because before that mass shootings mostly involved only minorities. Even today, gang-related mass shootings are included in stats used to convince the uninformed to take rights away from law-abiding gun owners, but they’re still not talked about on the news nationally. And the left is perpetually sold as THE party for minorities! Ell oh ell!
Now that i’ve shared all of that, i can say this: I HAVE witnessed a shooting. A gang-related shooting at a night club near Sacramento. It COULD have been a mass shooting as multiple shots were fired from a moving vehicle. Fortunately, less than four people were hurt, and nobody was killed. I only saw the one victim. I think i read that there were two. The following weekend, there was ANOTHER shooting at the same place. Reported to be a retaliation for the shooting on the weekend i was there.

MzAsh · Accepted Answer

No but one year I thought I was. There was an incident at an outside shopping center during a 4th of July fireworks display. A gang fight broke out and a guy with a gun threatened to shoot. Hoards if people ran around screaming shooter shooter and the whole place turned into a stampede to get away. I hid behind the dumpster of a Dave and Busters while I made “that call” to my family actually thinking there was an active shooter on the loose. Now, I know the difference between a gun shot and fireworks but many people didn’t. It was kind of hard to tell because it was loud booms going off everywhere around. Even though it turned out to be just a threat, the feelings were very real. Here’s the story on it:

JustAnj · Accepted Answer

I lived in the ghetto so that was a frequent thing. Thier was even a drive by on our street. Some idiot gang members from another city shooting at random houses in our street just simply for living close to gang members. I was 9 and we saw the people with guns we heard the bullets spread near our house and at it as my mom told us all to drop to the floor. Surprised we lived there for years without one of us getting shot.

I have seen park shootings were they ran off shooting no deaths. Possible injuries but wouldn't know since both people ran away shooting.

Seen beatings with bats then turn into pipe bars and so on. After highschool fights.

I'm sure my brothers have seen much worse. I had to stay home most of my youth.

Apple1996 · Answer

Not like a real one but my neighbor did shoot himself in his driveway. I didn't see but heard it

TransAm85 · Answer

When I was a hooker and a stripper, I lived in a hood area w/a pimp and a few other women. One morning I woke up late and I was alone and started to get dressed, makeup, etc. This guy who rented a room came in to get some stuff upstairs. Suddenly I hear a big bang! Two dudes come through the front door and hold guns to my head. They took my rings, the money out of my wallet, and they heard the footsteps upstairs so they made me walk in front of them. When they saw Mississippi (the guys nickname) they shot him, took his wallet and car keys and also my photo ID. This was 12 years ago and the cops still dk who those guys were. Just kids being nosy about the white girl in the hood n probably thought it was a trap house.

Amy10223 · Answer

Getting off a ramp in NJ, I saw a police officer shooting at a suspect on the grass area by the ramp. That was the first time I have ever heard a gun being shot, and it seemed very unreal--and almost fake. It sounded like firecrackers. But I was still alarmed--I just saw the officer shooting and I didn't have time to look at where the person he was shooting at--but I saw a figure running off too. It was so quick and being I was getting off and paying more attention to that--I was just alarmed at having witnessed that.

TheorionMage · Answer

I am both a U. S. Combat Veteran and law enforcement police officer / criminal profiler and private executive protection bodyguard. I HAVE both seen taken... and HAVE taken human life on four occasions and witnessed up close... seeing the life leave the eyes of those dying.

On those occasions wherein I was involved; while haunting... I sleep guiltless knowing that in the amount of time confrontation took place, I ALWAYS gave the Assailant the option to choose otherwise.
If there MUST be just one to survive, I vote for ME and/or those I'm protecting.

The assailant's Ego was writing checks, their life skills were insufficient to survive to cash---

Sixgunsound · Answer

American (in case you couldn’t guess🤠) So after leaving military service where I’ve seen plenty of guns fired, I got my concealed carry permit and have personally fired almost every gun I own. I then joined an armed hospital public safety department which has state and institutional live fire requirements. Last year I qualified for a hunting license, which does not necessarily require a gun, but at my beginner skill level will be much easier with one. If you mean live fire shooting of a human, no, but I regularly dealt with the aftermath as staff in a hospital setting. We’ve all probably seen thousands of people shot in various forms of entertainment though.

freewife · Answer

I haven't witnessed people being shot. I and a friend were shot at when we were about 9 by an idiot who lived nearby, he was shooting at us across a valley and we had to crawl through gorse and blackberries to hide. Lucky it was only a.22 and he was a crap shot.

I have done a bit of hunting so familiar with rifles. Hand guns are illegal on places I have lived or live now. And no automatic rifles allowed either. Played with a German 9mm Ruger pistol when I was about 14... a friends father had brought it back from WWII. It looked disabled with a weld in the end of the barrel, but that would unscrew.

TonyV · Answer

Uh that's a lie bro, America is not the worst by far, it's not even the worst period. A homicide chart shows us in about middle of the road, Russia was the worst I saw, and wikis firearm homicide page shows that Jamaica alone has 3 times our homicide rate by guns with 15 times less guns. So it's like 8.1 guns per 100 persons in Jamaica vs 120 guns per 100 persons in the USA yet somehow they 35.2 death per hundred vs our 12.2

Fuentes · Answer

A few lol over gang fonk and stupid stuff I do also remember in High-school someone thought my homie was from a hood he wasn't and tried to bang on him talking mess from across the street and didn't go to our school just a weirdo walking around. My homie saw him again and went to check him and ofc that weirdo pulled out a gun, saying he wasn't tryna fight & then took off like a bitch cause he realized he might get packed out & maybe it wasn't loaded cause he was scared.

It's funny cause that same dude got arrested for robbing a coffe shop with the same gun too hahahahaha!

Ez-Bri-Z_v2 · Answer

I've been shot at before when I was a teen. I just happened to be walking with the wrong people at the time and they had some gang member enemies down the street who started firing at us. Luckily they missed, I ran behind a car and when it was safe I ran home to my parents. I never hung out with that guy again.

xJeremyx · Answer

I have never seen a shooting involving a victim. Being a former conscript, I have fired weapons before, and have heard of injuries from misfires and negligent discharge, but thats about it. My country is very safe, and gun ownership is strictly prohibited.

But gicen my training I think I would be able to recognise gunshot sounds now, and that is the one thing I never want to hear outside of the shooting range.

MikeInHawaii · Answer

I missed one by about a minute. I was working for a Pizza Hut delivery in Atlanta and a police officer was shot at an Italian restaurant a few doors down in the shopping plaza. I returned to the store as numerous police cars were pulling in to the parking lot.

TonightYouu · Answer

I remember one time when I was little some douchebag died in our drive way from a shootout and they just left him there we were late to school that day because I had hose the driveway off

I called him a douchebag because there was a trail he didn’t get shot in our driveway and die he crawled over there just to get blood on our driveway I took that very personal I don't know why everything bad always happens to me

TroyDT · Answer

Actually Brazil has more gun deaths than the USA, with a lower population. And many nations have higher rates than USA on a per capita basis.

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/gun-deaths-by-country

To answer the question, no. I have heard a shooting but never witnessed one. I also have a CCW.

WindAtMyBack · Answer

I've never witnessed a shooting.

"Obviously America has more shootings than any other country COMBINED"

I don't know about shootings, but for murder the US is almost exactly average on a worldwide basis.

bingbongbangbung · Answer

That's incorrect, other Western countries have just as much or even more shootings than America. But oh wait, then you're gonna tell me you only count "mass" shootings as your claim of America having the most.

DryGermanGuy · Answer

I have never even heard random gunshots in my life and have lived in one state capital for decades and worked in three others. American visitors are always astonished by this.

HippieVeganJewslim · Answer

As I lived in New York, a few friends were attempting to shoot a foam bowl fixed to a tree, for practice. Which should I pick then? I didn’t see any shootings personally afterwards and now I live in Spain.

DeeDeeDeVour · Answer

I'm an American and I've witnessed shootings not only in my homeland but in other countries as well.

taraburtch · Answer

lmao I witness a shooting at least a few times a month. part of living in the city I guess lol

Kaneki05 · Answer

I live in England so no. Unless you count my great grandad shooting a fence with an old sniper lol.

menina · Answer

I'm not from the US and I've never witnessed a shooting. I've heard about some that happened in my neighborhood but that was long before I moved here.

FunkyMonkee · Answer

I haven't, but my brother did. He was in a car with friends of his when one of them pulled out a gun, put it to his head and shot himself!

Cecinene · Answer

I have never witnessed it and I told GOD that I will never witness that in my life.

annabananna · Answer

I have been around two. One at a movie theatre and one while on bourbon street. I also went to high school with a guy who got shot and died.

Agent_Elflord · Answer

I haven’t. I’ve heard drive-bys when I lived in the city, now I just hear people hunt out here in the mountains.

exitseven · Answer

I see people shooting at the range but have not seen a real shooting in the street,

Jennz6 · Answer

I never saw a shooting but I was threatened by a guy with a gun.

MiseriaCantareAFI · Answer

never one in real life. then again, im hardly ever out anyway, so, i stay out of trouble, unlike republicucks

MrTaboo · Answer

That's is false, America does not have more than everyone else. Many countries don't even report shootings. Makes them look bad

Anonymous · Answer

no but i saw a dead body on the highway yesterday. the ambulence paramedics were trying to revive the corpse with cpr but the coroner was already there with the body bag trying to take the body off the highway

Staximus · Answer

You're an uneducated liberal. America is nowhere near the top of the list for murder rate.

BlackElph · Answer

I've heard shootings. Never seen one fortunately.

Anonymous · Answer

My neighbor was shot and killed. And then the same guys came back shooting up my other neighbors house. It was a war in that neighborhood

dustybiker · Answer

Yes. Local high school shooting.

NathanDavis · Answer

I've lived in Mexico... take a guess, lol

SaoirseS · Answer

No, not as you describe.

duttyjamagyal · Answer

An American, have not witnessed a shooting

Luopio27 · Answer

No and hope no1 ever should.

Pterodon · Answer

I shoot at my gun range all the time

Anonymous · Answer

Yeah but I was deployed.

jimmy2 · Answer

I saw a kinfing in NY

Agape93 · Answer

Yeap. Several

Anonymous · Answer

I was that criminal

OddBeMe · Answer

No, I’m white.

TrillXHippy · Answer

No I haven’t

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