People who openly carry a firearm, would you regret your actions if it led to the death of the person you fired upon?

Question

This is probably going to be a deep topic so bare with me here, so many people feel like they need a gun to feel safe, but I really want to know if they're also prepared to live with the consequences of actually ending another human beings life at that given moment they draw their weapon. Doesn't matter if the suspect was armed or not in the event, if they decide to shoot then could they live with the fact that if the other person dies as a result it would have been because of them?

Yes criminals are bad too, don't get me wrong I just want to know if there's any sort of humanity before the open carry individual pulls the trigger...

*This is a sensitive topic, feel free to go anonymous if you so choose to*

BoopBoopBeep · Accepted Answer

I carry concealed, but I assume the question still applies. You have a few questions here so I don't want to just say "yep" and move on, so if you don't mind I'm going to break it up into the different questions/points you made.

"I really want to know if they're also prepared to live with the consequences of actually ending another human beings life at that given moment they draw their weapon."

Their life doesn't end when I draw my weapon. They have an instant to un-F themselves and surrender, usually. "The consequences" are I go home to my family, so yeah, I'm prepared to live with that again. Maybe if he was more concerned with the consequences of his actions he'd be going home to his family, too.

"Doesn't matter if the suspect was armed or not in the event,..."

Well, it DOES matter, because there's not a lot of times you can shoot an UNarmed person. If they're beating the daylights out of me they may technically be unarmed, but they still get to leave the scene feet first. If he beat me with a stick or his giant John Henry sized fists isn't a concern. It's the imminent threat of grievous bodily injury that motivates my response, but the burden of proof on showing it's a good shoot is a lot easier when he's armed.

"if they decide to shoot then could they live with the fact that if the other person dies as a result it would have been because of them?"

Yeah. That's kind of the point. I never shoot anybody because I wanted him to have a better understanding that a rough socioeconomic background may incline him towards antisocial behavioral mechanisms which may devolve into nascent criminal behavior, and later escalate into violent criminality. I'm shooting someone with the intent (and very high likelihood) that he's GOING to be dead. Also, when we've arrived at the place where somebody is getting shot, the other guy didn't put much thought into thinking it might be hard "to live with the fact" that he was about to F me up pretty good.

noohair · Accepted Answer

I am a retired Certified Friearms instructor. Most prople have no clue what they are doing. If I had to use deadly force to incapasate a deadly threat. That person has reveiled there intent to place no value on my life so it is him or me. I choose me.

NamerOfStars · Answer

A good question- and frankly, for most, I imagine the answer is "yes", since you'd have to be inhuman not to; though few are self-aware enough to even realize that, much less admit it (which raises questions about whether they're the sort of people who should have guns in the first place). But here's the thing: they'd regret it a lot more if they didn't. Even in Texas, by far the most liberal state in the country when it comes to gun laws, it's not just a matter of walking into a gun store, plonking down some cash, and walking out with a loaded gun on your hip. There are still hoops to jump through, mandated through culture in the places the law doesn't cover, and that's a big part of why gun violence in Texas is so low compared to the rest of the country; guns there are known and respected commodities, not forbidden magic wands of uncontainable power.

In most cases of that type, where someone draws a gun and uses it, they do so to prevent worse harm: you might very well regret having to kill someone, but it'd be worse if you didn't, and they killed someone else. The linear nature of time means that you can never be entirely sure if that WOULD have happened, but ultimately, it's about calculated risk, and putting that into the hands of the citizenry, instead of the government.

Criminal violence is a complex thing, with multiple complex causes; it's not like the abundance of guns causes it (see Switzerland) or the absence of them prevents it (see Chicago)- or like the abundance of them prevents it (see Afghanistan) or the absence of them causes it (see Ireland). Anyone who tells you otherwise is either denying reality or oversimplifying it to sell their ideas.

ohsheeT · Answer

There's a hundred different scenarios with this question

But any person that has to walk around with weapon on their hip to feel like they're safe is a person I don't want to be around now depending on the scenario

In some cases you might want to have a weapon on your hip in some scenarios that's like winning the lottery

But for a guy to walk around with a weapon on his hip just so he has the upper hand and won't get his ass kicked if he becomes a smart-ass or vice versa is stupid

Back in my day it's the same thing as today if you cause problems there's going to be problems but somebody's going to get their ass kicked they're not going to get shot and killed because somebody has a weapon on them this man versus little boy scared the person with a gun is usually a scared little person in most cases or is just trying to be a big shot to impress somebody who it is I have no clue but I think they're dangerous people I don't mind having weapons but not carrying them around in public so in case somebody calls you a jackass you can turn around and shoot them that's wrong

MementoMori777 · Answer

I can't open carry, only conceal but if I do have to kill someone knowing it was them or me or any of my family members, it's a no brainer to me and I would be able to live with the fact I took their life, it's a long story but I'm numb to the ideas of death and I've already went through the mental preparation for me having to take a life if I have too and I know I wouldn't use lethal force if it's not necessary so if I do, its cause it was necessary and I most likely saved another life in the process, i think I'd sleep very good at night knowing I made the choice to save another life because if I have to choose between an innocent person and someone that means to do harm, I won't regret taking the life of the manace for the innocent life.

exitseven · Answer

I have owned guns for a year. I went to a firearms train course and visit a gun range frequently. I have a conceal carry permit but the guns rarely leave my house. I just felt that crime has increased in the last couple of years and I don't see things getting better. I was also concerned that somehow the democrats would somehow repeal the 2nd amendment.

I did not take this responsibility lightly and realized that some day I might have to end somebody's life if they invaded my home or threatened a family member. I think about this every time I practice. I expect that I will feel worse for the people that the criminal leaves behind. They were someone's child but when you are put in a situation like this there is no way to know if the other person is armed or is on drugs or maybe they are just a lot stronger than you are. If you have the opportunity to kill them you have to take it. Then deal with the fallout later. Life is not like you see on TV

Lliam · Answer

If I was forced to shoot someone who was an immanent threat to others or myself, I would blame them.
They had to be doing something pretty horrible to require being stopped.
So I don't think I would feel bad. I'd think I did the world favor. Like when Scarface shot that guy in the head and shouted "You stupid fuck! Just look at you now!"

Honestly, when I see remote videos of armed robbers getting shot, I cheer and laugh my ass off. Even if they die, I'm glad. Humanity my ass. They were bags of shit who should be tossed in the landfill.

DubiousIntentions · Answer

If I was going to draw a gun it would be to protect my life. And I would have to be in fear for my life. In other words, either me or they would walk away still breathing. Ask the person who winds up on a slab if they wish they would have killed the other person instead of them being there. I might feel bad for the family of the person I had to kill. But at least it wouldn't be my family holding my funeral. But regret me having to kill someone? No, they reaped what they sowed.

Anonymous · Answer

I dont openly carty a firearm but my husband has bought me two handguns for self defence and taught me to shoot a little.

I suppose that if I was forced to use a gun it would be in self defence for myself and kids so I don't think I'd regret having to protect myself and kids.

Anonymous · Answer

If you're in a situation where you feel the need to pull it out, I'm sure most people's 'humanity' is not their priority, it instead being trumped by their desire to live (self-preservation). That being said, I have heard it weighing heavily on the mind of a good portion people after the ordeal did lead to the demise of the perpetrator. But I'd imagine a good portion also do not feel all that bad considering the one who died was the perpetrator and the one who pulled the trigger was the victim.

I'm not aware of hardly any cases in which the victim ever regretted their actions, though. They might wonder "well what if" or "I feel bad for their family members" but probably not "I'd have rather risked dying or being permanently injured if it meant I didn't have to take a life."

LazerBean · Answer

I would be happy that I made the world a better place.

Yabbut · Answer

No. If it ever goes that far it would be on defense of a life, be it mine or someone else. I may feel it's a shame that person is dead, but ultimately, that would be the choice they made. I would focus on the life or lives saved instead.

ArrowheadSW · Answer

This is a good question because you don't hear this question asked all that often.

MikeInHawaii · Answer

If I killed someone who was trying to harm me, I wouldn’t bat an eye.

eagle1951 · Answer

I carried it for over 30 years and never had to draw my weapon once, if I ever pulled it out it would be for self-defense I know what it's like to kill people

Pete671 · Answer

Surely the intention is to eliminate the threat, if your attacker loses their life as a result of their actions, then so be it,,,

Anonymous · Answer

I'm sure killing someone, even in self defense, will take some time to recover from... but that doesn't mean you shouldn't defend yourself.

shortster · Answer

Isn't that kind of the point of guns?

Abdulwahh · Answer

Yes the intent is never to kill just to defend.

People who openly carry a firearm, would you regret your actions if it led to the death of the person you fired upon?

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