Teacher tackles gunman at school

[SuperFerret]

But felines lack the opposable digits necessary to operate a normal firearm.

 

[Trainwreck2100]

But felines lack the opposable digits necessary to operate a normal firearm.

that's what they want you to believe

 

[SuperFerret]

Touche sir, touche.

 

[The Lizard]

Heroism isn't a bad thing at all, but when people think that tackling the bad guy is being a hero they are misguided. Would he not have been just as much of a hero if he simply helped students get out of harms way and guided them to safety?

The problem is that that type of "take matters into my own hands" heroism usually ends up getting people hurt or worse. There's nothing wrong with being a hero, but you have to be extremely careful in situations with someone who is armed and dangerous.

History could've just as easily recorded him as just another victim or worse might have even recorded him as the cause of more attacks on other students.

Possibly, but since we weren't there, that's all just an assumption. If the teacher had started running around trying to shepherd all the kids in the parking lot to safety, the gunman could have possibly just shot him too, then walked back into the school to continue his rampage. From the description of events, it sounds like the teacher was in the right place at the right time to tackle the guy quickly.

[NRA] Of course, if the teacher had been armed himself, he wouldn't have had to even risk tackling the guy, he could have just shot him from a safe distance! [/NRA]

 

[Majic Walrus]

But if he had the opportunity to stop him, why not do it?

You're talking in 'what ifs' here, but the reality is he stopped a bad situation from becoming much worse.

So? Condoning stupid behavior even if that behavior pays off is also stupid.

He had what he thought was an opportunity to disarm a gunman. In reality though his opinion of the situation is worthless because he's a teacher and not someone trained to handle that kind of situation.

Possibly, but since we weren't there, that's all just an assumption. If the teacher had started running around trying to shepherd all the kids in the parking lot to safety, the gunman could have possibly just shot him too, then walked back into the school to continue his rampage. From the description of events, it sounds like the teacher was in the right place at the right time to tackle the guy quickly.

[NRA] Of course, if the teacher had been armed himself, he wouldn't have had to even risk tackling the guy, he could have just shot him from a safe distance! [/NRA]

Well yeah it could've been bad had he mad the smart choice. I'm not talking about what ifs though I'm talking about what should someone do in that situation.

Hide. Help others hide. That's it. Don't stand up to someone with a gun unless you're prepared to take the responsibility of his actions as your own.

Example:

A man with a gun walks into a gas station. He orders the clerk to give him all the money in the register. The clerk pulls out a gun and decides to stand on his own feet and take matters into his own hands.

Here are two possible outcomes.

1.) The gunman runs away in terror and Gas Station Attendant Smith wins the keys to the city and everyone hails him as a hero. He might have saved the lives of his wife and daughter who were in the backroom.

2.) The gunman gets pissed and shoots the clerk, his wife, and his daughter. No one gets called a hero. No keys to the city are passed out. Just three dead people.


Now given the risks of taking matters into your own hands versus the rewards of that... It's easy to see that getting out of a gunman's way as quick as possible is the SMART thing to do.

 

[Mike_D202]

I would have tackled him. Would have been a chance with him seeing me trying to "lead the kids to safety" then BLAM! I'd be down with the kids and whomever else he had a chance to shoot at.