Another Black Man With a Gun...

[rDigital]

protecting his family.

http://www.mysouthwestga.com/news/story.aspx?id=786363#.UFC5jY1lSuQ

ALBANY, GA --
An overnight home invasion has two would-be robbers on the run after a homeowner pulls a gun.

Investigators with the Ocilla Police Department say that two men with a shotgun busted into a home in the 600 block of Lincoln Street around 1:30 AM Thursday morning. There they found children asleep in the living room, held them at gunpoint and demanded money.

Officials say that one of the suspects went to the homeowner's bedroom and kicked the door in. The homeowner then pulled a gun of his own and the two men fled without any money.

This man fought off a long gun with a pistol. He didn't even have to fire a shot. These cowards broke into his house and held his children hostage and HE came to their rescue.

When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.

If someone broke into your house and held your children at weapon point, wouldn't you want the best means possible of defending them from violent attack?

[phantom power]

1. I'm glad it worked for him

If pulling his gun had caused the invaders to panic and shoot his kids, how would that change our assessment of whether this was 'the best means possible' of protecting them?

I'm interested in people's opinions here. Several different outcomes might have happened in a situation like this.

[rDigital]

2. I'm pro-choice when it comes to self-defense. I'm glad he had the choice to use deadly force

available to him to protect his loved ones. More choices, not less.

[phantom power]

8. pro-choice is a good way to articulate the self defense position

If I have a gun available, I have more choices than if I did not.

One facet of this that interests me is how one makes those choices. As you say, in the moment, you have seconds. What information do you have available? How do you read the situation? Do additional choices add up to better outcomes?

I thought this guy's particular story was extra interesting, because directly threatening somebody who is holding your family hostage seems like a risky proposition. I'm nearly certain that I would have chosen to just offer them the money, as the less-risky decision. Did he make a good decision from reading the situation? Did he make a "bad" judgement and just get extremely lucky? What are the underlying probability distributions?

I also happen to know that I'm the opposite of quick-witted. While some people have a natural ability to make fast decisions well, other people like me do not. How does personality type impact the statistics of outcomes?

Anyway, these are the sort of questions that run through my head. Maybe there are studies.

[MrDiaz]

3. has the out come in which you are referring to

ever actually happen?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. Perps have certainly shot hostages in the past

Without access to law enforcement databases a search for exact matches is impossible

[rDigital]

5. Like the unarmed Doctor who's family was raped and murdered while he was tied up in the basement?

Like that? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheshire,_Connecticut,_home_invasion_murders

[GreenStormCloud]

7. So take a look at the alternative.

The only alternative would have been to throw his family upon the tender mercy of a couple of violent criminals. How likely would that have been to have had a positive outcome?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

4. It is a difficult tactical situation

Unless you have all perps in view Judging their reactions can be risky. In our case , when my wife double tapped one perp , the other crapped his pants.

[rDigital]

9. Action is better than relying on the good will of those who are attacking your family. nt