I've asked this question on another forum and got many personal opinions on the matter. While I absolutely welcome those, I'm more-so looking for legal answers here.
Since I began researching and looking into concealed carrying last year, I've run myself through a number of mental scenarios, trying to figure out what I would do naturally to try and consciously weed out some bad decisions that I might make while in a dangerous situation. These recent Walmart incidents have got me thinking quite a bit.
One scenario I keep thinking about is this:
I'm by myself at Walmart around 6:00PM and I'm minding my own business somewhere towards the back of the store. I suddenly hear semi-auto fire coming from near the right main entrance (most Walmarts I've seen have a left and a right entrance). I feel as though I would immediately look for cover and listen to gather more information; where exactly the shots are coming from, what kind of firearm is being used, how many shooters are there, how many people are in the area of the shooter, if the shooter is shouting anything, if anyone is around me, etc. After that I know for a fact that I would subconsciously want to sneak from the rear of the store to behind the shooter (keeping cover incase he turns around), wait for a clear shot, and plant three to four rounds in the "V" as quickly and accurately as I can.
Now with all of the fluff out of the way, here's my legal question.
I have a duty to escape if I can reasonably do so. With the shooter being in the front of the store and me being near the rear, I am possibly 300+ feet away from them with tons of merchandise and aisles between us. He is no direct threat to me at the moment. If I sneak across the store and directly confront him, could a prosecutor reasonably argue that I put myself in a dangerous situation just to fire my weapon? As in I was looking for a fight? Does Stand Your Ground/Castle Doctrine cover a situation like this?
Others had made the point that they would seek out emergency exit doors and flee, or try and get into employee quarters and barricade themselves in. Others said they'd try and hunt him down just like I described. Just curious what yall think you'd do in that situation, but also how Texas law can be interpreted there.
(EDIT: Of course these mental exercises can't replace real training, but it's better than nothing. I plan on finding an instructor to teach more advanced CHL lessons.)
Since I began researching and looking into concealed carrying last year, I've run myself through a number of mental scenarios, trying to figure out what I would do naturally to try and consciously weed out some bad decisions that I might make while in a dangerous situation. These recent Walmart incidents have got me thinking quite a bit.
One scenario I keep thinking about is this:
I'm by myself at Walmart around 6:00PM and I'm minding my own business somewhere towards the back of the store. I suddenly hear semi-auto fire coming from near the right main entrance (most Walmarts I've seen have a left and a right entrance). I feel as though I would immediately look for cover and listen to gather more information; where exactly the shots are coming from, what kind of firearm is being used, how many shooters are there, how many people are in the area of the shooter, if the shooter is shouting anything, if anyone is around me, etc. After that I know for a fact that I would subconsciously want to sneak from the rear of the store to behind the shooter (keeping cover incase he turns around), wait for a clear shot, and plant three to four rounds in the "V" as quickly and accurately as I can.
Now with all of the fluff out of the way, here's my legal question.
I have a duty to escape if I can reasonably do so. With the shooter being in the front of the store and me being near the rear, I am possibly 300+ feet away from them with tons of merchandise and aisles between us. He is no direct threat to me at the moment. If I sneak across the store and directly confront him, could a prosecutor reasonably argue that I put myself in a dangerous situation just to fire my weapon? As in I was looking for a fight? Does Stand Your Ground/Castle Doctrine cover a situation like this?
Others had made the point that they would seek out emergency exit doors and flee, or try and get into employee quarters and barricade themselves in. Others said they'd try and hunt him down just like I described. Just curious what yall think you'd do in that situation, but also how Texas law can be interpreted there.
(EDIT: Of course these mental exercises can't replace real training, but it's better than nothing. I plan on finding an instructor to teach more advanced CHL lessons.)
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