When have you come the closest to shooting someone?

[Irving]

When have you come the closest to shooting anyone? This can be both for defense stories, or accidental discharge or whatever. All Condition Red (where you have drawn your gun) stories are welcome.

[SA Friday]

Multiple times in Iraq, once while working a criminal case. All very sureal experiences. Training is what get's you through them. The act of intentionally pointing a loaded gun at someone will affect you for life. I'm happy to say I have not had to actually pull the trigger.

[Irving]

Thanks for sharing SAFriday. Are you unable to share more specifics though?

Unless people aren't allowed to discuss specifics, this thread will only be cool if you guys are much more specific in your stories. I got this idea from my favorite board (www.silencertalk.com) and on that thread some guy had a story of shooting TWO guys in his front yard with a 20 gauge shotgun. They immediately hit the ground and didn't get up, and he thought he killed them.

[Bailey Guns]

It was my very first day on patrol. First call of the day, before we (my training officer and I) even got the car loaded up.

Suicidal male. After a fight with his girlfriend, decided he wanted to die. Except, apparently he didn't have the stones to do it himself. So, he threatened her and she, naturally, called the cops.

We arrived at his house at about 0720 and were taking cover behind a car parked in front of the place. He was standing in a doorway with only the left half of his body visible. There was about 15 yards between him and us. His right side was hidden behind the wall he was leaning against. While we talked to him he occasionally moved a shotgun into view from where it was hidden on his right side that we couldn't see. Initially he just kept it pointed at the ground. He started getting a little agitated and was getting more agressive in moving the muzzle of the gun in our direction.

My FTO carried a Ruger P90. At one point I wondered why we hadn't shot the guy. I looked at my partner and noticed the hammer on his gun was about half way back, wavering slightly back and forth as he put pressure on the trigger. I had a S&W 645 and and started to pull the trigger as the guy lifted the muzzle towards us. If I'd had something like a Glock or a 1911, I would've shot him. But instead of firing he tossed the gun out the door. He came really close to getting shot...maybe getting killed.

That was only the first time. In 15 years, there were lots of times after that.

That same day...my first day on patrol, I had to perform CPR on a on a 35 year old guy during the 20 min ambulance ride to St Anthony's (volunteer fire department and not enough personnel available to answer the call). He had a heart attack at work. Then had to tell his wife and kids at the hospital he died. After that call, I went to an accident on I-70. Mom & 2 kids in a mini-van got side-swiped by a semi that lost it's brakes coming down hill. The mini-van rolled a couple of times. We were right under the overpass where this happened on our way to get lunch and start some reports. I got to hold mom as she held her 1 and 3 year daughters as they both died in her arms before rescue even got there.

When our 10 hour shift finally ended after almost 15 hours I really wondered if I'd made the right career decision.

[Irving]

When our 10 hour shift finally ended after almost 15 hours I really wondered if I'd made the right career decision.

Man that's some heavy stuff. I was just going to say that must have been one hell of a first day.

[Daniel_187]

I was walking with the my lady, cutting through an ally by safeway by the CU football field and a guy came walking up with a 3' piece of pipe and was waving it around and comeing at us and started asking if i know where some dude lived, While I was pushing my Wife away and moving further away I had my holster unsanpped and had on the grip ready to draw. then he asked for the time and I told him I don't have a watch on and to leave me alone. Then he left, Thats the only time I had a hand on my pistol ready to use it, it was a scarry time, but I told myself its me or him

[Hannu]

Training is what get's you through them. The act of intentionally pointing a loaded gun at someone will affect you for life.

+168

How that kind of happening will affect you, is affected by 2things : your mindset and your training. With proper training, your mindset has alot better changes to handle the aftermath. With training, your changes to survive without mental or physical injuries are very much better.

Of course, it is impossible for some people to get the right mindset in any situation.

I might have got better training than many. At least it is the way our instructors wanted us to think I was probably quite lucky anyway, as my experiences made me[b]much[/b] more peaceful and calm. I did not got bad permanent injuries, which may have had something to do with it.
I would probably not be nearly so nice and peaceful guy today, without certain experiences.

I was thinking, if I should share my experiences or not. Places or other details about where and when probably do not tell you guys anything. That is why I do not include details

Closest thing, I would say it was really close. I can remember it like it happened yesterday. It was in duty, long time ago and far from here.
I was in position with a rifle. 7,62x51 with a fixed silencer, shooting 70gr alucore short range bullets at about 4200 fps. Pretty bad ammo, if you shoot somebody to torso close range, it looks like he has got contact shot from 12 ga. I knew, if I have to shoot someone to center mass, it is almost certain killshot, even that incident happened in a city near a big hospital.

I am watching a door about 40 yd away, if somebody is coming out or not. After about 3,5 hours door opens and a BIG guy comes out with short AK carbine on his shoulder.
He starts walking around and starts yelling to my colleagues, but it is unlikely he could see me. I put my scopes reticle to certain place in his upper torso, when he is at about 60 degrees angle to my position. I can see his beard is pretty long, he has old camoflage in bad condition etc.
He is handling his carbine, but it stays on his shoulder.

The following happens probably in few seconds :
Suddenly the carbine drops to his right hand and immediately I get a message to shoot. I am little confused, as I can see from the scope that I can not hold the rifle steady as in training. However, as the range is pretty short, I do not have difficulties to keep the reticle in the correct area.
I have made a mental decision to shoot, safety has been off for a while and my finger is on trigger. But, as suddenly as carbine dropped to his hand, it drops to the ground. He then raises his arms up slowly. Thanks to training, I am able to take my finger off the trigger without firing.
When I can see my colleagues to take possession of the big guy, I realize my work is over and I feel pretty dizzy. Then I find out, that my heart is pounding probably 200+ times a minute and I have not been breathing for some time.
At that point I realize, why sniper rifles usually do not have very lightweight triggers. Earlier I was bitching to my officer in charge that I want to adjust my rifles trigger way lighter, but I stop bitching after that.

Just my 2 cents

[Irving]

Now that we've had a pretty strong influx of brand new members (including LEOs), I thought it was time to bump my most favorite thread.

[BigBear]

The act of intentionally pointing a loaded gun at someone will affect you for life.

I don't feel that way. I've done it (drawn down) and I have no second thoughts about needing to pull that trigger if it comes to it. If you're stupid enough to make me draw down on you, I have no problems ending your life.... Why does everyone say that it'll change your life? I feel like I would have no problem carrying out the task.... "The emotional trauma" etc... I don't buy it.

So am I messed up, cold blooded, etc? Maybe I have a very strong survival instinct? Too many video games? Trying to be a desktop commando? Time to see a pysc huh?...

[Irving]

You didn't even point your gun at anyone...