Responsible Gun Ownership in Crowded Spaces

Doing this job, I see tons of different opinions on a variety of topics. From politics (which I obviously stay away from cause you know, shit show), to gun rights, to when it's appropriate to start playing Christmas music (November 1st, I will fight you over it, I'm jolly as hell), to a vast assortment of other topics. Too numerous to name, so I'll stop now because you get the point.A conversation took place which prompted deep thought for me, a gun owner and a guy that has been in a gunfight or two. When a shooting happens in a big crowd, what does a responsible gun owner do? While everyone on Facebook started arguing their points and I started trolling the obvious hothead, I found myself doing something very out of character, I thought deeply about the situation and how I with my experience would handle it.Here are some basic guidelines I figured that everyone could at least agree with and find some common ground. Too often solutions to problems are ignored because they seem easy. We will not do that here.First thing is first, we've talked at length about this before, situational awareness. It's hard to have in a large crowd of people, especially a Black Friday crowd. My suggestion is to have enough situational awareness that you can find cover and concealment that will allow you to evaluate and plan your next move. It's difficult to read everyone but reading inanimate objects and the possibility of them providing you with an opportunity to safely assess the situation before you start going all "bang-a-rang" on some criminal is more than reasonable to expect.Two, once you've made it to cover and can begin assessing the situation, ensure you know where friendly forces are and that they know how to identify you as a good guy. Playing hero in a mass shooting situation only leaves you looking like Dan Bilzerian, dumb and possibly dead.[caption id="attachment_19137" align="alignnone" width="750"]

Be like these Marines, shoot from behind cover, once you've assessed the situation. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Anna Albrecht/Released)[/caption]Three, if there are no other friendlies and you're the only good guy with a pew pew and you've made a positive identification of a guy or girl (girls can be bad guys too, it's 2018 equality and shit) with hostile act/hostile intent, then engage that sack of shit and see how close he comes to being Superman with number of bullets he can stop.Everyone wants to wave their wang around like they know the right answer, but the right answer is so simple and stupid that nobody thinks it'll work.1. Be aware2. Assess, make note of and identify to friendlies (two-way street just because you see them doesn't mean they see you)3. Engage with proper consideration of your target and what lies behind it.The process shouldn't take you long and if you're saying "But it's dangerous to do all of that." Remember it's also dangerous to get shot because everyone thinks you're the bad guy. Being in a gunfight is inherently dangerous. If you're going to play, you need to accept that.