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I’m not trying to defend the shooter in this situation, but I think his situation provides yet another learning opportunity for us all.

I’d like to touch on another aspect of this event; our natural instinct to pursue. We see it in animals all the time. Just watch a dog or cat stalking something. Movement is slow and deliberate, sometimes bordering on being mechanical. But let the mouse, squirrel, or other prey run and the chase is on.

This natural instinct isn’t limited to animals; many people experience it as well. Some call it the warrior mind-set, some say it’s part of the fight-or-flight response and there are other labels. Regardless of the title, this concept in its simplest form deals with a natural instinct many people have to pursue something or someone that flees. Hunters experience it, as do soldiers and law enforcement officers. Part of tactical training deals with learning to control that natural instinct, but you cannot develop a true appreciation for the phenomenon until you experience an adrenalin dump under those circumstances. That’s when every cell in your body says “get it, get it now!!�

How do we learn to control this instinct? It’s relatively simple - realize it exists and tell yourself ahead of time “I’m not going to respond impulsively.� Let’s not lull ourselves in to complacency by saying we’d never be so stupid as to chase a naked guy, no matter the circumstances. At this point in my life I wouldn’t, but I have in the past. (I don’t mean chasing a naked guy, but things equally stupid.) We’ve discussed a preparedness concept in many threads on the forum: Decide now where you will draw the line in the sand meaning we should decide now what it will take for us to use deadly force; don’t think about this for the first time as you are drawing on someone in fear. Perhaps we should add a corollary - decide now what rabbits you won’t chase!

Often I find myself wondering, “What was that guy thinking!?� In truth, many times he wasn’t thinking at all, he was reacting instinctively. We tend to think in terms of not pushing the “go� button, but sometimes an adrenalin dump pushes it for us. When this happens, we’d better be ready to push the “Stop� button, or risk playing the lead roll in the headline “Cotton Chases Another Streaker.�

Regards,
Chas.

What a great lesson. We have often discussed the fact that things often are not as they appear at first blush. Gunfire in a crowded shopping mall full of CHL's and off duty LEO's was one scenario, but here is a real event that shows the combination of an idiot with an over-zealous citizen can be dangerous. I'm sure he thought he had a fleeing rapist - he didn't.

Chas.