How to react to an attack in a crowded mall?

[John R. Fuller]

I was in the mall yesterday...
Yesterday I was with my family in the Bryan College Station Mall Christmas shopping. I began to think about what happened in the mall in Washington State a couple of weeks ago.

The mall that I was in was very crowded with multiple kiosks and shoppers. I began to think about what I would do in the event of an attack with firearms occurred in the mall.

My equipment was a Cell Phone and regular size M1911 clone Llama .45 ACP with two reloads 230 grain JHPs with a back up pistol Keltec P32 in .32 ACP with one reload for it. 8)

My first priority would be to get my family to safety if not caught in the immediate affected area. If I couldn't, I would find the best cover for them and then engage the bad guy or guy's.

The engagement would be from behind cover possibly using the many floor kiosks as camo while taking cover behind more substantial building materials at the entrance of the various stores.

Hopefully everyone would be at ground level or getting there as a result of the gun fire that the event began with. This might provide me with a better chance at safe backstops and the perpetrators being the only erect people at that point.

I would take on the one with the largest weapon ie shotgun or rifle or "Gasp" a machine gun. This is of course if I have no where else to go and the individuals are actively shooting at and hitting people.

I would be curious to see other people's opinion and contingencies for this type of situation. I do not spend much time in the malls, but this is a common place for many of us on this site.

[gigag04]

I'm in the BCS area as well, I'm a student. We should go shoot.

I would probably follow your line of thinking as far as use kiosks for concealment. Only issue I can really think of is they are not very sturdy and would let lots of lead through.

-nick

[HighVelocity]

Unless the BG is within arms reach of you then you're probably not going to have much of a clear shot. As far as people getting down, you can forget about that too. They'll be running and screaming and not even have a clue as to where they're going.
You are not the savior of everyone in the mall. Get yourself and your family clear. IF the opportunity to stop the threat presents itself and you can take advantage of it then more power to you.

[dws1117]

Unless the BG is within arms reach of you then you're probably not going to have much of a clear shot. As far as people getting down, you can forget about that too. They'll be running and screaming and not even have a clue as to where they're going.
You are not the savior of everyone in the mall. Get yourself and your family clear. IF the opportunity to stop the threat presents itself and you can take advantage of it then more power to you.

+1 Well said HV!

[MoJo]

Get your family and loved ones out of the danger zone, keep your gun holstered unless you are directly threatened (the police don't know that you are a good guy - - - you have a gun) and be a good witness. Best thing to do is avoid crowds and be aware of your surroundings.

[jimlongley]

I was in the mall yesterday...
Yesterday I was with my family in the Bryan College Station Mall Christmas shopping. I began to think about what happened in the mall in Washington State a couple of weeks ago.

The mall that I was in was very crowded with multiple kiosks and shoppers. I began to think about what I would do in the event of an attack with firearms occurred in the mall.

My equipment was a Cell Phone and regular size M1911 clone Llama .45 ACP with two reloads 230 grain JHPs with a back up pistol Keltec P32 in .32 ACP with one reload for it. 8)

My first priority would be to get my family to safety if not caught in the immediate affected area. If I couldn't, I would find the best cover for them and then engage the bad guy or guy's.

The engagement would be from behind cover possibly using the many floor kiosks as camo while taking cover behind more substantial building materials at the entrance of the various stores.

Hopefully everyone would be at ground level or getting there as a result of the gun fire that the event began with. This might provide me with a better chance at safe backstops and the perpetrators being the only erect people at that point.

I would take on the one with the largest weapon ie shotgun or rifle or "Gasp" a machine gun. This is of course if I have no where else to go and the individuals are actively shooting at and hitting people.

I would be curious to see other people's opinion and contingencies for this type of situation. I do not spend much time in the malls, but this is a common place for many of us on this site.

Most definately go for the machine gun first, those things are heavy and he and his crew will not be moving around much.

[gigag04]

Most definately go for the machine gun first, those things are heavy and he and his crew will not be moving around much.

I get it

[txinvestigator]

Unless the BG is within arms reach of you then you're probably not going to have much of a clear shot. As far as people getting down, you can forget about that too. They'll be running and screaming and not even have a clue as to where they're going.
You are not the savior of everyone in the mall. Get yourself and your family clear. IF the opportunity to stop the threat presents itself and you can take advantage of it then more power to you.

Once again we agree.

[gigag04]

This is of course if I have no where else to go and the individuals are actively shooting at and hitting people.

The responses are intesting. At first I thought everyone's post disagreed with mine, but then I re-read the thread and figured it out. I'm responding with this above quoted line in mind, the nowhere else to go part as in you have to fight.

I think confusion, at least for me, comes in earlier when it says "if im not in an affected area." So I guess maybe as an Aggie, and as I break it down the response would be:

1 - run if you can

2 - fight if you have to

I guess my only question would be - since I am armed and could possibly end the attack, would I be ok with leaving. I know I'm not under any obligation to intervene, but if I think I have a reasonably good chance at ending the killing of innocents, then should I not take it? Having family with you I guess changes the stakes too.

I guess I'm still not really sure of my response, I guess my initial thought would be "I have to stop this" but maybe thats irrational. I like what HV said of "if the oppurtunity to stop the threat presents itself and you can take advantage of it, more power to you."

Kind of a rambly post, but I'm not real sure on where I stand.

[stevie_d_64]

See John...

I told you you'd get some good stuff here...

Did I lie???

My signature lines here unlock many doors that help you and other develop the "mindset"...

You already know how your going to do it...Now its time to discover why...

But you already know that too...

Thanks for posting that John...

[KBCraig]

So I guess maybe as an Aggie, and as I break it down the response would be:

1 - run if you can

2 - fight if you have to

Where does flinging a shovel of horse manure fit in?

Kevin

[stevie_d_64]

So I guess maybe as an Aggie, and as I break it down the response would be:

1 - run if you can

2 - fight if you have to

Where does flinging a shovel of horse manure fit in?

Kevin

Thats cold blooded man...

[gigag04]

So I guess maybe as an Aggie, and as I break it down the response would be:

1 - run if you can

2 - fight if you have to

Where does flinging a shovel of horse manure fit in?

Kevin

Thats cold blooded man...

After years of being treated like crap everytime I was in ATX in uniform (I was in the corps) I feel great about some band guy getting cav crap on him.

[KBCraig]

After years of being treated like crap everytime I was in ATX in uniform (I was in the corps) I feel great about some band guy getting cav crap on him.

When I was in the Army, the Citadel and VMI guys (back before they were forced to admit women cadets), could always get a rise out of the Aggies by asking, "How many Waggies in the band this year?"

[txinvestigator]

What a mess if there were other CHL holders who also decided to be heroic, didn't see initially who the bad guy was, but saw you moving thru the crowd, gun in hand.

Or a off duty cop saw you with gun drawn.................

IMO, that handgun is for SELF-protection.