Attack on St. Louis Metrolink - No one offered to help

[Droogie]

After watching this video, it made me think about what I would have done if I observed this happening.

I came to the conclusion that I would not have done anything. It reminded me of the "I am not a sheepdog" video.

If they had been beating me or my people, I would have come to a different conclusion, but this poor sheep isn't part of my flock.

Would you have done anything?

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

It'd be hard for me to just stand there while another human being gets the **** beat out of them.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Me yes, because I'm wired that way, and would certainly be armed. But most people will not help, and I'd be reluctant to tell someone they should.

 

[miguel]

After watching this video, it made me think about what I would have done if I observed this happening.

I came to the conclusion that I would not have done anything. It reminded me of the "I am not a sheepdog" video.

If they had been beating me or my people, I would have come to a different conclusion, but this poor sheep isn't part of my flock.

Would you have done anything?

Good thing the guy only had "superficial injuries" according to the news anchor...

 

[steveh_131]

Interesting scenario.

I'd probably have kept it holstered in this situation. No life was really threatened. Just bullies doing what they do. There are too many unknowns and too many complications to arise from escalating it to life-threatening force.

This guy wouldn't even step up to defend himself... for all his complaints about that, I can't imagine he'd step up to defend someone else.

If it progressed to a real beating and real injuries I might reconsider. Not sure I could stand to watch that happen.

Interested to see some more discussion on this from those more knowledgeable than I.

 

[Cameramonkey]

It'd be hard for me to just stand there while another human being gets the **** beat out of them.

Me too. I would at least probably step in verbally when its obvious the fight is over but one side continues. Its one thing to win a fistfight. Its entirely different than a beatdown that could result in death because they just kept beating well after victory. I couldnt live with myself if I didnt at least try to diffuse the situation at that point and it resulted in a death even if the victim wasnt part of my "flock". Preempting the fight? Not a chance. And my gun doesnt come out until my flock is threatened.

Ive seen quite a few youtubes where the fight is obviously over and when someone interrupts and says something to the effect of "you won. its done." they typically stop and move on. Im sure there are others where they simply turn their aggression toward the next target who dared defend their victim, but typically they say a few words to the loser and move on.

 

[singlesix]

Yes my thoughts also, a lot of crying about other people not helping him but no ownership for self-defense. So he wants other people in harms way I guess? What would I have done, I really can't say. Looks like three attackers, and the victim is justing taking it, so if I step in it will be three against one, I don't like those odds. Hindsight, look at the injuries, all minor ones, if I caused more serious injuries to the attackers (because of my massive Internet Ninja skills) could I be viewed as the aggressor?

 

[chipbennett]

First of all, the St. Louis Metro is a "Gun Free Zone", so both the victim's self-defense options and the options of others to come to his defense were limited.

Second, people who would come to his defense are in a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation, especially with (morally right but legally prohibited) armed defense.

Third, you're in a tactically disadvantageous situation, being in a confined space and not knowing who would be sympathetic to the assailants if you attempted to intervene.

Aren't "Gun Free Zones" great?

 

[Joniki]

Three wolves (thugs) and thirty sheeple.

It's a dang shame....

 

[MCgrease08]

I'm so tired of punks like this. They think they can do whatever they want.

Let me use your phone? Umm, no.

What do think of the Michael Brown shooting? Take a walk pal.

If somebody tries slapping me around like that the fight is on. I wouldn't need a gun. A swift kick to the front of his knee cap would do the trick just fine.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

and would certainly be armed.

FYI, Missouri law makes this a no carry zone.

 

[DFM914]

Too bad he didn't have a good fixed blade on him. I didn't see anything saying it was a "knife free zone".

 

[Woobie]

FYI, Missouri law makes this a no carry zone.

In that case, you probably wouldn't find me in this theoretical situation. I wouldn't have been on the train in the first place.

 

[Drail]

For what it's worth, I grew up in St. Louis (Ferguson-Florissant area). I will never go back there. All that stuff you saw on TV in Ferguson last summer? - that's what St. Louis is like now. There are Michael Browns walking around all over the place just looking for somebody to pound on. It didn't used to be like this. This is why most folks left and moved across the river to St. Charles. A lot of people predicted this would happen. And they were right.

 

[CampingJosh]

FYI, Missouri law makes this a no carry zone.

Isn't Kut a cop? If so, the Missouri law is irrelevant.

 

[Droogie]

Me too. I would at least probably step in verbally when its obvious the fight is over but one side continues. Its one thing to win a fistfight. Its entirely different than a beatdown that could result in death because they just kept beating well after victory. I couldnt live with myself if I didnt at least try to diffuse the situation at that point and it resulted in a death even if the victim wasnt part of my "flock". Preempting the fight? Not a chance. And my gun doesnt come out until my flock is threatened.

Ive seen quite a few youtubes where the fight is obviously over and when someone interrupts and says something to the effect of "you won. its done." they typically stop and move on. Im sure there are others where they simply turn their aggression toward the next target who dared defend their victim, but typically they say a few words to the loser and move on.

@Cameramonkey,
+1. That sounds like a very reasonable way to handle it.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

I would help. The victim had his hands up deflecting blows and didn't look to be taking much damage. So no weapon use for me, unless one of the other guys jumped in.

 

[Arm America]

I'd more than likely get my ass whipped but I could not sit and watch another person just take a beating.
Knowing they got away with it, what damage will they inflict the next time.
Next time it might be an old lady or a hanicapped kid.

We are either part of the problem or part of the solution.
And no, I would not have pulled a gun.

 

[poppy]

THREE SUSPECTS ARRESTED in Brutal Metrolink Attack on White Rider Over #MikeBrown | The Gateway Pundit

Update

 

[The Bubba Effect]

If I am on that train, I am on that train with a gun and am apparently violating a law. If I get into that fight, I must assume that I am going to end up fighting at least three guys and am not going to have any help from any one.

I don't know how that beating is going to turn out. After the fact, we know that the victim was not critically hurt, but during the moment we do not know how far it is going to go. I must assume that if I get involved in that, my gun is going to come out. If my gun comes out, I have to assume I am going to prison. Remember, we do not know if those three attackers were armed or how far they were willing to go. We just know that there were three of them and they beat an innocent man without provocation.

That is a hard situation and i would not likely know what I would do until I had done it. My gut tells me that it ends poorly, but it is a no win situation because the law nurtures the thug. The law feeds him, raises him, clothes him and protects him. It's a ****ed up world we live in and the only thing I know is that I'm not getting on that train without a gun.