Cop Down -- would you intervene?

[grizman]

Most certainly would do something, situation would dictate the level of force used to assist. Shooting the attacker as the last resort included. Even if the officer was one I disagreed with his attitude or actions, I would do no less to help than if it were my friend being attacked.

I do often disagree with the attitudes and actions of a few LEO's as well as non LEO's. That in no way would rationalize NOT helping a another human being out in a life or death struggle! After all if you were the one being attacked the officer would be not only duty bound, but morally bound to come to your aide. We have the same moral duty to our fellow man BTW! At least I do!

Personally I have never been treated poorly by any LEO, maybe because I keep my nose clean and have had minimal interaction with LEO's in official capacity! I have family and friends that are sworn officers some have even stuck it out till retirement.

IMHO, anyone that could do nothing, are as bad as the attacker!

 

[CitiusFortius]

Dunno without being in the situation.

My rational thought is that if I could intervene without placing myself in significant danger and it looks like the officer is in grave danger then I would, but if intervening would place myself in danger then I seek cover and safety.

I agree pretty much exactly. I do know i'd do SOMETHING. Even if that means taking cover, calling 911 and making sure I got a good description of the suspect, his (or her) vehicle etc.

There are ways to help that don't involve using your gun. But like Shib said, really hard to know without being in the situation myself.

 

[dsom2006]

Absolutely I would help..............Unless it was David Bisard. I wouldn't mess with Karma!

 

[Justin Case]

I would like to think I would help any way I could. Hard to say how I would help unless I was able to assess the situation. Could be any option from calling 911 to use of deadly force to protect the life of the officer.

 

[Compuvette]

Dunno without being in the situation.

My rational thought is that if I could intervene without placing myself in significant danger and it looks like the officer is in grave danger then I would, but if intervening would place myself in danger then I seek cover and safety.

But I also know that when in the heat of the moment I tend to react on instinct and training so I'd probably end up trying to help even if it placed myself in danger since I have combat training.

Like a lot of things in life, that situation falls into the category of "I hope I never find out how I will react."

This.

I don't have combat training, but I could not stand by and watch and officer (or a citizen for that matter) be killed if I could stop it. Yes, my primary concern is for my families safety and by extension of that my own safety. But, if I can save the life of another without bringing undo risk to my family or myself I will try.

And....

"I hope I never find out how I will react."

 

[88E30M50]

I thought I read an account of this a couple of years back. In the other account, there were more details like the officer and the attacker were struggling for the officers gun when the bystander shot the attacker.

If this is not the same story, it has an uncanny similarity. Officer pulls person over for breaking into a funeral procession, gets into an altercation and a bystander comes to the officers aide after coming out of a 7/11. The bystander fires into the torso without effect, steps closer and puts a round behind the attackers ear.

 

[.452browning]

Someone needs to tell the NYT.

Gun Used by Shooter Is Known for Its Deadly Power

“If you don’t know what you’re doing, you’re probably not going to be able to hit the broad side of a barn with it. If you can put a round in center mass of the body, or the head, he’s probably not going to make it.”

Then they go on to talk about gun control.

I thought all firearms were known for their deadly power?

 

[LegatoRedrivers]

I would help if needed, officer or not. I would also have fired if he got the better of the cop, I would not want to get to close. I am not an MMA fighter, that's why I carry a gun! With 4 rounds to the chest the guy was amped to say the least. They don't fall over like in the movies. Great job to the citizen!

I guess you'd never know until you got there. Past experience tells me I would likely tried to stop the guy by yanking him off rather than shooting him off....

I don't think I would have shot the guy unless he posed a threat to me tho.....

Here's a question to everyone who stated they would try to pull the perp off the officer or jump into a grapple instead of pulling their firearm. Assuming we are all always carrying our firearms, doesn't that place us in a situation where the BG could potentially take our sidearm? How concerned would you be that the perp would manage to take your sidearm from you, thus creating a Bad Guy With Gun, when previously he had only been armed with meat clubs?

 

[.452browning]

And to answer the OP, yes I would intervene. Whether it was an average citizen or a LEO. The extent of my intervension would depend on the situation at hand. Too many possiblities to talk about when it comes to that.

 

[Bunnykid68]

I would likely intervene with whatever assistance I reasonably felt the situation warranted.

This

 

[jeremy]

Yes, I would not hesitate to skin a smoke wagon out...

 

[jon5212]

One less drain on taxpayer coffers...

 

[9mmfan]

Depending on the situation, absolutely. It would have to something pretty severe, though. Police around here usually have pretty quick back up and I would hate to be tackled by one of the responding officers.

 

[elliotle]

He did ask the guy multiple times to stop violently assaulting the officer. I think that is more than reasonable. He could have just shot him immediately.

 

[Denny347]

Ask Dave Moore about citizen help as he lay in the yard dying. Homeowner standing there watching him though a window as he died...alone in the snow. It was a fellow officer blocks away that was the first to show up to help. I can count on my brothers/sisters when the SHTF and that is it. We welcome the outside help if given but we know it is not likely. Every day we have officers fighting with resisters and either the passerby's will only watch or root the suspect on. More people than want to admit actually like seeing us struggle.

 

[canterbc]

I try to help whomever is in need, doesn't matter if they are a cop.

This. I know there are more risks associated with helping a cop (another cop rolls up and has to make a quick judgment about who is the bad guy) but I just couldn't watch that happen without trying to help.

 

[jeremy]

Ask Dave Moore about citizen help as he lay in the yard dying. Homeowner standing there watching him though a window as he died...alone in the snow. It was a fellow officer blocks away that was the first to show up to help. I can count on my brothers/sisters when the SHTF and that is it. We welcome the outside help if given but we know it is not likely. Every day we have officers fighting with resisters and either the passerby's will only watch or root the suspect on. More people than want to admit actually like seeing us struggle.

Deputies in my area rely on all the help they can get from us Locals. I find it hard to imagine areas like where you are, I know they exist...

 

[dcr465]

I certainly would like to think I would!!!!

 

[BlueEagle]

I would expect him to help me out if I were lying on the ground with somebody beating the **** out of me.....why should I give any less than I expect?

I would help if I could...I hope that I could do so non-lethally, but as others have said, you truly never know how things would work out.

 

[tskin]

It depends on the situation, but I can't imagine not helping in a situation like this. I think the guy played it just right. If the cop's taking enough of an ass whoopin that they'd pull their gun & shoot the guy, there's no reason for me to think I should do any different. Some people think it's not their job to put themselves in a dangerous situation to save another person, but I'd rather do that & help save someone instead of reading about some kids in tomorrow's paper who lost their parent because someone decided to stand & watch & just be a good witness. To each their own I guess.