Would you use your weapon to stop a stranger from being raped?

[revance]

I was torn on the verbal command part.

If you walk in on a rape in progress, chances are you can safely give a verbal command since their attention is not on you. I answered D, but that could easily be changed to E depending on the circumstances.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I am not waiting on the poll.....

Yes without a doubt.

Rubbing my crystal ball... ah, I see your future...

"Ahhhhh! YOU KILLED MY FIANCE'! He was just misunderstood. This is not the wild west cowboy and no one asked for your help. You'll be hearing from my lawyer if you have any money left after the criminals trial."

 

[JBrockman]

I figure that by eliminating this scum bag I am doing all women, society in general and the tax payers a favor since burying this creep is cheaper then keeping him in prison for the next 50 years!

 

[rich8483]

so far 27 people would shoot right away with no verbal warning.

wouldnt they be right next to eachother? you'd better be one damn good shot.

i voted to draw, warn. whatever escalates from there, happens. i would definately feel compelled to intervene

 

[hookedonjeep]

Any person - man or woman - who is witness to a violent, life altering crime in progress and is so armed as to attempt to protect the victim, should. It is a moral imperative to stand up for those than cannot for themselves, and if your choice is to stand by and "try to be a good witness"; I wish you the best of luck in living with the pain and injustice your cowardice has produced.

 

[evansvillethompsongunner]

The only trick would be to determine that it's not just two lovers going at it hot and heavy before blowing a good-sized hole in his head....but if it were obviously an attack, then of course - the only choice when confronted with violations of rights, particularly those so intimate, is whether to keep an extra magazine of frangible on-person as well, so as not to graze anyone else in the defense of the defenseless.

 

[Jack Ryan]

If I see a violent crime in progress and I am armed...
Have I got a cell phone, call 911 (get help in case I get killed helping, establishes intent to do good for the civil trial, let's the cops know I'm the guy in the white hat in case they show up while I'm "doiing good")

Put my hand on my gun, safety off.

Evaluate the situation, Wyat Earp prefered buffaloe manuver to blowing a man's head off, I've got a couple pounds of steel in my hand, is that an option? He's pretty involved if he's in the act of rapeing a woman. She can always get some satisfaction with a quick kick to the nutz before the cops show up. Here, he's unconcious, you watch him while I got open the door for the cops, I won't be watching for 5 minutes or so.

This is about as far as I care to waste my time thinking about this.

 

[WIZZO499]

If he's trying to drag them off somewhere, order to stop.

If he's in the middle of it, he's done on this planet.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I figure that by eliminating this scum bag I am doing all women, society in general and the tax payers a favor since burying this creep is cheaper then keeping him in prison for the next 50 years!

I'd get some cards made up with that on them. Just hand it to the first policeman on the scene. It should save a lot of time.

They are gonna read it here sooner or later any way.

 

[public servant]

I'd get some cards made up with that on them. Just hand it to the first policeman on the scene. It should save a lot of time.

They are gonna read it here sooner or later any way.

So far there are only 30 people going to prison.

 

[jstwrit]

The multiple assailants situation would require a draw then verbal. A single attacker I'd try verbal first...the it's their move.

 

[bat54r]

Let me start by saying that I hate sex offenders and I truly believe that they are a waste of good oxygen. I would do everything in my power up to and including shooting the scumbag if it came to that to stop the rape...But above all else I am a husband and a father of three daughters and my first and foremost priority is to my girls, I can't protect them if I'm behind bars. So if I had to shoot I better be able to prove that it was the only option.

 

[revance]

For all of those saying you risk accidentally shooting lovers engaged in role playing and thus you will go to jail...

There is legal precedent that clearly shows that you will most likely NOT be liable in that case. People have already been tried and exonerated for exactly that. If you decide to pretend rape your wife/girlfriend in a place where people can see/hear you, you are risking getting yourself shot. Police and the courts do not like people pretending to commit crimes and do not side with them unless there are extenuating circumstances (such as the "good Samaritan" was a trespassing peeping-tom who otherwise would not have seen or heard them).

So if you are within the law to use lethal force, it does not matter if the person was just pretending as long as it was reasonable to believe they were really committing the crime.

I think I also agree that in most rape situations you could safely issue a verbal command to stop before firing since they are not acting against you (I would probably still draw first). I'm not saying there aren't situations where a verbal command might be a bad idea, just saying its likely you could.

 

[rich8483]

i would advise the woman to tell him she has an std and to stick her fingers down her throat and vomit. read illinois state police website.

 

[Steve]

May not be the most popular choice, but verbal command would be my 1st choice. Not a long dialog or debate mind you, just 1 or 2 words to get his attention. The next move is up to him. Cease hostilities and he lives (quite uncomfortably as a long time guest in the Iron Bar Hotel). Telling me to "get f^%@*d" or "Mind my own business" and continue the assault, well that's the wrong answer. My choice at that point is clear. A .357 to the head will do the rest of my talking for me and it will be a short conversation.

Multiple perps? Take out the leader 1st and a couple others as well and the rest of the cowards will scatter like like rats off a sinking ship.

 

[rhino]

I would hope that some other good citizen would help me if I were being raped.

Given that, a good reason for the verbal challenge is to get a better shot at the rapist and minimize the chance of hitting the victim. A little distraction can reallly help.

 

[revance]

i would advise the woman to tell him she has an std and to stick her fingers down her throat and vomit. read illinois state police website.

golf clap

 

[neil221211]

verbal then if assault continued, game over. sex offenders are a waste of good tax payer money!

 

[MyGlockRocks19]

Draw and verbally command the aggressor to withdraw...if he does anything other than immediately cease his attack on the victim, and withdraw in a non threatening manner, he gets holed. End of story.

I read that story about the 15 year old who was raped in plain view, and I was appalled. Even unarmed, as I am today, I would have still stepped in and tried to put a stop to it. My conscience would let me do nothing less....I couldn't sleep at night if I saw something like that happen right in front of me, and did nothing to try and stop it.

 

[MACHINEGUN]

I'd stop it as best I could..... Indiana Code allows it, and my concience would demand it.

Jay speaks for me on this subject matter.