From: callison@essex.ecn.uoknor.edu (James P. Callison)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: Psychology in Defense
Date: 20 Nov 92 13:47:11 GMT
Organization: Engineering Computer Network, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA

In article <DENNIS_.35.0@NCSU.EDU> DENNIS_@ncsu.edu (DGA) writes:
#
#Perhaps we can get some first hand information on the subject, from both 
#ends of the weapon, but until then......
#I have noticed that when shooting victims describe the experience most 
#comment that they saw a flash, but didn't hear the weapon discharge or felt 
#the pain but didn't realize they had been shot, or felt the wetness of their 
#bleeding but didn't know that they were wounded, and etc.  
#My point is that given the amount of juice (natural or artifical) in their 
#system, along with other factors, shooting victims react in wildly different 
#ways.  

A friend of mine actually shot an intruder; he said that he was momentarily
disoriented by the shot (as ex-Army, he had heard plenty of shots outside;
that was the first time he had heard on inside, a .380), and, before
he could pull the trigger again, the guy had run. He said the
disorientation was very brief, maybe a second or two, but the guy moved
_VERY_ quickly. My friend was holding the second burglar at gunpoint,
but the police found the other guy, bleeding profusely about a block
away (I think he died from his wounds; the bullet went through him 
and into the wall).

#Also, consider that often the intruder into your home will not know that you 
#have emptied a clip of 9mm slugs into him until he runs out of blood.  I 
#don't think someone this high will be impressed by a fireworks show.
#
#Keep in mind also that the shooter must suffer the flash and bang along with 
#the intruder.  A good experiment is to take your weapon out on a dark night 
#and carefully aim down the barrel and fire.  Then try to find your car.

There's a definite advantage to the flash and the bang; why else would
SWAT teams throw flash-bangs into a building before they storm it?
Also, since they are able to storm it immediately, the preparation
is obviously important--it doesn't disorient them.

#Based on my observations if you can chase a criminal away from you, it is 
#not your responsibilty that he attacks your neighbor.  If a criminal just 
#wants to rob you, or hurt you some, or just rape your wife, well... it's 
#probably better if you don't resist.  After all, you're not trained for it 
#and the criminal can't really help that he is forced by society to become a 
#criminal.  After all, don't forget, you do own a gun and therefore, 
#are inherently evil and probably deserve whatever happens to you.

And what a sad commentary that is on the state of our society...(oops..
thought I was in the funny farm (t.p.g) for a second there... :-)

			James

James P. Callison       Microcomputer Coordinator        OU Law Library 
Callison@aardvark.ucs.uoknor.edu   /\    Callison@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu
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DISCLAIMER: I'm not an engineer, but I play one at work...
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