[Jeff Higgins]

One aspect to this story that kind of stands out to me is the one that Gogar eludes to - just how quickly, after the gun cleared the holster, did this guy fire? I think that's important.

You all know I'm a shooter. Yes, more into the vintage stuff and, as I've mentioned in other threads, not as diligent about this whole concealed carry thing as some might assume. Hell, I'm actually almost never armed, unless I'm heading for the wilderness. And no, I don't consider Seattle "the wilderness".

But I have given some thought to "what if?" What if it ever came to that, God forbid, and I had to defend myself? I would think if the other guy were presenting a knife, we would quickly progress in the adult version of rock/paper/scissors. The sight of my gun would make hime very quickly reconsider his career options. And that would be if he were actually a hardened criminal, not just some clowns making a smart ass YouTube video.

So, yeah, gun comes out - knives hit the ground before the guy can even say "drop those knives". Assuming he even wanted to do that. Who says he did? Who says he didn't just really, really want to shoot someone? Who says he wasn't really looking forward to the opportunity?

I hate to say it, but there exists an entire sub-set of tough guy concealed carry advocates just itching for the day they get to shoot someone. Me, I could not imagine a worse day, or anything that would come even close to ruining my life at this level. This is an "avoid at all costs" thought to me, and pretty much all of my close friends who shoot. There is no way on earth any of us would ever want to take a life. We avoid places and situations where it might even be a remote possibility. In a situation with a couple, three, or four punks with knives? The gun comes out as I'm (or my wife and I) are retreating. If they need verbal instructions regarding what i expect from them next, they will be forthcoming.

It will be interesting to see the video. Maybe even quite heartbreaking. Maybe the guy was shooting long before these young men had any kind of a chance to react. He almost had to have been. I'm sure, being no more than pranksters, they both schitt their diapers and dropped the knives as soon as that gun became visible. What a horrible tragedy...