IFF: Racial Profiling.

[Beiruty]

After all this talk about Iding Friend or Foe and Police not shooting the GG. It just came to my mind that I am of higher risk of being shot by cops if I ever fiund myself in middle of Active Shooting in public place, Mall, Park, etc..

Simple Scenario:

1) Myself and my family spending the better of Sat afternoon at Mall shopping.
2) An Armed man, or more just stepped in inside the Mall and Started Shooting at anyone moving.
3) I Retreat with my Family to inside a store and proceed to draw and seek cover.
4) In Middle of the shootout, I may have to confront and shoot back at the offenders, dropping at least one down the floor ;)
5) 10 mins later LEOs are on the scene and and started exchanging gunfire with shooters.
6) As a Arab, (Middle Eastern guy, a Caucasian) I am afraid I am of higher risk being shot by Mistake by LEOs.
7) My best chance is I detected the presence of the LEOs and holster or remove my pistol from sight. Or,
8) Just yell at the LEO, that I am CHLer. (in English )

Regardless, this would not deter me from carrying.

[MadMonkey]

8) Just yell at the LEO, that I am CHLer. (in English )

I would avoid drawing attention to myself in that situation. As soon as you see that LEO's are on the scene and have control, holster, put your arms around your family, and keep your head down. Once the shooting is over, THEN worry about explanations.

Just my opinion.

[rdcrags]

I have been concerned about that, too, even without the profiling aspect. The trick, of course, is to holster at just the right time. Can't see how to completely eliminate the risk.

TX CHL 1997
CO CHP 2005

[eddieconcarne]

It is just my opinion, but I think you should look at your carry weapon as self-defense. If you can retreat your family to a safe place, it is probably best to just stay there. Carrying doesn't give you a license to be a hero and take matters into your own hands. If you are going to leave a safe place in an effort to seek out someone firing all over the place because you feel like you can save the day because you have a firearm, then I might suggest you are not in the right mindset. No doubt, I admire anyone who would put themselves into that kind of risk to save others, but at the same time, that is not what CHL is for. There is a pretty decent argument that if you have retreated your family to a safe place, and are not at risk of GBH, and then you go out and leave your family in order to be a hero, you are not doing the right thing. Again, I admire your willingness to help others, but carrying doesn't make it your job to neutralize this situation. And if you are talking about staying put and then using your weapon, then simply put your shots on target and re-holster once the threat is gone.