Would you be able to shoot a looter?

[Caspertoo]

So I was reading that other post and the question came up in my mind, could I shoot someone with all intention of killing them if they were running away from a store carrying a TV or similar item?

Sure I could do it to anyone stealing guns or breaking in to a hospital or something where what they were stealing would directly influence the care others in need receive but it just got me thinking. How about you guys?

[MAD_MAX333]

anything other than food and water is shoot to kill for me... people are dying, police are needed to rescue people andthese people are taking advantage of the problem.... they are also stealing guns and stuff to run their own gangs...


and THEN when the problem gets too bad with the looting the police have to be called off rescue to deal with the looting, they might have been able to save 50 more people or something if it wasn't for these idiots...

i say shoot them all on site.

[Caspertoo]

Well I agree that they are taking resources needed elsewhere, being the officer/guardsman etc, and I would definitely be using a good amount of taser cartridges, but I don't know about lethal force. If I was issued those rubber bullets, sure absolutely.

[Bodie]

Survival ::::::: Maybe Not Looting

This is not just looting. Some people are stealing food and medical items to stay alive. But if were an armed looter and they were stealing iteams for personal profit I could shoot.

This is survival so stealing is acceptable.
What would you do to feed your kids etc if you had lost EVERYTHING in a natural disaster ? This country has never seen anything this bad not in my 50 years of life anyway.

[RobSlig]

There's a big difference between looting the party store for food and water and going into walmart and taking all the guns and tv's. (BIG DIFFERENCE)..

At the point they are at now, I would no longer be shooting looters.. I would spend my time hunting the SOB's who are roaming the streets as armed gangs.. I would hunt them much like hunting a deer...

Sad to say but ya have to start at the worst of the worst first...

If you are going to act like an animal, we will treat you like an animal.

[rpd1794]

The more liberal minded among us like to paint a picture of the police shooting an 80 year old grandmother for stealing a box of crackers....that's not what we are talking about.

The animals who are raping and pillaging and are wandering the city armed are fair game....live by the sword....die by the sword. Lock and load.

[AtlCop]

There's a big difference between looting the party store for food and water and going into walmart and taking all the guns and tv's. (BIG DIFFERENCE)..

At the point they are at now, I would no longer be shooting looters.. I would spend my time hunting the SOB's who are roaming the streets as armed gangs.. I would hunt them much like hunting a deer...

Sad to say but ya have to start at the worst of the worst first...

If you are going to act like an animal, we will treat you like an animal.

I disagree to some point about the weapons. I am sure there are people stealing guns to commit more crime. However, I'm willing to bet there are people stealing weapons to protect their families as well.

[Caspertoo]

Hmm maybe they might be stealing guns to protect themselves, but in a case of martial law, I would have to assume anyone I see with a gun visable is a viable target and would give one command and only one to put their hands up and get on their knees. That is of course if the gun isn't in their hands. If it's in their hands then I'd fire as soon as I got a bead.

Remember during martial law certain civil liberties and rights are forfeit, the right to bear arms is in my opinion on of those.

[SW4747]

SHOOT TO KILL ORDER GIVEN!!! It's about time!

Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco warned looters and rioters yesterday that National Guard troops are under her orders to "shoot and kill" to end the rampant violence in the city.

Announcing the arrival of 300 National Guard troops fresh from service in Iraq, Blanco said, "These troops are battle-tested. They have M-16s and are locked and loaded. These troops know how to shoot and kill, and I expect they will."

[AtlCop]

Hmm maybe they might be stealing guns to protect themselves, but in a case of martial law, I would have to assume anyone I see with a gun visable is a viable target and would give one command and only one to put their hands up and get on their knees. That is of course if the gun isn't in their hands. If it's in their hands then I'd fire as soon as I got a bead.

Remember during martial law certain civil liberties and rights are forfeit, the right to bear arms is in my opinion on of those.

You are walking a fine dangerous line there. First of all, I don't believe I've heard the U.S. President declare a state of martial law. If there was Martial Law, the governor or the mayor would not be calling the shots. A military commander would be in charge.

Secondly, I don't think that you can ever deny one the right to self-preservation. If you were stuck in Louisiana, would *YOU* be walking around unarmed? I wouldn't be. Cop or not, I would be armed to protect myself and my family.

This being said, I'm not opposed to the notion or idea of shooting those engaged in criminal activity that has nothing to do with survival. (I.E. breaking into a grocery store for food)

I don't think those foraging for food or trying to escape New Orleans should be hasseled for being armed. As a matter of fact, I would encourage them to be armed. It is easier to not become a victim if you are armed.

Those that would do harm to others, shoot them.

[Lucky Seven]

As much as it appears to be a riot...what we have to remember is that stealing a tv (burglary/theft) is a property crime. Do we normally shoot people involved in property crimes if there are no other mitigating circumstances?

I would hope the officers in the affected area can maintain their cool as these situations are tough to deal with. However, they will be under way more scrutiny after this is all over and all of their actions will be arm chair quarterbacked for months and years to come.

Shooting an unarmed looter, as much as they deserve it, is probably not an option.

[AverageJoe]

Shooting an unarmed looter, as much as they deserve it, is probably not an option.

If it slows down the looting enough to enable the area LEO to restart their search and rescue efforts and thin out the roving gang herds, I'm all for making an example out of a few looters (people stealing items not essential to survival). The gangs are keeping it unsafe for the organized relief efforts to set up camp and therefore everybody suffers longer than they need to.

In drastic cases like this, I support escalation of force for the greater good. This ain't a normal Saturday night in New Orleans.

AvgJoe

[keith758]

If I saw a looter with their arms full of guns, I'd have no problem shooting them. If it's someone with a cart of diapers, baby food, and groceries, I couldn't. I think if I saw someone with a TV, I'd shoot the TV!

[pawncop]

Desparate times call for desparate measures. Yes you shoot to kill looters. You must reestablish order, and they are creating chaos. It's not just the looting, it's the total breakdown of our society. Regrettably it will not be saved by being nice or trying to understand their problem. You must terminate that behavior immediately. Think of it as mini-riots all over the city.

[gotthblues]

if you are taking things for survival, its okay, food, water, disinfectants, clothes, diapers, ,,,but guns, tvs, dvds, so on, well, if they are taking advantage of this, who knows what they will resort to next since they are not seeing consequences, well now we do, they mug, they rape, they murder, sorry, but in this time, you have to draw the line somewhere, survival is one thing, but personal profit is another,
if i were there, with my wife and child, yes i would be breaking doors and windows for food, and yes i would be armed, but i wouldnt be walking around shooting at troops or helocopters, if someone tried to take what i had for my family to survive, yes i would kill them,
but again, you have people killing, raping, mugging, so on, where did they start at, they started by taking tvs, and other things that they could use or sell later, then they escelated,
it would be a tough call, to decide who is taking for good or bad and who lives and who dies. obviously if they are holding food, water, its one thing, but a gun, well, if i were an officer there, i would like to say, that if they were running around with it out, to me that shows threat, to me and others, but if its concealed and i find it on them, well i dont know, its obvious they have to protect themselves from the terds, so i dont know what i would do. but it is obvious that some are making it difficult on all. and you have to deal with those, you dont have a jail or any resources to hold them at all, so what can you do. turn them loose without their stolen gun, well then they attack troops for their rifle, its easy sitting here, but i would say you have to do away with them and remove them from the picture. and it seems that ending there life is the only way right now.