I'd like to think I'd suddenly channel my inner SAS Commando, but I know better.
I know that it's much harder to sneak up on someone who is shit scared. Just as it's much harder to be sneaky when you're shit scared.
I know that people do get stronger with an adrenal rush. Unfortunately that's true whether you are attacking the gunman or the gunman. You're both fighting for your lives.
I know that tunnel vision kills.
The gunman is more or less following a plan, aware of the buildings layout, blind corners, exits and if they've done their homework, places where they can set up or find defilade from any would be heroes.
I know I would be reacting to a situation in an unfamiliar environment, while probably shitting myself.
I know that every time I have been a situation where my life has been in serious jeopardy, the "battle mantra" I have running through my head isn't, "Alright kick ass yeah!".
It's more like "f*ck, f*ck, f*ck! The f*ck am I doing? Oh God. I've cocked up. I don't want to die! f*ck, f*ck, f*ck!"
I know bullets are fast. So fast, that no matter what range it was fired from, when you hear the report of the gun, the bullet has already gone past your ear.
The only exception being if it destroys enough of the brain upon impact. Then you will be dead before you register the sound.
I know that hostage situations are more dangerous to deal with for police than running gun battles. As they are trained to not only look where they shoot, but past the target to avoid collateral damage. I know I wouldn't want to be the reason the gunman was able to keep firing on innocent people, when a cop had a shot but couldn't fire in case they hit me. Just because I chose to put myself in the line of fire, doesn't mean the cop can ignore his duty to protect me.
In a building with lots of corridors, it can be really difficult to distinguish between one gun being fired or two.
A couple gunmen with overlapping fields of fire, have a terrible advantage over everyone else. (The battle of the Somme comes to mind.)
There's nothing manly about not making it home for your family, because you wanted to play "hero".
As someone who has apparently earned the right to this auspicious title. I can tell you I'd rather be called a piece of shit, than a hero.
With how I "earned" it, I know which I think fits me better.
It ain't hero.
Just my two pence.
