There’s been a lot of talk about how people would respond if they found themselves in the situation that happen to LA County Deputy Solano (RIP).
For those that don’t know, Deputy Solano was off duty in a local Jack In The Box waiting for his order when he was shot in the back of the head. Details are now coming out that Deputy Solano confronted a threat when he was shot. Previously is was reported as an unprovoked random attacked.
Based on the unprovoked attack details - what would you have done? Drawn and returned fire or been a good witness?
So many on the different gun groups are saying they would have drawn and fired until they had taken the suspect out.
Here’s my issue with this particular case and why I may have been a good witness only.
Initial reports unprovoked attack, suspect walked up behind the off duty deputy and shot him in the back of the head while he was waiting for his order.
Knowing the area and the fact it appeared to be some sort of hit, I would have immediately assumed gang related in some way. With this in mind, there was no way of knowing how many possible gang affiliates of the suspect where on the perimeter waiting to jump in if needed.
The suspects reportedly calm demeanor during the shooting would have given me pause to act. One suspected shooter is now god knows how many?
Suspects acting alone aren’t normally as calm as has been reported in this situation. They are usually hurried and sloppy, getting in and out as fast as possible.
It wasn’t known until late yesterday that Deputy Solano addressed some sort of confrontation with the suspect. We don’t know if Deputy Solano identified himself as an officer. If he did, that might change my thoughts in hindsight.
Based off the initial reports of unprovoked attack, shooting Deputy’s Solano in the head from behind while he waited for his order, what would you have done?
You can’t outdraw him.
But if he targets you, defense with your gun must be attempted.
If he turns to leave, well, there are just too many variables to make a guess at here. Seeking cover is the 1st priority.
After he leaves, provide first aid* to the victim and be able to provide a detailed account to the responding officers and investigators.
*Y’all do carry a first aid kit on your person, right?
Full first aide kit in the car and a mini kit in my EDC bag.
I like these situations that offer too many variables for one option to be the answer. These make you (at least me), stop, think, and visualize what my reaction may be.
I always say if I find a lone officer engaged in a battle I would stop and help regardless of the personal risk.
Then one day a few months ago it happened. After watching the situation unfold from the beginning and knowing the details, the best thing I could do for the officer was crowd control, backing people away from the area, and getting the locations security to block off access to the immediate area.
I was intimately involved in the situation from the beginning, the subject was a friends father who was threatening suicide. I had called a local deputy friend to help, he was unable to respond so he had dispatch call me to keep them updated and sent other deputies. First deputy on the scene was immediately physically attacked by the father. Let me tell you the fight was fast and brutal, it took 5 deputies to get the father under control.
As employees and patrons were being shuttled to their cars, they and the shuttle drivers started gathering. My instinctual response was to back them all away and have the shuttle drivers call for security to shutdown access to that area of the lot.
Side note a few weeks prior to this there was an active shooter at the same location.
As far as what I would do differently, probably nothing. Taking it all in the best option for the safety of everyone was to take on the crowd control and get security to close that area of the lot down.