On the 4th of July, an active murderer started shooting at people along a parade from an elevated position in Highland Park, Illinois.
Fortunately, it’s not incredibly common for active murderers to purposely take the high ground and use it to their advantage, but it does happen.
1966 – Texas Tower Massacre
2008 – Mumbai India attacks
2016 – Dallas Police ambush
2018 – Las Vegas Harvest Festival
2022 – June 30th Floyd County KY police ambush
2022 – July 4th Highland Park, IL
What are the realities of engaging an elevated active shooter at a distance?
What are the holds for a high angle shot?
How much do the bullets drop from your carry pistol at 50-100 yards?
What is the accuracy of a carry pistol at 50-100 yards?
Even if you can make the shot…should you?
We’re going to look at that in this video…
Three huge takeaways:
- Know your limits. That means (safely) exploring and pushing your limits in training. There is no growth without struggle.
- Imagine, visualize, game out, or sand table different scenarios when you’re calm and safe so that you can act faster in the heat of the moment.
- Unless you know the time and date when your skills are going to be tested in the real world, you need to train smart rather than doing “bulimic” gun training where you do occasional binges of training where very little gets absorbed. One of the smartest things you an do is to get a copy of my book, “Real World Gunfight Training” for free (just help with shipping) >HERE< OR order a 10-pack to donate to your local law enforcement agency.
Already have the book and want a step-by-step, idiot proof training system for building real world gun fighting skills? Find out about my at-home, video-based, follow-along gunfight training >HERE<
Already have the book and been through the at-home training? Then it’s time to get personal and do live training. Leave a comment below and we’ll get something on the schedule.
So…what would you do? What conditions/factors would change that? (who’s with you, distance, elevation, backstop, presence or absence of concealment, presence or absence of cover, etc.)
Share your thoughts by commenting below:
10 Comments
Don
June 27, 2024Really good video on presenting some of the facts and considerations of shooting at long distance at an attacker using a higher elevated position. As a retired LEO my first thought is “get off the X”, find cover or at least concealment for you and loved ones. After that ‘everything is a crap shoot’ as the movie line goes. My real life experience was ‘shoot – don’t shoot’ decisions were always based on two things; 1) shooter/perpetrator actions, 2) what was behind the shooter. Did I have to or could I shoot right then, and if I missed where was the bullet going. Luckily none of those decisions were at the distances and elevation differences given in your examples. All were when I only had a duty weapon (handgun). Before someone says you don’t have time to think that all through, you do if you practiced and thought about it before hand, which is ultimately the point of this video. I believe those 2 guidelines would always apply, along with GET OFF THE X!!!
Gordy Jones
June 26, 2024I was about to reply with the same thought that Gerry had. Especially with a rooftop shooter with no backstop, putting a round or two onto the building below them would at least slow them down and impede their shooting cadence, reduce the chance of injuries or fatalities, and give time for LE to gather and react. And if my capability for accuracy was what it should be to even attempt such a shot, I’d minimize the risk of an overshoot.
Randy
June 26, 2024Even if you are going to take an aggressive approach and attempt to engage you have to get to a somewhat safe place before you even have a chance to engage. Most people have never been shot at or even trained for that possibility so they have no idea how they will react.
Ron
June 26, 2024The biggest thing I’ve noticed from videos of active shootings is that it takes quite awhile sometimes to determine where shots are coming from. In the initial moments I would think it’s better to keep moving to cover. So hard to say what I would do in the moment. Like most I’ve never been fired upon.
phillip
July 16, 2023my 1st reaction would be “take cover” possibly keep moving if able , BUT, to draw/fire might lead onlookers/witnesses to mistake you for the/another shooter , when the fear/panic is high and bodies are dropping , i would create distance/angle which buys you time/options , IMO.
Bob H.
July 15, 2023Is that a wrist shot timer? Where can I get one?
Like ur video.
Ox
July 15, 2023It is a wrist shot timer called the ShotMaxx, but they discontinued them because they could no longer buy some of the components needed to manufacture it.
11B10
July 15, 2023With a rifle yes I would take the shot…pistol I would not!
Ox
July 15, 2023Thanks! What’s the main factor driving that decision?
Gerry
July 13, 2022What if you put a few rounds just below the shooter (into the roof’s ledge) to get him to stop his attack and gain cover. Then wait until he pops up, then lay in a couple more rounds to keep him from shooting again. This might gain time and save lives until the police arrive.
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