You are in a relatively crowded 6 story office building on the 3rd floor. You hear loud popping sounds and some people screaming at the other end of the floor you are on. A loud speaker then has someone screaming "there'a a man with a gun killing people!" A man next to you immediately turns to you identifying himself as an off-duty police officer. He says "my God, there's a lot of kids here today!" He instantly pulls out a Glock 9mm from under his jacket, chambering it, and a Browning .380 from an ankle holster. He chambers the .380 holding it out to you saying "You got 7 rounds, just point it and pull the trigger when you see the shooter. Let's go save those kids!" But just to right is an exit door to the stairwell. Would you take the .380 and go with the officer or duck out the emergency stairwell exit?
Let's say you don't, or at least don't know if you do. All you know is what the OP says, nothing more.
In that case I'm hitting the door. I got better things to do than get shot and/or assume responsibility for firing a gun in a crowded building (I'm not a good shot with handguns, and would be more likely to hit the wrong person in a chaotic, crowded situation than the right one). Hell, I don't even know if that guy is a real cop. He might just be a guy with two guns.
I would bail also........though I would say a prayer as I run down the stairs. I have no desire to be a paper hero.
Help the officer. I do wish that he had a 9mm baby glock in his ankle holster instead though - - - Updated - - - If you're a conservative pretending to be liberal, you need to get more real than the above.
I would go with the officer, or person if not really a police officer. Unless a "gun free zone" and out of state, I would have my own firearm, which likely also would be a .380 but also with a crimson trace laser grip. Even if the officer presented no firearm and I had none, I'd go with him anyway. Firearms aren't the only weapons potential.
Glock 43, its what I have been toting for a while. - - - Updated - - - Then what would you use? Kind words and offer cookies?
Most people run scenarios in their mind, nd think "what would my course of action be if_____"(or at least they should). No one truly knows how they would react in any given situation. Run, hide or fight are your only options in a violent situation, neither offers total personal safety. The best thing one can do is seek professional firearms & personal defense training. I am a firearms instructor, I've ran new shooters and veteran shooters through various scenarios. It's amazing at how similar some reactions are, and how vastly different other reactions are. It's impossible to train for each and every scenario one may encounter, but good training in tactics, marksmanship as well as a host of other topics will help give one the edge in a sticky situation.
I would face the terrorist. Using a weapon or using martial arts techs. I do think that for anybody with a minimum military or martial arts training is a duty to act to defend the other civilians without any training. Period. P.S. NO HESITATION. This is pivotal. If you have to face an armed opponent, motivated and ready to kill, don't hesitate! Kill him.
I'd go with the officer because for one I am professionally trained with firearms and two due to my job I feel as though its part of my duty to protect the citizens even though I am not in law enforcement. Especially in a situation like the OP scenario. Now I'm not trying to be arrogant here but in a situation like that somebody like me could help because I'm trained. Others who know how to shoot, although maybe not professionally trained, could also help. Somebody who has never fired a gun before I would rather just run out the door. The scenario says there's a bunch of kids in this place. A terrified person under duress with a loaded gun and no experience could actually do more harm than good in that situation.
Clearly there are people who lack the physical ability or mentality to help. Very elderly, highly nervous, easily terrified etc. However, I do not think combat or firearms skills matter. Merely firing shots often has the shooter(s) flee and not that uncommonly commit suicide not to be captured. The focus would come off the defenseless victims and towards the threat. In this instance, the shooter is a high disadvantage being location known, unable to have 360 degree vision, and not knowing what is coming at him/her. How much 100% dependency do people want to have solely on government? If we the people will not defend each other, then only the government is who does so. Total dependency then also tends to require total submissiveness and inferior status. I would hesitate, though, if there were not children involved. In fact, most people will not do anything to fight for or defend anyone else. I feel no compulsion to take any risk to defend people who are committed to neither being able to defend themselves nor would defend anyone else. "Lots of kids" would be my primary motivation as by law they are required to be defenseless. Unless this was a "gun free zone," every adult there is defenseless because they decided they would be defenseless and decided they would not be capable of defending anyone else. So I would feel little complusion to do for them what they wouldn't do for themselves or anyone else.
Shoot him in the temple, wipe off your prints, put the gun back in his hand, and run down the exit was not one of the choices. Just because he says he was an off-duty officer does not mean he is, and that he gave you a gun is a pretty good indication he is not.
The hypothetical did not say he showed a badge, but correct. A cop isn't likely to arm some random stranger in an active shooting situation.
I'd absolutely go with him, and I have my own gun, no need for the .380. I might still take it as a backup though if he didn't need it. Incredibly unrealistic scenario though, a cop wouldn't make that request of a stranger, nor would he carry unchambered. The whole chambering before fighting thing is a movie myth. If such a scenario occurred I likely wouldn't even bother to find out about the guy beside me, I'd be heading towards the shots and dialing 911 before he had a chance to say anything. When I paused to look around a corner or something and he caught up we likely then would acknowledge each other.
For law enforcement correct about the chambering thing. Some civilians don't leave one in the chamber.
As I read your response, you decision would be to become a terrorist yourself and murder the person identifying himself as a police officer figuring wiping off your prints let you get away with it? It is a circumstantial question of the situation and personalities.