# Common movie hostage situation: Would you take the shot? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 6, 2018, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123 "2018-03-06T17:04:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/1 "2018-03-06T17:04:27Z")
Common scenario in the movies. Bad guy grabs a hostage, stands behinds hostage and says “drop your weapon or I’ll blow her brains out!” or something to that effect. Generally always has his head at least partially exposed. The good guy either drops his weapon or takes the shot. Sometimes, shoots through the hostage in a non-vital area. Assuming you were the good guy, have a handgun of your choice and spec, and are a pretty good shot, would you take it? ---
**Author:** ![pieceoftheuniverse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7993a0/32.png) [@pieceoftheuniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pieceoftheuniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/2 "2018-03-06T17:07:21Z")
As Keanu Reeves said in _Speed_, shoot the hostage. Then you get a free shot at the bad guy. The hostage could also pretend to faint (or otherwise go limp). The bad guy will have some trouble holding up all that dead weight, and that can create an opening if he either struggles with the load or lets the hostage drop. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/3 "2018-03-06T17:09:16Z")
Since the OP is asking for opinions, let’s move this to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/4 "2018-03-06T17:28:00Z")
Depends on how good of a shot I am, how much of the baddie is exposed, and how they are holding their gun. I’m sure it has been discussed before, but what type of shot is required to ensure that there will not be at least a “dying reflex” trigger pull by the baddie? With a headshot, does the trigger finger go limp, or contract/jerk? ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/5 "2018-03-06T17:47:06Z")
That would be a tough call. As many times as I have made shots like that in practice, I figure this would be the one time I jerked it. Especially if it was the first, long trigger pull from my single/double action Ruger P95. If it was the classic movie standoff where each guy is fairly close, drawn, cocked and sighted in and yelling, “Drop it!” “No, you drop it!” it would it least have a good chance. That’s where you want the hostage to do something - faint, back kick him in the balls, stomp on his foot, anything. The silliest version of that movie shot might be “Metro”. Eddie Murphy has turned around and walked half way out of the bank so he is 40-50 feet away. Spins while retrieving his gun from deep cover and drops him with a forehead shot. That ain’t gonna happen. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/6 "2018-03-06T17:55:30Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > With a headshot, does the trigger finger go limp, or contract/jerk? Not sure, but handgun headshots don’t always guarantee a fatal shot, even at point blank range. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/7 "2018-03-06T17:56:42Z")
I wouldn’t shoot, because I haven’t fired a gun in decades, and have never once fired a handgun. But I wouldn’t drop my gun either. My line would be, “sure, shoot her - then I’ll be free to shoot _you_.” He doesn’t know I’d probably miss, even then. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/8 "2018-03-06T18:03:44Z")
If I were in the situation, I would be a cop, and I would have practiced on the range, and I’d know how good I really was. Here, today, nope, won’t take the shot. Not enough experience to risk it. But there’s another question. What will the shooting investigation team think? Will I win the battle (save the hostage) only to lose the war (get fired)? And what if I do miss? I could become nationally (in)famous overnight. I’d probably not lower my gun, though. I’d wait it out, watch for an opening. See if the situation changed. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/9 "2018-03-06T18:08:02Z")
I hate it when the good guy drops his weapon. And hate it even more when the bad guy doesn’t immediately shoot the now weaponless good guy. I agree that Speed did that scene the best. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/10 "2018-03-06T18:11:19Z")
> [@Ashtura](#): > > Not sure, but handgun headshots don’t always guarantee a fatal shot, even at point blank range. It doesn’t have to be fatal. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/11 "2018-03-06T18:12:50Z")
I would shout “Bang!” and then fire a split-second later, timing my bullet to intercept the bullet leaving the bad guy’s gun, and angling it such that the two entangled bullets pierce the bad guy’s shoulder in a manner that leaves him alive but temporarily paralyzed. I know that’s not the standard procedure, but I care about bringing criminals to justice in a court of law. ---
**Author:** ![Crazy\_Canuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazy_canuck/32/5282_2.png) [@Crazy\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazy_Canuck)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/12 "2018-03-06T18:13:58Z")
I wouldn’t take the shot while the hostage was alive. It has been my experience that in real life, people take significantly longer to become incapacitated after being shot than the movies would make you think. In Hollywood, a bullet is a magic death machine if you shoot it at a bad guy. In reality, it isn’t. Even at close range, it would take a lucky shot to the brain or spine to drop the hostage taker before they could pull the trigger. However I’m not lowering my gun. Even if I can’t protect the hostage, I can make damn sure I avenge them. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/13 "2018-03-06T18:16:53Z")
Depends on conditions, range, just who the hostage is and other variables. My gut reaction is stall until the professionals show up and let it all be their problem but I am ready to take that shot (I actually practice it as its part of the competitions I shoot) if I have to and its the best bet. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/14 "2018-03-06T18:24:10Z")
If I’m a Hollywood badass super-marksman, then I shoot the bad guy’s finger off so he can’t pull the trigger, then put a shot right through his eye socket into his brain stem. If I’m a real-life badass super-marksman, then I try to talk the guy down while keeping my gun ready for an opportunity, but don’t shoot until and unless I get one, because real-life badass super-marksmen aren’t actually good enough to pull that off consistently. If I’m me, then I don’t have a gun on the guy in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/15 "2018-03-06T18:41:10Z")
> [@Crazy\_Canuck](#): > > …It has been my experience that in real life, people take significantly longer to become incapacitated after being shot than the movies would make you think. … Not suggesting you don’t have such experience, but I gotta ask! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/16 "2018-03-06T20:24:14Z")
> [@Ashtura](#): > > Sometimes, shoots through the hostage in a non-vital area. I like the style of that one, but … something something hydrostatic shock & variables. He won’t shoot the hostage because he knows he’s a corpse without the meatshield. I explain that, and suggest he surrender now and avoid adding murder 1 to his pending rap sheet. Eventually, I take the shot without warning, whether or not he’s complied, because he’s caused me to draw my weapon and well, that’s just one of my rules. Besides, I don’t trust the judicial system to keep him off the streets and this a-hole needs killin… ---
**Author:** ![Crazy\_Canuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazy_canuck/32/5282_2.png) [@Crazy\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazy_Canuck)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/17 "2018-03-06T21:08:19Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Not suggesting you don’t have such experience, but I gotta ask! :eek: I’m a former cocaine dealer who has been in a couple of deals that went bad. One of them involved a “colleague” of mine getting shot in the chest with a hunting rifle at close range. This did not stop my colleague from charging the man who shot him and bouncing his head off the brick wall repeatedly and hard enough to kill the shooter. He even managed to angrily kick the dead guy on the ground several times before he collapsed from his wound. He was dead before the ambulance arrived. (He was also a rapist and an asshole of epic proportions so don’t shed too many tears, nobody else did) I have a couple other similar stories, but I was more involved in them than just being a witness to them. Since Canada does not have a statute of limitations , I’m going to have to decline to incriminate myself by sharing those stories here. It’s funny, decades later, I honestly couldn’t tell you what either of their names are and barely even remember what they looked like, but I can still remember that smell clear as glass … the smell of dust and gunpowder smoke being overpowered by the thick iron stink of blood. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/18 "2018-03-06T23:53:36Z")
Who is the hostage? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2018, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/19 "2018-03-07T00:05:27Z")
I shoot the script writer for in putting such a shitty, over-used scene. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2018, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123/20 "2018-03-07T00:34:42Z")
> [@Crazy\_Canuck](#): > > I’m a former cocaine dealer who has been in a couple of deals that went bad. One of them involved a “colleague” of mine getting shot in the chest with a hunting rifle at close range. This did not stop my colleague from charging the man who shot him and bouncing his head off the brick wall repeatedly and hard enough to kill the shooter. He even managed to angrily kick the dead guy on the ground several times before he collapsed from his wound. He was dead before the ambulance arrived. (He was also a rapist and an asshole of epic proportions so don’t shed too many tears, nobody else did) Many Dead Deer video clips show the deer being shot in the heart area, running for a number of yards, and only then collapsing and dying. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-movie-hostage-situation-would-you-take-the-shot/810123.md?page=2)