# Man gets shot, fuckwits stand by and do nothing to help! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 17, 2003, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716 "2003-02-17T21:04:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/1 "2003-02-17T21:04:48Z")
[Here](http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/South/02/16/gas.shooting.ap/index.html) What the fuck is wrong with those people? How could they NOT be compelled to do _something_ to help when they see someone shot and bleeding to death on the ground? Is this how low our civilization has gotten? Sometimes the reality of the nature of humanity is pretty damn depressing. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/2 "2003-02-17T21:46:05Z")
I hope they can get some license plates for these ass-hairs and track them down. They should offer a reward and then run these people’s pictures on TV night and day until someone sells them out. Fucking shit-bubbles! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/3 "2003-02-17T21:48:20Z")
Well, at least CNN is classy enough to host the video on their website. For a small amount of money, of course. I agree Monster104, this is most apalling. How can you fill your tank whilst looking at a guy dying from a shotwound? It’s beyond me. ---
**Author:** ![Spit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/76d3ee/32.png) [@Spit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spit)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/4 "2003-02-17T23:27:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\*I hope they can get some license plates for these ass-hairs and track them down. They should offer a reward and then run these people’s pictures on TV night and day until someone sells them out. Fucking shit-bubbles! :mad: \*\* Why, exactly, should they do this? Not that I disagree with you here…far from it. However, this is not something I would normally expect you to say. ---
**Author:** ![beergeek279](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@beergeek279](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beergeek279)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/5 "2003-02-17T23:48:42Z")
I certainly don’t want to malign human nature, but this sort of thing has happened before. Look at the Kitty Genovese story ( [http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial\_killers/predators/kitty\_genovese/3.html?sect=2](http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/predators/kitty_genovese/3.html?sect=2) ). Basically, Kitty Genovese was stabbed to death in a well-inhabited section of Queens. After being stabbed, she screamed for help where 40 or so people could hear her, and in the 40 minutes before she bled to death, not a single person did anything! So, sadly, this isn’t the first time this sort of thing occurred. ---
**Author:** ![yme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/35a633/32.png) [@yme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yme)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/6 "2003-02-17T23:54:16Z")
Again, people in groups are worthless. Thank society for “Team work”. It’s sad. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/7 "2003-02-18T00:08:09Z")
I don’t get it. Not only **Diogenes the** righteously angry **Cynic** , but apparently even DC police think that the apathetic witnesses need to be found. > [@](#): > > Not only did the man finish pumping his kerosene, but paid for it and drove off, giving the camera its clearest look at Price lying on the ground. That customer has not been found. Is it illegal to pump gas near people with fatal bullet wounds? Or are they just wanted for questioning? I’m with **Spit**. This guy is a morally repugnant degenerate, but I’ve never heard of this kind of thing arousing the PD’s ire before. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/8 "2003-02-18T01:18:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yme \* > **Again, people in groups are worthless. Thank society for “Team work”.** Well, sure it’s sad, but these are the kind of sacrifices we’ve got to make if we want to stay on top. After all, there’s no “help-I’ve-been-shot-oh-god-I’m-bleeding-to-death-somebody-please-call-an-ambulance” in “team” now is there? [/onion rip-off] ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/9 "2003-02-18T01:30:53Z")
The Kitty Genovese incident is in all the college Social Psych texts as an example of social loafing in urban areas. BTW, is there a free site hosting this video? ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/10 "2003-02-18T01:33:23Z")
> [@](#): > > Is it illegal to pump gas near people with fatal bullet wounds? And do absolutely nothing to help the person as they lie dying in agony? Well, let’s HOPE it’s illegal, because if it’s not, then it should be. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/11 "2003-02-18T01:53:11Z")
I have been in more than one shooting. Let me tell you what everyone who is not involved does. Everyone runs. The video I’ve seen on my local news has one man who totally ignores the shooting and the shootee. He calmly pays his bill while the guy is laying there. It’s almost as if he doesn’t even notice it, or knew it was coming. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/12 "2003-02-18T01:53:32Z")
Mind you, it was in Northeast DC, on Florida Avenue near Gallaudet University, an area where gunshot victims are pretty common. That kind of callousness isn’t unusual here. ---
**Author:** ![Seraphim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Seraphim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seraphim)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/13 "2003-02-18T01:59:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Blalron \* > \*\*And do absolutely nothing to help the person as they lie dying in agony? Well, let’s HOPE it’s illegal, because if it’s not, then it should be. \*\* I agree its pretty low to shrug off the plight of a dying man to gas up your car, but come on–COMPELING people to act isn’t the answer. There was a general questions thread on this awhile ago—ah, [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=118278&highlight=samaritan+AND+illegal) it is—that show there are such things as good samaritan laws, but they absolve medical professionals of liability when acting in emergency situations, not compel people to render aid. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/14 "2003-02-18T02:06:26Z")
It’s good to see that DC’s stringent gun-control laws prevented any sort of gun crime from taking place. God forbid the citizen had the means to protect himself. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/15 "2003-02-18T02:13:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gobear \* > \*\*Mind you, it was in Northeast DC, on Florida Avenue near Gallaudet University, \*\* The witness may very well have been deaf, hence unable to hear the shot, and only able to understand that there was some sort of commotion. Gallaudet, for those who don’t know, is a University for the deaf. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/16 "2003-02-18T02:15:54Z")
They’re witnesses if nothing else, but they may also be in violation of good samaritan laws. I don’t know what the law is in DC, but some places mandate a minimum level of effort if a life is in danger. ---
**Author:** ![Antimanics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71c47a/32.png) [@Antimanics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antimanics)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/17 "2003-02-18T03:07:56Z")
What are they supposed to do to help him? I can’t think of anyone I know who can cure a gunshot wound to the head. ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/18 "2003-02-18T03:24:47Z")
You’d think there’d be a little more involvement from bystanders after all the sniper killings in the area, or something… ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/19 "2003-02-18T04:06:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\*KidCharlemagne: \*\*BTW, is there a free site hosting this video? [Here ya go](http://www.local6.com/orlpn/news/stories/news-198186820030217-080250.html). **Brutus** , the victim was taken by surprise. If he was licensed to carry a gun, and had it readily available, he’d still be dead. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716/20 "2003-02-18T04:14:44Z")
In an perfect world, the gutless spectator would instead have drawn on the shooter, solving that little problem toot-sweet. I dunno. I still can’t get my mind around the fact that some cowardly sonuvabitch just stood there. I would like to think that I would notice some guy running towards me while I am at the pump, supporting terrorism. I would also like to think that I would be able to draw in time to not get shot in the head. But if I lived in DC, I would not have that option. The best I could hope for is that the assailant missed. Several times. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-gets-shot-fuckwits-stand-by-and-do-nothing-to-help/155716.md?page=2)