[Glock Commander]

Autopsy results also revealed the suspect was hit eight times from about 40 yards away. Police say Dicken fired 10 rounds.

Source

Police said Dicken had no police training or military background. He told them he learned to shoot from his grandfather.

Two interesting takeaways from the Source.

 

[JeffG78]

40 yards in a mall is a long ways away. I would only take the shot if there was NOBODY else anywhere near the line of fire. I'd be worried about people running from the shooter into the path.

 

[uravan]

40 yards in a mall is a long ways away. I would only take the shot if there was NOBODY else anywhere near the line of fire. I'd be worried about people running from the shooter into the path.

Go pace off 40yds or 40 giant steps. Then ask yourself can you, with in reason hit a target the size of a sheet of paper (or slightly larger),,, or center of mass of a human silhousette? Not as scarey when you actual see what you are up against. Not taking anything away from Good Guy, he did very well.

 

[RGP]

Outdoors popping wabbits at twice that distance is usually pretty easy using any decent sixgun.... but he apparently had a 9mm (Glock?) potentially with the big blob factory sights. And it was indoors and in a mall that could make it difficult because of crap lighting with skylights and shadows and blinking lights etc plus someone could step in the way of a bullet... therefore I don't know because I wasn't there.

 

[Glock Commander]

40 yards in a mall is a long ways away. I would only take the shot if there was NOBODY else anywhere near the line of fire. I'd be worried about people running from the shooter into the path.

I was thinking the same thing but he got 8 of 10 on target. Many "what ifs" like he could be four steps up on a stairway or the stampede is away from the hero giving the hero the "Green Light".

Another thought is people in the stampede crowd can not engage within feet of the bad guy. But like our Mall the Restroom Area was a overlook advantage to whatever happens in the Food Court.

 

[Nanuk]

I used to shoot PPC on the department pistol team, In the Border Patrol, 50 yards was part of our quarterly quals. I shoot my pistols farther than that on a regular basis, so yes.

 

[Jarhead Al]

In no way am I taking anything from this young man but young eyes are a blessing.

 

[G29guy06]

40 yards in a mall is a long ways away. I would only take the shot if there was NOBODY else anywhere near the line of fire. I'd be worried about people running from the shooter into the path.

So you’ll hold fire and risk more lives. That’s a sound tactical decision

 

[Orive 8]

I used to shoot PPC on the department pistol team, In the Border Patrol, 50 yards was part of our quarterly quals.

Yes, for some of us - 50 yards were part of our pistol quals. And PPC matches too. A good distance for sure, but doable by good shooters.

Great job by Mr. Dicken

 

[jonb32248]

Not at a range with all kinds of time between shots aiming juuust right and squeezing the trigger. This was in a hurry and under stress. Great shooting.

 

[uravan]

Not at a range with all kinds of time between shots aiming juuust right and squeezing the trigger. This was in a hurry and under stress. Great shooting.

I am sure he developed tunnel vision, had great concentration on front site, disiplined to take his time between shoots (1.5second cadence seems like a long time) and took the advantage of leaning on a post for support. He had his stuff together to maximize his success,,, and he came out a winner.

 

[G29guy06]

Training resolves uncertainty.

training results in not worrying about being able to make the shot and allows the brain to calculate other factors.

ps: this exact same argument was what I used on here a while back for carrying and having ammo and being trained, I was ridiculed for being a Rambo and an “operator” because others didn’t think they were up to the task (Karen’s projecting, it’s a real thing and is infecting our society like cancer)…fast forward and alas! We have the exact same scenario I spoke of with the bad guy successfully put down….

 

[Z71bill]

For me 40 yards is 50 normal steps -

I shoot a mag or two at the 50 yard pistol range - I throw a few clay pigeons on the berm so that would be about 55 yards - they are about 4 1/2 inches in diameter - if I shoot 10 shots I may hit it once but the misses are close to target - if it was a man standing 50 yards away I am pretty sure I could hit him most of the time - if he is standing still and I am taking careful aim.

Back when I could shoot steel I was putting 9MM rounds out of my CZ75b on an 8" steel plate at 25 yards - hitting every shot - but nobody was shooting back at me - and I have to think that would not help my accuracy.

 

[John_AZ]

So you’ll hold fire and risk more lives. That’s a sound tactical decision

and shooting without being certain of your target and it’s surroundings is a more sound tactical decision?

 

[leekellerking]

You need another choice - Maybe.

I've recently got 2 out of 3 on a silhouette at 48 yards with an iron-sighted Glock 19. But no one was shooting at me or others.

 

[ditto1958]

I am a fairly good shooter at the range. Put me at a bench with a rifle, let me take my time, and I’ll put three shots in an inch pretty regularly. But give me a handgun and make me shoot offhand and standing? Most non-shooters have no idea how hard it is. The range where I shoot has 13 inch round steel swingers at 25 yards, and they are not very easy to hit. Put me under pressure, and have me shooting out some thing 40 yards away with a handgun? That guy did an amazing job, eight out of 10 is really something.

 

[nitesit(+ an e)]

In that fluid and hostile environment, making eight hits on a moving target is just some amazing shooting.

Very very few could do what he did with a pistol at that distance.

 

[uravan]

I am a fairly good shooter at the range. Put me at a bench with a rifle, let me take my time, and I’ll put three shots in an inch pretty regularly. But give me a handgun and make me shoot offhand and standing? Most non-shooters have no idea how hard it is. The range where I shoot has 13 inch round steel swingers at 25 yards, and they are not very easy to hit. Put me under pressure, and have me shooting out some thing 40 yards away with a handgun? That guy did an amazing job, eight out of 10 is really something.

Try shooting at a car door sized target at 40yds with a rest and see how you do. Or even your 13" swingers from a rest. Something to practice next time you go to range. Doable.

 

[uravan]

In that fluid and hostile environment, making eight hits on a moving target is just some amazing shooting.

Very very few could do what he did with a pistol at that distance.

Never heard if BG was moving. Heard Good Guy did advance on Bad Guy, but never heard if Bad Guy even saw Good Guy until to late

 

[5Sensify]

Everybody is Robert Vogel now…