We’ve seen and heard stories about how large caliber rounds can knock someone down … blow them off their feet stopping them in their tracks. I remember back in the day watching Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry character as he boasted that his .44 caliber handgun was “the most powerful handgun in the world.” Hollywood showed the bad guys being blown through plate glass windows and thrown backwards five to ten feet in the air. Reality? Hardly, but great entertainment nonetheless. Some of my police colleagues, inspired by what they’d seen in those movies, went out and bought .44 caliber revolvers. The problem quickly became the size of the gun and their inability to handle the recoil, making their marksmanship questionable at best.
Here’s the bottom line regarding shooting to stop someone—unless you shoot the brainstem or the brain itself, you will not immediately stop that threat. That is a physiological fact; the central nervous system dictates whether a person continues a certain activity. Regardless of the size of the round, its kinetic energy and temporary cavity does not wound. Short of a brain shot, the next important factor is the depth of penetration that causes excessive bleeding which is critical. Rapid bleeding is accomplished through rounds passing through large blood bearing organs. “Too little penetration will get you killed,” according to Dr. Fackler in his 1987presentation at the Wound Ballistics Workshop at Quantico, VA.
In terms of forcing incapacitation, excessive bleeding can cause that to happen but it takes time. Even if someone is shot in the heart, it doesn’t necessarily stop them from functioning immediately. A person can continue to function for 10 – 15 seconds, which explains why an officer may have to shoot someone numerous times before a subject stops. Thus, the reason why we train to shoot “until the threat ceases to be a threat.”
In addition to the physiological response to being shot, we must also consider the psychological component as well. Some people will die from a gunshot wound not from the wound itself, but from the trauma of actually being shot. This includes police officers and military. If you think you’re going to die as a result of your wound(s), you’ll very likely do so, even if the wound(s) is minor. Conversely, if the will to survive is strong enough, chances are that person will survive, particularly if they reach a trauma center within 60 minutes (The Golden Hour). This survival phenomenon often occurs on the battlefield and on the street. Consider also that individuals high on drugs or alcohol, or those experiencing an adrenaline rush, may not quickly become incapacitated even if mortally wounded. They continue to function and remain dangerous.
Given all the variables involved in shooting to stop individuals immediately, there can be no hard fast rules regarding weapons, size of caliber, or number of rounds. Every shooting is unique—what stops one person may not even have much of an impact on another.
One thing, however, is quite clear - unless the brainstem or brain is impacted, the individual may not stop. Prepare to shoot until the threat ceases to function and is no longer a threat.
Stay Safe, Brothers and Sisters!
Links:
John Wills
John M. Wills is a former Chicago police officer and retired FBI agent. He is a freelance writer and award-winning author in a variety of genres, including novels, short stories and poetry. John also writes book reviews for the New York Journal of Books, and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle. His new book, The Year Without Christmas, is available now. Visit John at: www.johnmwills.com.
