Gun Fight

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If you're in a gun fight:
1. If you're not shooting, you should be loading.
2. If you're not loading, you should be moving.
I got an email today with these words in it.  Sound wisdom.  If you are in a gunfight, you need to be shooting until the suspect is no longer a threat.  If he has given up, run out of sight, or is down and out then you can stop shooting.

If you are out of ammunition they you need to reload.  If you have fired a few rounds from a magazine, then you should reload if there is a lull in the battle.  It is very difficult to determine how many rounds you have fired in the stress of combat.  Retain the partial magazine but a fresh magazine is always better.  Give verbal commands, even if you give them while shooting.  Identify yourself and tell the suspect what to do, it verify your authority.

If you are moving, lateral movement to cover is a great idea.  It is difficult for suspects to track you left or right and so it is best to move if you can.  Don't just move, move towards cover so you can obtain an advantage.  Cover is often only one or two steps away.  If you need to advance or retreat doing so behind a wall of bullets is an excellent way to insure you can get there.  Officers often fire too slowly when they move so they don't keep the aspect's head down.  Shoot, load, move, three pieces of good advice for a gun fight; that's what the SGT Says.