As to the bold part, whether intentionally or not, you're leaving out a lot of pertinent information. The BGs had begun getting patrons on the floor and employees in the back somewhere. That is a clear escalation of the threat to life that the CC'er had to consider. However....
I have a real problem with the disclosure in the above-cited article of the CC'er intentionally firing a shot during a struggle, apparently not trying to stop the threat by firing at him, but, as reported, in an effort to scare the guy with the noise from the shot. That is indeed an idiotic move. Doesn't necessarily make the CC'er an idiot, but it sure does demonstrate at least a temporary severe lapse in judgment.
Perhaps we will hear an account from the CC'er that explains the struggle with the guy trying to run away in a way most of us would find acceptable, but as it is reported in the above article, he gets points taken away by me for that part of the event. I was thinking maybe A-/B+ before, now I'm gonna go with C-/D+ until I hear an acceptable rationale for that one discharge.
Blues