Writing a screenplay and need to know how the police would handle this in real life?

[harmonica]

True. Okay I could write it like this.

The bad guy has an accomplice that has a chopper ready to fly the both of them out of there. The cops are trying to talk the main bad guy while he has a hostage. The chopper comes and lands and he is going to board it. The hostage breaks free as he is trying to force her onto the chopper. She runs over to the cops.

The bad guy still, holding his gun doesn't raise it or anything cause he doesn't want the cops to shoot him. He jumps on the chopper. And the pilot is about to take off, but the cops shoot him through the window to prevent it. This cause the chopper to shake a little causing the main bad guy to fall out. The cops then arrest him.

Is this realistic? Would they shoot the pilot to stop him from taking off?

[Cat_Doc]

Sure they could.

But, wouldn't they be better off having another helicopter or aircraft just follow it since there are no hostages on board.

How do they know the helicopter pilot is a bad guy? Maybe the pilot's wife and small son are being held hostage themselves to make him fly the bad guy out?

So, the cops may not want to shoot the pilot without knowing for sure that he is a felon whose escape would most likely lead to serious bodily harm or death to a third party.

Maybe you could have a sniper disobeying a commander's orders to shoot the pilot because the sniper suspects the commander is in with the hostage taker on this caper?

The bottom line is that you are writing a fictional story. Run with what you think might sell.

By the way, are they going to shoot the pilot with a .223 or a .308?

[harmonica]

Yes they would have know that the chopper pilot was in on it and I would have to figure that out. I don't think it's possible for the police to be able to know though. And I don't want the sniper to disobey an order cause then I got to get in on why he did, and what motivated him. There is too much going on and I don't want to add in a subplot with an additional character.

I was going to have the cops shoot the pilot with an M4 or MP5 but what would the cops use those? What difference does it make if he uses a .223 as opposed to a .308? I could write it like this though. They shoot the main bad guy who has a gun as he is trying to board. To stop him from getting away, and not shoot the pilot. Would the police do it that way? The bad guy is wearing body armor under his clothes so he'll survive and be arrested. However the pilot is just free to take off then. Any way the cops would stop him?

[Cat_Doc]

The bad guy is wearing body armor under his clothes so he'll survive and be arrested. However the pilot is just free to take off then.

Oooh, I like that part!

I am not a firearm's expert, nor am I a sniper, but I know if they were going to shoot through the windscreen, they would want to use a heavier, more stable, projectile than a .223 in a M-4 or a .9mm in a MP-5.

The sniper not wanting to shoot was a joke, sorry.

Here's the skinny on utilizing deadly force. The target has to either pose an immediate threat of serious bodily harm or death to the person defending themselves or to defend a third party. There is an exception of an immediate threat if a reasonable and prudent officer could articulate the action taken (shot) was done because of knowledge or reasonable belief that to allow the escape would likely result in the serious bodily harm or death of a third party. (Look up the Gary Tison Gang, circa 1978. It would have been undoubtedly justified to shoot one of them attempting to flee without them pointing a gun at the police. I worked on that one and would have shot any of them without hesitation.) Clear as mud?

[harmonica]

Well the bad guy is going to board the helicopter and get away and he has a gun. He is wanted to being an accessory to felony murder. He ordered one of his men to commit a kidnapping, which lead to some deaths. Is that enough to reasonably believe he's dangerous to shoot him to try to get him stop? Originally I was going to have the pilot be a potential hostage for him but I can't since the cops wouldn't give him a chopper.

[FBINA188]

Well the bad guy is going to board the helicopter and get away and he has a gun. He is wanted to being an accessory to felony murder. He ordered one of his men to commit a kidnapping, which lead to some deaths. Is that enough to reasonably believe he's dangerous to shoot him to try to get him stop? Originally I was going to have the pilot be a potential hostage for him but I can't since the cops wouldn't give him a chopper.

Enough