One's choices are mostly reduced to fight or flight. The third but irrational alternative is to commit suicide. But I'm just starting this from a very logical analytical point of view. So we throw out that option.

Flight. This option makes sense when you're outgunned, i.e. the other person has more guns, bullets, or can use what he or she has better than you. And if you have a chance of escape.

If there is no chance of escape, one can either hunker down or attack the attacker. This sometimes is the best defense. Often, the attacker least expects you to attack him. Attackers are often cowards anyway, choosing their prey the same way predators often choose someone who appears weak.

Fight: your attack must be decisive, fast, and determined. Consider the animals who bluff, with inflated collars, feathers, skin, spines, whatever. But if the attacker calls your bluff, prepare to either fight or run again.

Obviously, fighting requires some qualities, such as skill, courage, tenacity. Practice makes perfect. But so does careful thought, dexterity (coordination), strenghth. Being prepared counts for a lot. But this latter is not just having the weapons, it's knowing how to use them. If you carry weapons that you can't use, or may misuse, it's worse than if you had no weapon. Your enemy can take the weapon and use it against you or someone else.

Hence, if someone shot at me, I would fight back if conditions were favourable. This includes being able to identify and rush the shooter, having the firepower, and knowing what my choices were. I would rather die distracting or fighting my opponent and help my people thus, by letting them escape or regroup, than to let the enemy gain on us all.

If the Anglo-American and NATO alliance is to succeed against the jihadists, this is the group-think we want to cultivate. We will have to be as ruthless as Klingons, as wise as Vulcans, and as fair as the Federation Constitutionalists. We will have to be as determined as Winston Churchill, F.D.R., and Stalin.

I'm pretty sure the first thing I'd do is crap my pants. After I'd probably pray, after that I'd be ok and would try to stop the guy.

Run like hell, and then hide and call the popo. that should solve the problem.

Well, for one thing, how close are they? Is it dark? What kind of weapon are they using? (by that, I mean what type of 'gun'; in the military, you call it a weapon unless you know what it is i.e. a pistol or something) Are they a good or poor shot? Am I armed as well? Is the shooting taking place in a secluded area or a populated one?

Okay, if it's broad daylight, the guy's a few feet away, he's an okay shot, and I am unarmed, I try to find cover and kiss the ground. If I am armed, I would still try to find cover and then fire back at him. If the area has people in it, someone might call 911. If that doesn't happen, I just hope he stays unlucky and I get lucky.

Better him than me, right?