History Main / PutDownYourGunAndStepAway

* Subverted in ''SengokuBasara'''s anime when Mitsuhide attempts to use Mori Ranmaru as a HumanShield against Kojyuurou, counting on that his attacker, being one of the heroes, WouldntHurtAChild. Kojyuuro's reply is that, child or no, Ranmaru is still a servant of [[BigBad Nobunaga]] who has killed lots of people and is therefore fair game. Then he charges.

* In the pilot episode of ''BreakoutKings'' the US Marshals corner the escaped convict only to find out that he is wired a little girl to a bomb and is holding the detonator. The senior agent orders his partner to lower his gun and when he does [[spoiler: the senior partner shoots the criminal in the arm which causes him to drop the detonator.]]

* In the Jerry Ahern TwoFistedTale ''The Takers'',

* ''Film/ShootEmUp''. Smith rigs several automatic weapons in a gun warehouse to fire when he yanks on a cord attached to the trigger. He wipes out the mooks sent after him via this method, only to have a ClickHello from one he missed. The mook tells him to throw down his gun, so Smith does so...only the last cord. Cue CameraAbuse.

** Played straight at the beginning however, where Jack giving up his gun gets one cop killed and lets the bad guys get away.

* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'', a mook takes a hostage. Garrus is just that good, and shoots the merc in the head, saving the hostage. The player can either compliment Garrus on his aim or criticize him for his recklessness.
** In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', Kolyat tries this on Shepard, unaware that Shepard cares more about him than the hostage; indeed, if Shepard ends up needing to shoot someone, (s)he can fatally ShootTheHostage while (s)he will [[OnlyAFleshWound only wound Kolyat]]. Alternatively, [[spoiler:a Paragon interrupt has Shepard shoot the ''lamp'' to startle the inexperienced Kolyat, and then move in fast and punch him]].
** Done again in the Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC, you're given the option to drop all your heat sinks and kick them over or shoot the hostage in the arm. Or, if your Paragon or Renegade are high enough, [[AwesomeMoments simply telling the hostage taker that you're comfortable shooting the hostage to get to her.]]

->''"In a HostageSituation, you have to be [[CruelToBeKind cruel to be kind]]. The more you care, the more leverage they have. Like buying a car, you have to make them think you can walk away."''

** In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', Kolyat tries this on Shepard, unaware that Shepard cares more about him than the hostage; indeed, if Shepard ends up needing to shoot someone, (s)he can fatally ShootTheHostage while (s)he will [[OnlyAFleshWound only wound Kolyat]]. Alternatively, [[spoiler:a Paragon interrupt has Shepard shoot the ''wall'' to startle the inexperienced Kolyat, and then move in fast and punch him]].

* A subversion in TheFilmOfTheSeries ''Series/{{SWAT}}''. In the opening bank robbery, a robber takes a customer hostage and demands that the hero and his partner drop their weapons. The hero's partner simply shoots the hostage, then the hostage taker. Instead of props being given all around, the hostage ends up suing the city, and the hero's partner ends up fired and becoming the RivalTurnedEvil.
** The SWAT team is disbanded, and the protagonist is asked by the captain to testify against his partner. He refuses and is demoted to the armory. His partner assumes that the reason the protagonist wasn't fired was because he ''did'' testify on him, hence the FaceHeelTurn. When the protagonist later becomes a member of the new SWAT team, this only serves to prove to his ex-partner that his friend sold him out.

* Subverted in the pilot of ''{{Castle}}''; Richard Castle finds himself in one of these situations, but manages to extricate himself. It helps that [[NotWithTheSafetyOnYouWont the safety was on]], but Castle is nonetheless justifiably impressed with himself.

* {{Deconstructed}} in '"Series/TheBlacklist'' episode "Frederick Barnes": The eponymous criminal holds a hostage at gunpoint and orders Agent Keen to surrender her weapon, which she does. Barnes escapes and Keen is told that she will have to be reported for violating FBI regulations, which state that you ''never'' surrender your weapon, no matter what the circumstances.

->''"In a HostageSituation, you have to be [[GoodIsNotNice cruel to be kind]]. The more you care, the more leverage they have. Like buying a car, you have to make them think you can walk away."''

** DirtyHarry's "Go ahead, make my day" to the mook that has taken a waitress hostage in ''SuddenImpact''.

* In ''{{Robocop}} 2'', the titular character orders his partner to put her gun away to stall for time and lull the hostage taker into complacency. He then holds his gun off to the side and shoots the bad guy in the head with a carom shot.
** And in the previous movie, he aims between the hostage's legs and shoots the bad guy's crotch.

* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect'', a mook takes a hostage. Garrus is just that good, and shoots the merc in the head, saving the hostage. The player can either compliment Garrus on his aim or criticize him for his recklessness.
** In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', Kolyat tries this on Shepard, unaware that Shepard cares more about him than the hostage; indeed, if Shepard ends up needing to shoot someone, (s)he can fatally ShootTheHostage while (s)he will [[OnlyAFleshWound only wound Kolyat]].
*** Alternatively, [[spoiler:a Paragon interrupt has Shepard shoot the ''wall'' to startle the inexperienced Kolyat, then s/he moves in fast and punches him]].

[[folder:Comics]]
* Subverted by Tintin, who had this to say about being told to drop his gun: "So you can shoot us down like rabbits? No we're keeping (our guns)"
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* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect'', a mook takes a doctor hostage. Garrus is just that good, and shoots the merc in the head, saving the nurse. The player can either compliment Garrus on his aim or criticize him for his recklessness.

** And in the sequel, ''Another 48 Hours'', Reggie tells Jack, "Why don't you just shoot me yourself?" which Jack does (NOT in the head, though. Then Jack shoots the villain. The look on the villain's face in between the 2 shots is priceless.

* Subverted in ''TheAdventuresOfPlutoNash'', when the protagonist tries this on a posse Mooks trying to kill him over some sort of conspiracy about turning the Moon into a massive gambling den or something. (ItMakesSenseInContext. Almost.

* Averted in ''Film/MenInBlack'', during the confrontation in the morgue. While holding Laurel hostage, the Bug orders Agents J and K to "Put your weapons down!" Without missing a beat, Agent K responds "Won't happen."
** Because K knows that the stakes are much greater than the life of a single human. If the Bug escapes with [[spoiler:the galaxy]], the planet is doomed, so Laurel is dead either way. Besides, K isn't and has never been a cop. Just a "dumb kid" who got lost on the way to his girlfriend.

* Subverted in the all first episode incarnations of ''{{Hellsing}}''. When Seras is taken hostage by a vampire, [[FirstEpisodeSpoiler Alucard simply shoots through her, killing them both. He then turns Seras into a vampire to save her.]]