Although not even remotely scientific, my meager time paintballing seems to confirm this. Even marginally-aimed semi-automatic fire is going to be hard impossi

Although not even remotely scientific, my meager time paintballing seems to confirm this. Even marginally-aimed semi-automatic fire is going to be hard impossible to dodge, especially if you have nothing that even remotely looks like cover. Even so, you're pretty much guaranteed to be killed like livestock if you stay, so running away is still the better strategy. Hitting the fire alarm may also be advantageous, as it will make it harder for the baddies to see and hear (water, flashing lights, loud klaxons), and it might help others feel that natural instinct to get the hell out. Let's also not forget that gunshot wounds are not guaranteed fatal; the shock of being hit is far more severe than the actual damage caused by the bullet. Not that being shot is all that much fun, of course, but you're statistically likely to survive. Since I'm rambling, let's also bring up the oddity that normal people can be coaxed to riot with surprisingly little provocation, yet when their lives are directly threatened by a small number of aggressors, many will cower in fear and be led like cattle. Since I've never been in that position, I don't know how I'd handle it.