re: A good lesson to take

I'm not going to second guess him because I wasn't there, but to those saying "what if he would have drawn and the thug would've shot his girl" there is a higher chance of him shooting her simply for seeing him than shooting her after he is shot at. Once he gets drawn on instinct kicks in and shooting her does nothing for him. He will either run, shoot back at man, or both.

As soon as his life is in danger she will no longer exist to him.