If you shoot first, you are guaranteed to die. It's only a matter of how many you take with you. Granted if enough martyrs are made, they may slow or stop, or they may just start using the military / heavier armor and weapons, and then everyone else is double screwed.

I don't think it's a winning strategy. Trust me, I'd love to give them what for, but it won't accomplish anything. There may well be a time for shooting, and I highly doubt americans will allow themselves to be disarmed. Maybe in cities, but certainly not in more rural areas where government enforcers are few and far between and there are plenty of opportunities to hide and ambush.