I went through a few forum pages and didn't find an answer, so i had to create this thread.. yes, i need to get with the times, but my copy arrived just yesterday. 
 
So i'm shooting criminals in the legs, and even shooting their hands and making them drop their weapons, yet they always drop dead.. where's my RDR-esque limb shooting ? 
I got the game paused because i shot a fleeing murderer (of a case) in the legs and he died, and i wanna make sure that there's no other way!

If you hold the crosshairs on a suspect for a few seconds, Phelps will fire a shot into the air and make the fleeing suspect stop.
 
  

I would have liked it more if they just didn't include any sort of shooting. It feels out of place, and it's pretty boring.

Yeah, I think they're meant to die. I did the same thing, and they all dropped dead on me.

I went through a few forum pages and didn't find an answer, so i had to create this thread.. yes, i need to get with the times, but my copy arrived just yesterday.  So i'm shooting criminals in the legs, and even shooting their hands and making them drop their weapons, yet they always drop dead.. where's my RDR-esque limb shooting ? I got the game paused because i shot a fleeing murderer (of a case) in the legs and he died, and i wanna make sure that there's no other way!

Shooting your gun in LA noire is taken as an indication that you want them to die. it feels a little strange but i guess they wanted to put weight behind the gun play

I tried this a couple of times, it is super annoying that you can't incapacitate them that way.

If the little circle doesn't come up when you aim then your suppose to kill them. On the story side and in real life cops don't kneecap people who try and run away.

The game is limiting in that way and others. It has a script and wants you to stick to it.

If you hold the crosshairs on a suspect for a few seconds, Phelps will fire a shot into the air and make the fleeing suspect stop.
 
  

  This probably doesn't work on every case though, as there are some suspects that are meant to die.

One of the things I disliked about the game

Well, most of the guys you kill are cop killers, killed civilians, or are hitmen. 

If the little circle doesn't come up when you aim then your suppose to kill them. On the story side and in real life cops don't kneecap people who try and run away.

When it's guns out it's business time. It does feel a bit artificial that the game dictates when you can stop a fleeing suspect and when they should die. And that there are no Euphoria physics at play.

If you hold the crosshairs on a suspect for a few seconds, Phelps will fire a shot into the air and make the fleeing suspect stop.
 
  

  This probably doesn't work on every case though, as there are some suspects that are meant to die.

Your using too much skill.

In LA Noire you go for your gun as a last resort usually. In other words, you mean to put them down. This isn't RDR. Don't degrade LA Noire just because it doesn't have some of the features in that game.

There are a few times i felt where i would have liked to shoot the weapon out of the hand and just arrest the dude instead of killing him.   But no...  the game can't handle that complexity!

In LA Noire you go for your gun as a last resort usually. In other words, you mean to put them down. This isn't RDR. Don't degrade LA Noire just because it doesn't have some of the features in that game.

Probably didn't have time to include all the ancillary animation work to provide for alternate non-lethal encounters using firearms. Or maybe it is just all a dream. 

The lack of pistol whipping is very disappointing. Especially in one of the side missions where you're

You can die getting shot in the leg pretty easily in real life.

Clearly, they're all secretly Necromorphs, and the cases are all part of a Unitologist conspiracy.

Cops in real life don't aim for the arm or leg. They always shoot at the center of mass to kill.