I have to ask what the objection to being downrange is? Tactical response and other schools teach skills and mindset related to combat/defensive use of a firearm. How would one learn about such skills and experience if they were not immersed?
Bullets do not and cannot radically change direction mid flight. If you're unsure of this you probably shouldn't be involved with firearms. Positioning Yourself in front of another while they shoot can be a safe choice and is often a necessary one. The safety nazi square range mentality has no place in a practical training environment.
Tdc
Great in theory, but there's always that one ******* in every class who manages to do the most boner things possible.... and that's where the big problems arise. Especially when some of these "instructors" are teaching people to run before they walk and next thing you know there's drills involving shooting and multiple individuals, and then there's always the dickhead who doesn't do what he's told, and then darwin kicks in......
Ultimately it's safer to do two things: 1) Don't go downrange, and 2) Remove afforementioned boner from class. That makes things a lot safer in general.
If you're training with switched on guys and you trust them, then big boys are going to do what big boys are going to do. That being said it's hard to do that on a course with a bunch of unknown guys with unknown skill levels.....