You can still get away (with running this would be too easy to just run from corner to corner and hide - the npcs are not the smartest unfortunately)
or just get a little better at the sneaking <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />
And you get other weapons pretty much at the same time as guns if I remember correctly (I think you even get a gun before you get eg a crowbar)
