Living to tell the story...
From USCCA's Concealed Carry Magazine:
OLD DOG’S BLOG by Dick Hime2/21/08
Since we began offering Concealed Carry Qualification Training back in 2003 with the passage of our state’s law, it’s crossed my mind several times. “I wonder if I’ll ever hear back from a student regarding an incident where they made practical use of what was taught.” Well, it happened today.
Of course, John Lott tells us that it likely happens thousands of times a year unreported because no shots are fired. I am referring to those incidents where a violent crime against persons or property was thwarted because an armed and responsible citizen was there and the mere presence of their firearm (either concealed or visible) and a display of their willingness to confront criminals rather than consenting to “victimhood” kept it from being a really bad day for either side.
The email I received started out, “Well, Dick, I have a success story for you.” It was fascinating reading from one of my students who graduated from our class just last June (2007). As the announcer would say every week on Dragnet when I was kid, “Names have been changed to protect the innocent.” I’ll call him Johnnie; a 37-year-old male, married with kids, living in a suburb of
He ended up having to display his H&K 40 and utter a statement regarding his willingness and capability to use it. Thank goodness he was far enough ahead of the game in his situational awareness that neither perp got any closer than 15 yards but they DID have him flanked and outnumbered two to one. He had encountered them on his way into the store where they had pan-handled him for change. When he advised he did not have any they became verbally abusive and made racially offensive remarks as Johnnie just kept on walking into the store.
Thirty minutes later, as he came out, he noticed a couple of large delivery trucks were blocking the view of his parked vehicle. He decided to walk out through the parking lot two aisles over from where he was parked in order to recon the area around his truck rather that just walk in between the two large trucks blind. Good thing he had his tactical head on that day. They were waiting for him.
When they spotted him, they split up and began to approach him from different angles while one yelled at him “Look at me! I’m talking to you!” This was in an effort to draw his attention from the one who was trying to get around behind him. Then the one flanking to the rear threw an empty beer bottle from about 50 feet that just missed Johnnie’s head and hit a pick-up he was standing next to. He un-holstered and aimed at the one in front of him while turning sideways to keep an eye on both. He advised they were making a mistake. The owner of the truck hit by the bottle was rushing to the area yelling at everyone. Johnnie yelled at him to let him know what was going on and what he was doing about it. The scumbags boogied.
Law enforcement arrived shortly. I don’t know who called them or from where. They cuffed Johnnie but only until they were sure what had gone down. Thankfully, he had about 20 witnesses in the parking lot who confirmed his story to the cops. They then took his information and even congratulated him on his restraint in not firing, especially within the populated parking lot. I’m sure “no shots fired” made their paperwork load much lighter and they appreciated it. Of course, the perps are still out there doing the same thing somewhere else today.
Johnnie admitted in his email that, just as he was taught would happen, adrenaline made it hard to remember small details of the event but we both found the following recollections amusing. He said that at the time of critical engagement, he remembered me saying in class, “Focus on the front sight” (certainly not critical at the moment of THIS encounter but who knows how the mind’s gonna’ work when overloaded with natural go-juice) and, more importantly, “Be sure of your target and what is beyond.” Johnnie said there were far too many people in that parking lot for a safe shot at the range involved. He remembered the relief he felt when the perps decided discretion was the better part of valor and turned tail. He also admitted to having thoughts of being sued. But he says he chose not to let “those thoughts” adversely affect his decision to defend himself, with lethal force if necessary.
It was a happy ending to a very gratifying story for this old, grizzled instructor. And for Johnnie and his family. It was possibly one of dozens like it that may have taken place that day somewhere in this country. Just because you don’t see it on the six o’clock news doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. Every day.
Don’t worry, be happy, be safe, be armed.
O.W.D. – Old War Dog