Armed Defense- At Home and in Public
Firearms Instructor Amanda Suffecool brought us four new stories of armed defense. Across the United States, honest citizens defend themselves with a firearm thousands of times a day. Were these gun owners lucky or were they doing the safest thing they could do? How should we act if we were in their place? Here is what happened and what we can learn.
The longer discussion of what we should do and what we should avoid is on the Self Defense Gun Stories webpage. For now, here are the stories and the links to the original news sources.
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Fresno, California-Are you armed at home?
It is just after 10 on a weekday morning. You are at home with your two small children. Your wife calls your cell phone. She says a neighbor saw three strangers run onto your property. The neighbor called her thinking she was at home. You check your ring doorbell and see three men who ran into your garage. News stories aren’t clear if you called the police or if your wife did.
You grab your shotgun. You open your garage door and shout get out, get out, get out. One of the intruders dives for the ground. The other freezes. The third one runs away. Police arrive a minute later. You lower your shotgun when the police arrive.
The robber who is standing up runs out the garage door. The robber on the floor is arrested by police.
You give the police a statement. They tell you that the three robbers were driving a stolen Mercedes and being chased by police after an armed robbery. The police were searching for them after they abandoned the Mercedes nearby. The police found the robber who was standing in your garage. They arrest him. The robber who ran when you entered your garage was found next door. He wouldn’t come out so they sent a dog in to get him.
You are not charged with a crime. You are glad your small children aren’t hurt. Your neighbor calls to see how you’re doing.
Tag- No Shots Fired
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Las Cruces, New Mexico- Are you armed in public?
You’re standing next to your car in a business parking lot. It is about 5 in the afternoon when You see a policeman approach a homeless man who is standing in front of a business. The homeless man stabs the police officer. The officer yells and falls. You reach into your car and grab your gun. You shout for the attacker to stop. The attacker advances toward you and you shoot him. He falls. News reports aren’t clear what you did with your gun.
You run up to the officer and use his radio to call for help. Police and EMTs arrive quickly. You step back but remain at the scene. EMTs transport the officer.
You give the police a statement about what you saw and what you did. The attacker is declared dead at the scene. Later, you find out that the officer died in the hospital. His attacker had a criminal history including domestic violence, kidnapping, failure to appear in court, and repeated drug use. Police get security video from the businesses nearby. You are not charged with a crime.
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Fullerton, California- Are you armed at work?
You work as a security guard. Today, you’re standing in a strip mall jewelry store. It is about about noon on a weekday when you see three men get out of a car that pulled up outside the store. The car doesn’t park. The three men who got out are all wearing masks and they are carrying pistols in their hands. They start to walk toward the jewelry store.
You present your firearm and shoot at the robbers. They run back to their car, shooting at you as they run. The news stories aren’t clear if you called 911 or if someone in the store called them. Neither you, nor store employees, the store customers, or any bystanders outside the store are injured. You give a statement to the police when they arrive.
There is extensive news coverage of the event, but that doesn’t include the store security video. The owner says that jewelry stores are robbed because the jewelry is so easy to sell for cash. You were supposed to meet with the store owner today and talk about extending your employment and asking for more money. They seemed to like you before the attack. They certainly like you now. You are not charged with a crime.
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-Are You Armed in Public?
You are waiting at an auto repair shop. Your 12 year old son is with you. You hear gunfire from the back of the repair shop. Your son grabs his head and falls down. You hear screams from inside. You see a man with a gun shooting at people inside the shop.
You have your Pennsylvania concealed carry permit. You’re armed today. You present your firearm and shoot at the attacker. Now he runs. You reholster your handgun and check on your son. News reports aren’t clear if you called 911, but a lot of customers did.
You and your son stay at the scene. You identify yourself to the police. EMTs take one of the mechanics to the hospital. Your son is treated for a graze wound at the scene and released. The officers say that the mechanic was the intended target and your son was struck by a stray shot.
You are not charged with a crime.
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These stories give us a lot to think about. Sure we want the right physical tools but we need more than that. We can buy a gun in a few minutes but it takes time to learn what to do with it. What we would do at home alone at night is very different from what we’d do on a job site or in a store parking lot. Your plan is probably different than your neighbors’ plan. Your safety plans becomes a menu of best practices that fits you and your situations.
When was the last time you walked through one of your plans? Like these armed defenders, I want you to be safe at home, as you drive, and at work.
SlowFacts 