Since recently joining this forum I have read with interest the many threads and even more numerous posts on various self-defense scenarios. One thing that struck me immediately was something I always felt was true: that gun owners concerned with self defense at a level to move them to secure a CCW license are quite responsible and level-headed people.
Much of what is discussed re self defense is hypothetical by necessity, since few here have ever deployed a weapon in a self defense situation. However, my own experiences are somewhat unique: for a little more than a decade I worked as a newspaper reporter who covered the police beat, this in an era when the cops were a lot more open with the local media than they are today and also when said local media was not as overrun with airheaded liberals as now. So in that decade I was present at roughly 500 homicide scenes, uncounted shootings/stabbings and probably a few thousand armed and strong arm robberies. I went along on drug raids where everyone went in with weapons drawn. I was present a dozen or more times when officers fired their weapons, twice resulting in fatal wounds to suspects. I knew personally a number of officers who had killed on duty, and I knew personally three who were killed on duty by gunfire. This was before legal CCW, but police all over the country used to issue what we called "wink wink pistol permits," as in , "You are out here as a nurse working nights/ambulance driver/business owner making bank deposits/reporter on street duty and of course it IS illegal to carry a gun (here the officer winks repeatedly) but I for one would never pat you down." So my unofficial companion in those years was a 4 inch Colt Python.
It occurred to me to set down some lessons I learned in those years, which may or may not apply to everyone at every time in every place, but which I still think are useful. So --
1. Any individual's likelihood of being targeted by a robber/mugger/rapist is extremely low . . . but someone is targeted every day and you cannot know when or if your turn will come up. Preparedness and vigilance apply every day.
2. Almost all criminals (save a few psychotics or those so heavily drugged as to be incoherent) are scared of being shot and will avoid a home, business or individual they know or suspect to be armed. I once asked an armed robber as he was being booked into jail if he would try to stick up a store where the owner had a gun. " no!" he said "I ain't no fool!" In short, if they know you have a gun they are very unlikely to test you.
3. Criminals look for and can sense weakness and vulnerability. Women, older people, those visibly handicapped, are all ripe for plucking. Sometimes the best defense, especially against a carjacking or street robbery, is just to look fit and able to fight.
4. Your best initial defense weapon can be your voice. "I am armed, move on a^^hole!" can be very effective. Cops all learn early on that a stern command voice will defuse a lot of dicey situations before they go bad.
5. Keep your right hand (or left if it applies) free whenever you are in any environment where a threat is possible. The first thing I learned accompanying officers on prowler or burglar alarm calls was hold the flashlight (or the soft drink) in your left hand. I was riding shotgun with a patrol officer one graveyard shift when he got a call on a silent burglar alarm on a business. We found the rear door ajar and at that very moment a suspect came barreling through the door. We had perhaps a half second to react and luckily the guy was unarmed and went down peacefully when tackled, but I realized after that had I had a light in my right hand I could have been shot or even stabbed before reaching my gun.
6. Know the law. Specifically, know when you can (and perhaps more importantly when you cannot) shoot. Cops go through extensive "shoot/don't shoot" drills in training. I will say that in more than a decade I never saw a bad police shooting. Your goal should be the same.
7. Be vigilant, but don't descend into paranoia. Going to a movie is supposed to be fun. You don't have to constantly keep checking the exits. Be confident in your ability to respond appropriately, and let that confidence assure you.
8. Be the first to call 911 if anything bad happens. Criminals don't call the cops; good citizens do. The first caller (even if it is transmitted through a third party witness under stress) will help establish a presupposition that you have nothing to hide.
9. Be truthful and open after the event. I have seen some forum posts advising anyone involved in a self defense shooting to lawyer up. Bad advice in my view. Police officers automatically think "what is this person hiding?" when they hear "I won't talk without a lawyer." I covered a several cases each year where business or home owners shot and/or killed assailants or intruders and the police on scene usually patted them on the back. Of course if you live in a less sensible jurisdiction, you may want to proceed differently. Personally I would just move.
10. Bottom line is staying alive and unharmed is goal one in any self defense plan. Protecting the lives of others who are close to you (and the defenseless you might simply encounter being attacked) ranks equally important.
Anyway those are my takes on self defense from a decade of seeing and sometimes being in such situations. I am sure others will have more to add, and some different opinions as well.
Much of what is discussed re self defense is hypothetical by necessity, since few here have ever deployed a weapon in a self defense situation. However, my own experiences are somewhat unique: for a little more than a decade I worked as a newspaper reporter who covered the police beat, this in an era when the cops were a lot more open with the local media than they are today and also when said local media was not as overrun with airheaded liberals as now. So in that decade I was present at roughly 500 homicide scenes, uncounted shootings/stabbings and probably a few thousand armed and strong arm robberies. I went along on drug raids where everyone went in with weapons drawn. I was present a dozen or more times when officers fired their weapons, twice resulting in fatal wounds to suspects. I knew personally a number of officers who had killed on duty, and I knew personally three who were killed on duty by gunfire. This was before legal CCW, but police all over the country used to issue what we called "wink wink pistol permits," as in , "You are out here as a nurse working nights/ambulance driver/business owner making bank deposits/reporter on street duty and of course it IS illegal to carry a gun (here the officer winks repeatedly) but I for one would never pat you down." So my unofficial companion in those years was a 4 inch Colt Python.
It occurred to me to set down some lessons I learned in those years, which may or may not apply to everyone at every time in every place, but which I still think are useful. So --
1. Any individual's likelihood of being targeted by a robber/mugger/rapist is extremely low . . . but someone is targeted every day and you cannot know when or if your turn will come up. Preparedness and vigilance apply every day.
2. Almost all criminals (save a few psychotics or those so heavily drugged as to be incoherent) are scared of being shot and will avoid a home, business or individual they know or suspect to be armed. I once asked an armed robber as he was being booked into jail if he would try to stick up a store where the owner had a gun. " no!" he said "I ain't no fool!" In short, if they know you have a gun they are very unlikely to test you.
3. Criminals look for and can sense weakness and vulnerability. Women, older people, those visibly handicapped, are all ripe for plucking. Sometimes the best defense, especially against a carjacking or street robbery, is just to look fit and able to fight.
4. Your best initial defense weapon can be your voice. "I am armed, move on a^^hole!" can be very effective. Cops all learn early on that a stern command voice will defuse a lot of dicey situations before they go bad.
5. Keep your right hand (or left if it applies) free whenever you are in any environment where a threat is possible. The first thing I learned accompanying officers on prowler or burglar alarm calls was hold the flashlight (or the soft drink) in your left hand. I was riding shotgun with a patrol officer one graveyard shift when he got a call on a silent burglar alarm on a business. We found the rear door ajar and at that very moment a suspect came barreling through the door. We had perhaps a half second to react and luckily the guy was unarmed and went down peacefully when tackled, but I realized after that had I had a light in my right hand I could have been shot or even stabbed before reaching my gun.
6. Know the law. Specifically, know when you can (and perhaps more importantly when you cannot) shoot. Cops go through extensive "shoot/don't shoot" drills in training. I will say that in more than a decade I never saw a bad police shooting. Your goal should be the same.
7. Be vigilant, but don't descend into paranoia. Going to a movie is supposed to be fun. You don't have to constantly keep checking the exits. Be confident in your ability to respond appropriately, and let that confidence assure you.
8. Be the first to call 911 if anything bad happens. Criminals don't call the cops; good citizens do. The first caller (even if it is transmitted through a third party witness under stress) will help establish a presupposition that you have nothing to hide.
9. Be truthful and open after the event. I have seen some forum posts advising anyone involved in a self defense shooting to lawyer up. Bad advice in my view. Police officers automatically think "what is this person hiding?" when they hear "I won't talk without a lawyer." I covered a several cases each year where business or home owners shot and/or killed assailants or intruders and the police on scene usually patted them on the back. Of course if you live in a less sensible jurisdiction, you may want to proceed differently. Personally I would just move.
10. Bottom line is staying alive and unharmed is goal one in any self defense plan. Protecting the lives of others who are close to you (and the defenseless you might simply encounter being attacked) ranks equally important.
Anyway those are my takes on self defense from a decade of seeing and sometimes being in such situations. I am sure others will have more to add, and some different opinions as well.
