Sgt. Patrick Hayes
It seems there is always a news story about some active shooter somewhere. This make gun owners cringe. The media plays up such events to give the gun grabbers a platform to push their agenda. These are, in fact, rare events. The streets of “gun controlled” Chicago are far more dangerous. The problem we have is while we can predict urban violence, there is no way to predict where and when a mass shooting will occur. It could happen anywhere at any time. What do we do when it happens? . . .
Police Officers spend countless hours training for these scenarios. We train to charge in, engage, and stop the threat. We have our side arms, shotguns, patrol rifles, precision rifles and distraction devices to perform that task.
The biggest problem is time. We have to respond to the incident. Unless an officer is already on scene, that could take seconds to several minutes. Most active shootings are over in seconds to minutes. Most end with someone, the police or an armed citizen, shooting the suspect, or the suspect taking his own life.
The most successful active shooter interventions have come from armed citizens. Armed citizens on the scene can stop the threat before there is a catastrophic loss of life. They are already there. They can react in seconds.
The question of what an armed citizen should do depends largely on what each citizen is willing to do. Do you want to engage a shooter, thereby placing yourself at risk? Are you skilled enough to make the shot? Are you responsible for the safety of others? Can you live with taking a life?
These are vital questions each of us who carry a sidearm need to consider. You can be placed in a deadly force situation anywhere.
At your job, at the mall, at the daycare, at the gym. Anywhere where people are.
You have the choice to run; leave the area. You can hide until the threat comes to you. You can engage the shooter. The decision is yours. If you decide to engage the shooter, you will have to accurately engage an armed target quickly. You need to be prepared. First and foremost . . . practice!
- Practice shooting until you are confident you can hit what you aim at.
- Make sure you know what “cover” is and how to identify it. Will it stop a bullet? How about 10 bullets?
- Carry high quality person defense ammo in your magazines. Carry spare magazines.
- Practice at different distances. Know how to quickly judge distance.
- Practice shooting from cover. Practice shooting while moving.
- Never hesitate. Hesitation kills.
What if the active shooter sees you and drops his gun? First, NEVER assume the gun the active shooter dropped is the ONLY gun he has. ALWAYS keep your firearm on him until he is on the ground with his hands visible. Second, NEVER assume he is the ONLY shooter.
If the active gives up, you are now in a very dangerous situation. You are pointing a gun at a person laying on the ground. Consider how this will look to the police or another armed citizen. Call 911 as soon as possible. ell them that you are armed. Tell them the shooter’s gun is secure. Holster your sidearm as soon as possible. As soon as you see or hear the police put your hands in the air – if it is safe to do so.
Hopefully, disptach will update the cops on what they are walking into. Keep in mind that dispatch will not take you at your word. They will advise the officers of what you said. They will still come in hot. Chances are you will be shot without a moment’s hesitation. If you can physically restrain the shooter without your gun, do so. Summon help from others to do this. Sit on him if you have to.
Develop a habit that all police officers use. Wherever you go, start looking at exits, places of cover, open areas. Practice knowing your surroundings. Pay attention. Have you ever noticed that cops stop right inside the door of a restaurant, looking around? Have you ever noticed that they sit in the back or to the side, facing the door? They do these things so that they can have a tactical advantage. They want to SEE everyone who approaches them.
Develop good tactical habits and you will be more aware when the unthinkable happens. As an Armed Citizen you could be the difference between life and death. For yourself and other innocent life.
Pretty good advice. The scariest part is when LE shows up. Seems like maybe the best option is to drop the guy regardless, and re-holster before they get there. And don’t forget to look when you re-holster, of course.
I predict a lot of liberals will get hurt when this matter reaches critical mass. History doesn’t lie, people. You cannot constantly assault the liberty of free men and get away with it. CT, NY, NJ and CA are prisons.
Cops are all huff and puff with unarmed college kids. However, where is the GOA and NRA???? Where is the emergency injunction to give both sides a chance to “pause” before something bad happens?
As far as the libs/MSM, painting gun owners as Right-Wing, Tea Party extremists,..
Uh, they already do. Why isn’t LaPierre, Gottlieb, Gura, etc,…. in CT bringing all this to national attention, peacefully?
If they don’t have the stones to get involved, than shame on them if the CT po po get froggy and people get hurt/killed.
Good information but most malls where I live are “gun free zones”(Illinois). Even if I have legal carry(I don’t YET) the local constables would NOT look kindly at me shooting a BG. And I HAVE INTERVENED with women being attacked by bad guys. Without a gun & NEVER stuck around for Officer Friendly to show up. In Chicagoland you’re treated as a criminal until proven innocent.
Look for store entrances to the mall that aren’t posted, in general, if there is a single entrance to the building that is not posted, its technically not a GFZ.
I understand…The Chicago Police Chief has gone on record saying his cops might shoot CCW folks. Mind you the cops never said that. The people of Chicago deserve a better man in the top cop job.
Guns kill.
I’m a large man. But I’m continually told that I move very quietly and surprise people when they suddenly realize I’m where they thought I wasn’t. I stop when entering strange places and look around. I hate sitting with my back to a window or door. Head on a swivel is a lifestyle. Not just for cops.
Large man, head on swivel. Exactly how I’ve always pictured you. Although, I usually add in a long, mustache which you twist with gusto after making a witty comment. “Nyah! Nyah, see?”
You could always carry a couple of large zip ties and secure the guy, sit on him and have your weapon holstered when the officer arrives. Or secure him and fade away
The media reports when an armed man is detained and found to be carrying zip ties (or handcuffs)… O_o
In a pinch you improvise. A belt or duct tape or something could work.
My ex thought I was nuts because I would never put my back to the door of a restaurant.
“…reasonable relation to the preservation or efficiency of a well regulated militia,…”
If someone can name me ONE – only ONE – properly functioning militia on this planet to have ever existed after the advent of the machine gun to not be equipped with one, then I will lend legitimacy and authority to the Hughes Amendment. Until then, the Hughes Amendment is invalid.
I consider the Hydra platform as an ideal SBR host – one lower receiver, yet even more cartridge options than with a standard AR lower due to the interchangeable magwells. On the other hand, the magwells themselves are a bit more than a tax stamp…
If we ever get handgun open carry in Texas, we will need that law here. Lots of open carry folks getting hit with disorderly conduct when carrying slung long arms.
Ruester, Milwaukee’s sheriff is bucking that trend. Never expected that from a big city cop from that side of the Youse-Y’all Lne.
As with all things this can go both ways , had a young guy came into a eating place and started trouble , wanted money for a phone call, and than he broke the door , I came up to help the check out lady and he took off, the police came about 3 min,s later and told me I could arrest him and hold him for the police … But how ? and I have done a lot of shooting with police and find I shoot better that a lot of police. So again we can never be sure of the mine set of the policeman…that comes? and its the legal system that make everything a big mess now days…Yes we must help , but be safe and take care too.
moves Utah toward a Wisconsin-level of protection of the right to keep and bear arms.
But can Wisconsin parents carry in thier children’s schools? No. Can their teachers carry in thier schools? I don’t know. While there are some inconviences with UT’s laws, I would argue we got the important bits right. The constitution carry would have been nice though.
This was posted a little while ago…
Did ATF break in today?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gsmlJSpWvk
If you KNOW it’s a bad guy (maybe you just saw him murder someone) don’t verbally challenge him; if you’re able to shoot, shoot. He is already an imminent threat to everyone in there. Believe me, police are not (any longer) training to talk to active shooters.
He will be easier to restrain when he’s dead or wounded. But you need to be sure he’s not just an armed citizen like you looking for the bad guy…
That is exactly correct. We no longer talk to ACTIVE shooter, Target, engage, neutralize…
Got the habit of sitting where I could see the door from my dad, Chicago PD-K9 (retired). He also taught me how to observe without looking like I was watching everything. Now in Florida, I carry wherever I go and My girlfriend is constantly amazed by how much I ‘see’. Unfortunately she is a sheeple despite my efforts to convert her to a sheepdog. Meh, some people would rather be blissfully unaware.
This Murthy bozo is the kind of nominee that the Republicans would have filibustered in the past, which would have freed a bunch of Democrats from having to go on the record.
So Dim Harry Reid pushes through new Senate rules that make it more difficult for Republicans to filibuster nominations like Murthy.
Which means that certain Democrats are now cornered. They can support Mr. “I Have a Phone” by voting for Obama’s proposed asshat and thus get killed by the voters back home, or they can tell Mr. “And I Have Pen” to pound sand by voting not to confirm, which makes POTUS pout like a little girl and stamp his feet.
The Law of Unintended Consequences — it is a b1tch.
Ralph keeps it real
What is the rule of law anymore when government violates the supreme law of the land each and every day in a multitude of ways? Ultimately, might makes right, or so it appears.
I bought the solo and love it. I use only golden sabre ammo and have never had an issue. Its my summer carry gun not my range gun after breaking it in I shoot a magazine through it once in a while with great accuracy. If you want a range gun this is not the un for you..
The ATF so want to be thought of as “good guys” (per various media commentaries), helping to keep guns out of the hands of “bad guys”. Yet, they have so few positive interdictions on their resume.
I have read a couple of novels where the problem lies with rogue agents/bosses with power on their minds. Well, they’re just novels. Then I read ‘Guns Across the Border’ where the ATF hung Mike Detty out to dry.
The ATF, as an agency, doesn’t do anything to help themselves and I wonder why. Is is because alcohol and tobacco are all settled and “F” is all they have left on which to focus?
I dunno… Just scary.
The one good thing I heard recently is some undercover ATF guys nabbing people who are looking for a hitman. I think they infiltrate some gangs, too. But not much else…
A smart man would have taken any records he could, out of the store and stored it till?
They knew this was coming.
It would be funny if ATF got nothing.
Wow, I just pre-ordered an upper at this location last weekend. I did it b/c of the great price and the fact the owner is getting punitively attacked by National City, CA.
The owner is in the middle of a city code enforcement battle with the usage of a billboard sign on the property. The sign shows an AR15 with the words “Unregistered. Unserialized. Legal.”
Read more here http://aresarmor.com/store/AresArmorVsGovt
Looks like the government considers itself above all laws, restraining orders and the Constitution. Where do they get the moral authority to act? Where does any prosecutor or police officer get the moral authority to act when the central government has illustrated its disdain for the rule of law from the president down to the rank and file?
BATFE is an unConstitutional agency and should be disbanded. The attitude they, and many others in the central government have, is the anthesis of a free nation. Cowards, except in a band. True thugs that should be dealt with accordingly.
Even if he was PRO-GUN, Murthy is still unqualified. He’s only 36, which puts him seven years out of residency at the most (unless he’s a Doogie Howser clone). Seven years practicing board-certified medicine is not enough time to amass the level of experience expected of a surgeon general nominee. This man’s only experience worth noting is as a political operative for Obama. Period.
What court issued the search warrant for the ATF?
BOOOOOIIIIING!!!
It really does begin; so the ATF violated a court order; I hope the judge in charge of the case orders the agent in charge thrown in JAIL for a long time for contempt of court.
What is to stop the ATF from Raiding Midway claiming they sell magazines to Felons? This is just insane.
What we are seeing play out is blow-back from a massive fail in the Supreme Court’s pre-Heller era to protect 2nd amendment rights, from 1866 to 2007, but especially from 1934-2007. Now they are playing catch-up (and doing a fair job of it, so far) on the 2nd amendment. I can only hope they take the next steps very soon.
The complexity of regional population differences and the shear number of politically important issues has made the “representative” nature of two-party politics fail again and again in the last thirty years. A governor can be elected in what is barely a two-man race, and based on labor and spending issues, but then claim (they habitually do, as do presidents) that the election gives him a popular mandate to crush fundamental rights, which is nonsense. The Court needs to extend and clarify 2nd amendment fundamentals rapidly both to protect the constitutional right and to take de facto renegotiation of the Bill of Rights out of the majority-takes-all electoral battles over spending/budget priorities and other liberty issues.
Malloy is not an idiot. He’s a thug — always has been — and a gangster. The question is whether the State Police are also gangsters. My guess is that, yes, they are.
$500 for a SD9VE?!!! $300 is the norm around here.
so if you chamber a round and then top off, are you now “over capacity”? Just checking since my glock is more than full
Remind me not to move to Oregon! Around here, the goths are actually the nice kids that have careers and responsibilities.
Glad you didn’t have to drop the striker on them. That’s a nightmare no one needs. Training works.
It would have been nice to have given a reason why you think warning shots are bad.
This is good advice, but what I got most from it is that cops seem to be very careless, unaware of the situation at hand and VERY trigger happy.
I wonder, given their current situation as pending felons, how many of the 35K are busy packing and looking for jobs out of state?