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Gun Hero of the Day: Abdul Haji

Robert Farago - comments No comments

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r1kECr-4X0

“A licensed gun holder and gun enthusiast, Mr Haji was introduced to guns by his father, the Garissa senator who is also a former defence minister and long-serving provincial administrator,” nation.co.ke reports, which provides a written blow-by-blow account of his bravery at Kenya’s Westgate Mall. “He grew up shooting at the Athi River range and describes himself as ‘very good with pistols’. He had packed an SSK heavy blaster pistol with 14 rounds of ammunition. When he arrived at Westgate, sounds of gunfire and screams could be heard. He teamed up with a vigilante group of about 10 people from Parklands neighbourhood who had pistols, two-way radios and bulletproof vests.” Haji rescued dozens of people trapped in the mall. Because he could.

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Robert Farago

Robert Farago is the former publisher of The Truth About Guns (TTAG). He started the site to explore the ethics, morality, business, politics, culture, technology, practice, strategy, dangers and fun of guns.

0 thoughts on “Gun Hero of the Day: Abdul Haji”

  1. This is a prime reason to carry at schools and college campuses. But the libs keep thinking it will lead to a punk 18 year old shooting a prof for a bad grade. Really?

    Reply
    • Well it might or might not. But I can tell you this – nothing is stopping an 18 yr old from bringing a gun to school to shoot a teacher now. The only thing being stopped is the teacher from bringing a gun to school to defend himself if and when that does happen. Sad, really.

      Reply
  2. “He teamed up with a vigilante group of about 10 people from Parklands neighbourhood who had pistols, two-way radios and bulletproof vests.”

    Thanks Media! That doesn’t sound like a vigilante group, that there is a MILITIA!!!!! Now you can recognize it in the future (asshats!)

    Reply
    • Actually, vigilante is likely the appropriate term. Militia is the term for people who are trained like soldiers, but are not part of the active military. Vigilante is defined as “a member of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law enforcement in their community without legal authority, typically because the legal agencies are thought to be inadequate” or alternately, “a person who is not a police officer but who tries to catch and punish criminals.” If they were simply people from the surrounding neighborhood, vigilante is appropriate.

      Reply
      • Philosiraptor moment: how would you define “trained like a military”? Is it a certain amount of range time? Is it some kind of qualification course?

        I’m sure there are plenty of shooters around here who could pass a lot of the military tests.

        Legally, we also have two definitions of militia…the organized militia, which are trained and kept in a state of readiness, sort of like the IDF or Swiss forces. Then we have the unorganized militia, which are basically the levied troops, persons like you and I who would be given a basic weapon (assuming it came from an armory, rather than our own personal stocks), a swift kick in the ass, and a finger pointing in the direction of the enemy.

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  3. I’m not taking away from this man’s courage, he’s certainly earned a pat on the back, but maybe the reason he had the hardware and right to carry it in Kenya is because he was so well politically connected.

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  4. Wait, now I am confused. Everyone tells me that people who have guns are bad guys and only use them to harm other people. But this man did not harm other people. Is this a new kind of bad guy … much more conniving and dangerous than all the previous type of bad guys? Is he biding his time waiting for the right moment to harm someone with his gun?
    /end_sarcasm

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  5. More importantly, this story must be fiction. The man was carrying a gun so there is no way that he could have survived. Either the police would have immediately shot him because they saw his gun and assumed he was a bad guy, or other armed citizens would have shot him because they saw his gun and assumed he was a bad guy, or the bad guys would have wrestled his gun away and used it to shoot him.
    /end_sarcasm (again)

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  6. Another reason we know that this story is fake:
    There would be no rescued hostages because all those untrained, Rambo wannabe citizens with guns would have shot and killed all of the very hostages that they were trying to rescue while engaging the bad guys.

    Remember, handguns are “death rays”. Any shot from a handgun striking a person anywhere (even grazing wounds to extremities) causes instant death.

    /end_sarcasm

    Let’s see. Did I miss any other bogus gun grabber talking points?

    Reply
    • You missed the following “progressive” memes: “more people would have died if there were armed citizens there”, “the cops wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between an armed citizen and a terrorist” and “armed citizens would have just ended up shooting each other”.

      Reply
      • Actually NYC2AZ, I did cover all of those … I guess that means I covered them all!

        “more people would have died if there were armed citizens there” — I covered that one in this discussion thread.

        “the cops wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between an armed citizen and a terrorist” — I covered that one in my previous comment at 18:43 hours.

        “armed citizens would have just ended up shooting each other” — also covered in my previous post at 18:43 hours.

        Reply
  7. I have never heard such ignorant ramblings from ttag readers in my life. It seems a black sheepdog is only worthy of snide comments, seems from the pictures he saved more people no matter their color than any of you couch potatoes will ever do in your lives. morons

    Reply
    • You realize basically every snide comment seen here is said sarcastically, right? No, of course you don’t, because if you had you wouldn’t have subjected us to your ignorant ramblings (your words, not mine). Go back and look at all of them through the lens of “If I was a member of the Civilian Disarmament Movement…” and it will all become clear. Or it should.

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  8. So for the 208 amax handload, having an 8 or more inches shorter barrel will increase accuracy 10 fold? Is something else going on in the handload or rig that might favor the shorter barrels? If so you’re not isolating the variable, if not and simply a shorter barrel means 10 times more accuracy there – then it’s a bit of a laughable claim, no? I mean, how do you come out with that data and believe you’re showing causation?

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  9. Hmmm. The story I read say the perp was restrained by a citizen until the police arrived to cart him off. Worth mentioning, especially for the City that sees no evil, hears no evil….

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  10. If Bloomberg armed protection detail had been there, and he also had armed protection private citizen before he was a public official, they would have protected him. That is all that matters, right?

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  11. I’ve got a 10.5″ s&w 500mag performance center and my dad has a snubby 460s&w bear kit gun. They do throw one hell of a fireball. They draw a crowd every time we bring em out but not too many people are willing to shoot em. My 360pd j-frame has about the same fireball with 357mag but the recoil is worse than either of the big boys it weighs 13oz.

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  12. Yet another “pro-gun” Democrat proves me correct. All Democrats are anti-gunners at heart, ALL OF THEM! Give them enough time and they’ll let the truth out about themselves.

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  13. You know where all the new background check offices were going to be opened up or expanded? West Virginia. He doesn’t care about Bloomberg, gun violence or the Constitution. He cares about getting federal jobs into WV.

    And honestly, WV likes having their rights held hostage. Always have with their choice of Senators. They can’t be trusted to make the right choice.

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  14. The 2nd amendment gives me the right to keep and bear arms. Resisting the tyranny of any government, elected or not, is a choice.

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  15. You stated, “…the term, “assault weapon” is meaningless.”

    Not true. It has a very specific meaning as a legal term in various jurisdictions ( although I agree, it is meaningless as a technical term). Any discussion with anti-gun folks should emphasize that point. An assault weapon is whatever the law says it is and has nothing to do with actual capabilities of a weapon.

    For example, in CA the law defines the term ‘assault weapon’

    30510. As used in this chapter and in Sections 16780, 17000, and 27555, “assault weapon” means the following designated semiautomatic firearms:
    (a) All of the following specified rifles:
    (1) All AK series including, but not limited to, the models identified as follows:
    (A) Made in China AK, AKM, AKS, AK47, AK47S, 56, 56S, 84S, and 86S.
    (B) Norinco 56, 56S, 84S, and 86S.
    (C) Poly Technologies AKS and AK47.
    (D) MAADI AK47 and ARM.
    (2) UZI and Galil.
    (3) Beretta AR-70.
    (4) CETME Sporter.
    (5) Colt AR-15 series.
    (6) Daewoo K-1, K-2, Max 1, Max 2, AR 100, and AR 110C.
    (7) Fabrique Nationale FAL, LAR, FNC, 308 Match, and Sporter.
    (8) MAS 223.
    (9) HK-91, HK-93, HK-94, and HK-PSG-1.
    (10) The following MAC types:
    (A) RPB Industries Inc. sM10 and sM11.
    (B) SWD Incorporated M11.
    (11) SKS with detachable magazine.
    (12) SIG AMT, PE-57, SG 550, and SG 551.
    (13) Springfield Armory BM59 and SAR-48.
    (14) Sterling MK-6.
    (15) Steyer AUG.
    (16) Valmet M62S, M71S, and M78S.
    (17) Armalite AR-180.
    (18) Bushmaster Assault Rifle.
    (19) Calico M-900.
    (20) J&R ENG M-68.
    (21) Weaver Arms Nighthawk.
    (b) All of the following specified pistols:
    (1) UZI.
    (2) Encom MP-9 and MP-45.
    (3) The following MAC types:
    (A) RPB Industries Inc. sM10 and sM11.
    (B) SWD Incorporated M-11.
    (C) Advance Armament Inc. M-11.
    (D) Military Armament Corp. Ingram M-11.
    (4) Intratec TEC-9.
    (5) Sites Spectre.
    (6) Sterling MK-7.
    (7) Calico M-950.
    (8) Bushmaster Pistol.
    (c) All of the following specified shotguns:
    (1) Franchi SPAS 12 and LAW 12.
    (2) Striker 12.
    (3) The Streetsweeper type S/S Inc. SS/12.
    (d) Any firearm declared to be an assault weapon by the court pursuant to former Section 12276.5, as it read in Section 3 of Chapter 19 of the Statutes of 1989, Section 1 of Chapter 874 of the Statutes of 1990, or Section 3 of Chapter 954 of the Statutes of 1991, which is specified as an assault weapon in a list promulgated pursuant to former Section 12276.5, as it read in Section 3 of Chapter 954 of the Statutes of 1991.
    (e) This section is declaratory of existing law and a clarification of the law and the Legislature’s intent which bans the weapons enumerated in this section, the weapons included in the list promulgated by the Attorney General pursuant to former Section 12276.5, as it read in Section 3 of Chapter 954 of the Statutes of 1991, and any other models that are only variations of those weapons with minor differences, regardless of the manufacturer. The Legislature has defined assault weapons as the types, series, and models listed in this section because it was the most effective way to identify and restrict a specific class of semiautomatic weapons.
    (f) As used in this section, “series” includes all other models that are only variations, with minor differences, of those models listed in subdivision (a), regardless of the manufacturer.

    30515. (a) Notwithstanding Section 30510, “assault weapon” also means any of the following:
    (1) A semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and any one of the following:
    (A) A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon.
    (B) A thumbhole stock.
    (C) A folding or telescoping stock.
    (D) A grenade launcher or flare launcher.
    (E) A flash suppressor.
    (F) A forward pistol grip.
    (2) A semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds.
    (3) A semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has an overall length of less than 30 inches.
    (4) A semiautomatic pistol that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and any one of the following:
    (A) A threaded barrel, capable of accepting a flash suppressor, forward handgrip, or silencer.
    (B) A second handgrip.
    (C) A shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel that allows the bearer to fire the weapon without burning the bearer’s hand, except a slide that encloses the barrel.
    (D) The capacity to accept a detachable magazine at some location outside of the pistol grip.
    (5) A semiautomatic pistol with a fixed magazine that has the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds.
    (6) A semiautomatic shotgun that has both of the following:
    (A) A folding or telescoping stock.
    (B) A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon, thumbhole stock, or vertical handgrip.
    (7) A semiautomatic shotgun that has the ability to accept a detachable magazine.
    (8) Any shotgun with a revolving cylinder.
    (b) The Legislature finds a significant public purpose in exempting from the definition of “assault weapon” pistols that are designed expressly for use in Olympic target shooting events. Therefore, those pistols that are sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee and by USA Shooting, the national governing body for international shooting competition in the United States, and that were used for Olympic target shooting purposes as of January 1, 2001, and that would otherwise fall within the definition of “assault
    weapon” pursuant to this section are exempt, as provided in subdivision (c).
    (c) “Assault weapon” does not include either of the following:
    (1) Any antique firearm.
    (2) Any of the following pistols, because they are consistent with the significant public purpose expressed in subdivision (b):

    MANUFACTURER MODEL CALIBER
    BENELLI MP90 .22LR
    BENELLI MP90 .32 S&W LONG
    BENELLI MP95 .22LR
    BENELLI MP95 .32 S&W LONG
    HAMMERLI 280 .22LR
    HAMMERLI 280 .32 S&W LONG
    HAMMERLI SP20 .22LR
    HAMMERLI SP20 .32 S&W LONG
    PARDINI GPO .22 SHORT
    PARDINI GP-SCHUMANN .22 SHORT
    PARDINI HP .32 S&W LONG
    PARDINI MP .32 S&W LONG
    PARDINI SP .22LR
    PARDINI SPE .22LR
    WALTHER GSP .22LR
    WALTHER GSP .32 S&W LONG
    WALTHER OSP .22 SHORT
    WALTHER OSP-2000 .22 SHORT legal term in various locations.

    ….

    Reply
  16. I can certainly attest to ST’s recount of the Beretta. I was deployed back in December 2010. Reported to Fort Jackson in January 2011. We had three weeks to prepare for our deployment. Three weeks. Guess how much time we spent shooting during those three weeks. Not much. One day to practice with the M16. One day to qualify…in a day where it snow the night before. One day to practice with the Beretta. One day to qualify. To me it was more of a fam-fire than a qualification. We had practice with the 9mm/M16 simulators. However, that is nothing like firing the real thing. During my 12-month deployment, I only had one day of fam-fire…where I had a chance to shoot one magazine. WOW!! While I was not part of the group outside the wire, they should have at least given us more time to practice regardless of you job. In the end, when all hell breaks loose, you are the last defense.

    Reply

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