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was in the auto service section of a big chain store. It was late and my vehicle made in under the wire before the service department closed. I was grateful that I got in. As I sat in the empty waiting area I notice an automotive product on the shelf that seemed interesting. I picked it up to read the package as I was waiting.
My back was to the rest of the store. The service department was off my right shoulder. I was engrossed in reading the package and fully entrenched in condition white. I was not paying attention to much. The late hour (for the service department) meant it had no activity, not even an employee at the counter. As I was reading, I heard someone shout something. I glanced up momentarily and saw a man standing near the counter. As I looked back at the box I heard “are you open” shouted very loudly. I again looked up and saw that the man was now facing and looking directly at me. He then said “I’m tired of being disrespected! Are you open?” At that point I realized that he had been shouting at me all along. I let him know that I didn’t work there. That only made him angrier. He went on about being disrespected and not taking it anymore. The more he went on the more agitated he became. He screamed that it was time for people to start taking responsibility for a litany of attacks on people of color. I told him that I had nothing to do with those attacks. By this time, he had moved directly in front of me. He was standing their shouting with clenched fists. I stayed sitting with an open posture as he was screaming at me. In my head I was contemplating the need to call the USCCA emergency response line, if I was even going to make it home that night and why oh why is my gun locked in the box in my truck and not on my hip? I took mental stock of what I had available. In my left pocket a tactical pen. In my right pocket a tactical knife. I also compared his youth and muscular build that indicated either time in a gym or regular physical labor to my significantly more mature and round build of an office worker. The disparity of force was definitely on his side. As this went on the store manager, a rather diminutive man, had come to the scene and engaged the man. I applaud his bravery! Before the situation was resolved the man had accosted other store patrons as the manager tried to diffuse the situation. Eventually law enforcement was called. It took a pepper spray and a taser to get the guy under control and arrest him. The backstory is the guy had lost his job and was very drunk. As I told the manager that came by I thought he was just having a bad day. Unfortunately, his day got worse after he couldn’t get the service department to make another key for him. My lesson, do not let your guard down, ever! Had I acknowledged him the first time he asked if I was open he may not have gotten so angry. He may not have lost control the way he did. My lack of awareness put me in danger. I was formulating an action plan because I was not paying attention to my surroundings. Always be in condition yellow or above. Stay vigilant, stay safe!
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I recently got a story in one of my message subscriptions about a man who accidently shot himself in the butt. The man was experienced and had been carrying concealed for over 10 years.
What led to the incident (as indicated in the message) was that he had recently changed from his regular carry holster to a new one. The material in the old and new holsters were different but are not relevant to this discussion. I tried to find the original report but didn’t find it. I found lots of other ‘accidental’ (translated to negligent in my mind) self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Back to the original story. The man felt comfortable with his new concealed carry holster and wore it while he was running some errands. On his last stop (he kinda got diverted) he heard a loud bang when getting into his truck. When investigating the sound, he discovered a hole in his pants. Further investigation revealed a through and through in his buttocks. He made his pistol safe and unloaded before going to the hospital for treatment. After going back home he thoroughly inspected the pistol, looking for any clue to the discharge. Not finding any he felt the answer was clothing getting caught in the trigger. In my classes I teach that each day you carry you need to (with no ammunition in your gun or area) practice drawing with whatever it is you are wearing. Getting dressed and arming up without this practice could very well set you up for failure. For example, if you have a garment that impedes deploying your firearm you need to know that before you are faced with a threat and need to deploy it. By practicing with your firearm beforehand you will identify the issue and be mentally prepared to mitigate it and have practiced that mitigation. That simple habit can save your life! Another thing to look for is any part of your clothing that may get caught up in the trigger guard. This is especially critical if you have a firearm that does not have a manual safety. Had the subject of the report done this there may not have been an issue. We all (at least I hope we do) train regularly with our firearms. This training comes in the form of dry fire and live fire on a shooting range. This is necessary and helps us be proficient with our tools. We also need to train with our concealed carry solution. We need to practice presenting and placing our firearm back into the holster. We need to know our equipment without having to think about it. We should get to the state of training where drawing and presenting are natural to us. It is equally important to practice returning to the holster. If you have a carry solution that does not facilitate either of these actions you should reconsider your choice. Most of us have a box of holsters we have tried over the years. Each one was “the” one when we made the purchase. After putting them to use we find something that leads us to the next purchase. For example, I purchased a minimal holster that was essentially a clip that went over my trigger guard and belt. A holster that covers the trigger and adds little to no bulk? Sign me for that! After trying it for a while I didn’t like the fact that once I deploy, I must remove the holster from my belt, attach it to my firearm, then clip it back to my belt. I tried to rationalize it because I thought it was so cool. This one is now used for demo in my gear and gadget module. I could go on and on about the holsters in my box (gear and gadgets bag) but you are smart enough to get the idea. Getting to know your gear is critical and your holster is part of that gear. One could even say the clothing we wear to conceal our firearm is also part of our gear. Knowing their limitations must be part of our decision-making process as we choose a carry solution. Once we have that solution we need to be proficient with it. Practice, practice, practice… |
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I am an Air Force Combat Veteran, Certified by the NRA and USCCA as well as the state of Utah. Archives
January 2024
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