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Rob- Introduction- I’m glad you found us and welcome to episode 133 of Self-Defense Gun Stories.
This podcast is for people who are curious about using a firearm for self-defense, and for those who already own one. I’m your host, Rob Morse. We’re joined this week by self-defense instructor Robyn Street. How have you been?
Robyn- Hi, Rob. I’ve been working and instructing and training and…I have met several new people, made new friends and welcomed them into our community. How about you?
Rob- I’m looking for a spanish speaking podcaster who wants to make a spanish version of Self-Defense Gun Stories. If you know someone, then please ask them to contact us. Until then, please introduce our podcast to our new listeners in English.
Robyn- We study several examples where gun owners survived a life threatening situation. Were they lucky, or did they have a plan? What should we do if we were in their place? Our first story took place last week in Detroit, Michigan.
Rob- First story- Are you armed as you leave for church Sunday morning?
You and your adult daughter are going to church. A 75 year old woman also lives with you, and the three of you walk outside to get in your car. A man steps out from next to your house. He grabs your coat and forces you back inside your home. Your daughter follows you. You’re being robbed.
You draw your gun and shoot your attacker. Now he lets go of you. You step away from him and call police. Police call the shooting self-defense.
Rob- Why did the robber want to take them back inside?
Robyn- Sometimes the criminals do that as a way to defeat home alarms and locks or possibly just taking advantage of an opportunity. Sadly, once inside they are out of sight. Now it is possible to rob all of them. Maybe worse.
Rob- Maybe worse. Wow.
Robyn- Whenever we are going to leave the relative safety of our house we need to first check out the area. Use cameras, trim shrubbery, motion sensor lighting, eliminate blind spots, fences… Now is the time to minimize risk as much as possible.
Rob- Your 17 year old daughter can do that.
Robyn- Plan ahead…alarm button on the car key, little air horns, carrying OC spray. Lots of things we can do now to prepare to defend ourselves.
Rob- How did this middle aged woman manage to draw and shoot a much younger attacker?
Robyn- There were 3 adult women involved in this incident. The attacker could really only focus on one at a time. If they operated as a team that would have freed up the other two women to stop the attacker.
Robyn- Advantages of working through what if scenarios. Coordination, force multiplier, increasing situational awareness, increased commitment to train.
Robyn- When he grabbed the intended victim by the coat and started forcing her back into the house. Decision – fight here right now or wait for her turn.
Robyn – Imagine how different this would have been if all three women were armed and worked as a team.
Robyn – I train several shooters that are well into their 70’s. We have a couple that train with us on a regular basis. The wife was 74 when they decided to get a gun. Five years later they are certified range safety officers, have taken medical training, have taken legal training and regularly attend range events. They have made sure that their children and grandchildren got training. They make me very proud!
Robyn- Back to our woman that is being attacked. Gun was readily accessible on her body. No time to go get it.
Robyn- I am glad that as soon as he released her, she stopped shooting. She also got the police on their way.
Rob- How do you manage taking a gun to church?
Robyn- Know your local laws.
Rob- Anything else?
Robyn- That is enough for now. Our second story happened last week in Newman, Georgia.
Rob- Second Story- Are you armed at church as you investigate a strange car?
You’re the pastor of the Saint Smyrna Baptist Church. You notice a strange car parked at the edge of the church property on Wednesday afternoon. You walk up to the abandoned house owned by the church. A large man rushes out of the boarded up home. You call to him, but the stranger grabs you by the coat and butts you in the head. You fall down. The man rushes you again and you draw your firearm. You shoot your attacker. Now your attacker runs away.
You stagger to your feet and call for help. You have broken bones in your face and scratches on your eye.
Robyn- Wrong place at the wrong time…on his own property…on church property.
Rob- I wonder if some of the criminals were using the vacant house for drugs.
Robyn – Suffering from a mental illness, chemically altered, or just a really bad guy. We don’t know why he was so determined to attack the pastor.
Robyn- The why really did matter. The attack was in progress and defense needed to begin without denial or hesitation.
Robyn- My first reaction was that I wished that the pastor would have called the police to have them investigate the abandoned car.
Robyn – It is legal to have OC spray in hand in public in most places. Again always check your local laws.
Robyn- Our pastor had been rushed, head butted and has fallen to the ground. He did a good job of staying in control and in the fight. He was able to get to his gun and use the firearm effectively in such adverse conditions.
Robyn- Train from unusual positions or with simulated physical limitations. If possible find a training situation where this is possible and supervised.
Robyn- As soon as he could safely call the police, he need to get the police and medical help to his location.
Our third story happened last week in Prospect, Connecticut.
Rob- Third story- Are you armed when you are looking for a used car?
There are lots of used car lots. Some are big and some are small. You hope this one is just right. You are inside talking to a salesman when you hear loud shouts from the backroom. You and the salesman stop talking. A second later you see two large men with masks over their faces yell and push one employee and then they begin to threaten another man and start beating him with their pistols. The victim screams in pain. The dealership is being robbed.
You own a gun. You have your Connecticut concealed carry permit. This evening, you’re armed, so you slide out of your chair, draw your firearm, and shoot the attackers. The two robbers run to the back of the building the way they entered. You go to the front desk and make sure the robbers have left. You’re shaken up and it is hard to re-holster your gun. The employees are calling the police.
Police say one of the attackers died at the back of the shop. He had a long criminal history including sexual assault, criminal assault with a firearm, and conspiracy to commit murder.
Robyn- The robbers were using their guns as a bludgeoning tool but no guarantee that they would not start shooting soon. In either case the customer was in a deadly situation.
Robyn- It is a very complex environment – not familiar with employees, flimsy cubicle walls, stressful, dynamic situation.
Robyn- Armed on body. Again we have a situation, that there is no time or opportunity to go get the firearm.
Robyn- In this case, the customer was able to shoot the attackers and they ran away. The attack was stopped.
Robyn – The physical attack is only part of the battle. There is a potential legal battle in criminal or civil court.
Robyn – The armed customer had to make several decision very quickly. It is a good exercise to work through what if scenarios when you enter a new environment.
Robyn – The decision to intervene in the defense of others is complex – increased risk of injury or death and the legal repercussions. Very complex and personal decision.
Robyn – Remember that the armed customer had obviously decided to prepare. The customer had money and time invested in tools, training and was carrying the gun. The other customers could have made the same sacrifices. Their state of unpreparedness did not make them the customer’s responsibility to defend.
Robyn- It is a personal decision that each person would have to make.
Robyn- As soon as safely possible, the customer needed to call the police.
Our fourth story took place last week in Covington, Kentucky.
Rob- Fourth story- Are you armed when you’re spending a night at your parents house?
You’re visiting your folks. It is after midnight when you hear loud shouts from the center of the house. Something violent is going on so you grab your gun and creep down stairs. You see three large men dressed in black, wearing ski masks, and carrying guns. They are shouting at your parents and threatening them. Their guns are pointed at your parents. You shoot the one in front and then aim for the second. Before you can fire again, the robbers have run from the house. You don’t chase them. You and your folks call police.
The police say the three robbers were looking for someone who hasn’t lived there for years. The police chief said what you did was in defense of yourself and other innocent victims so you wouldn’t be charged.
Robyn- My first question is how did the attackers get in the house? Please lock your doors and use your alarm systems. Slow them down and draw attention to the intruders.
Robyn- You are outnumbered and your parents are facing a lethal threat. These were really bad guys. It is a dynamic situation and you have to make sure that the parents are not injured.
Rob- This defender was probably crouching down as he came down stairs. Maybe he was shooting on the move. Where could I learn to do that?
Robyn – Classes and other training environments. At our Scoot and Shoots, the participants have an opportunity to practice movement. Now is the time to develop as much skill and proficiency as possible.
Robyn- It was obvious that the attackers did not think that their intended victims would fight back. After one shot, they decided that it was not the fight that they were interested in and they needed to leave.
Robyn- I am glad that our good guy stopped when they ran away. As soon as safely possible get the police and medical help on the way.
Exit- Rob- that wraps up this episode. Robyn, thank you for helping us again. Where can we learn more about you?
Robyn- I’m at Step by Step Gun Training in Naples Florida. We provide custom training courses as well as group classes. Leave a message for us on the Step by Step Facebook page.
Rob-Leave a message for me on the podcast facebook page.
Robyn- We share this podcast with you for free. We ask that you share the podcast with a friend and give us a rating on I-Tunes and Stitcher. We’re also available on Google Play Music and Spotify.
Rob- This podcast is part of the Self-defense radio network at sdrn.us
I’m Rob Morse. We’ll be back next week with more Self-Defense Gun Stories.
