Excellent Self Defense Advice

[JASmith]

This article is an excellent personal defense discussion:

http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/when-things-go-bad

It is timely and to the point independent of one's position on gun control and is good advice regardless of whether one is carrying.

[LRRPF52]

Brandon Webb had some good points after the Aurora shooting, and one of them was to carry a high intensity weapon white light. I've been a huge advocate of that for years, and buy them for people I know that are more likely to be victimized based on build, gender, age, where they live, etc.

We hear about Situational Awareness all the time, but I don't think most people really internalize SA the way they need to. We also see that the Aurora shooter chose a movie theater that didn't allow guns-not one that held more people, or was closer to him. There's your first clue.

[BjornF16]

I read Webb's post Aurora article. The high intensity light is a good idea, but in the Aurora case, I'm not sure it would have been helpful other than a point at which to aim. My understanding was there was a lot of smoke in the theater (from whatever chemical device he tried to use at the beginning of this assault).

My other take away from Webb's article was he didn't seem to be a fan of armed resistance for the average citizen (he advocates "non-lethal self defense") but I wrote that off to being a Kalifornia citizen/native (or a weapons skill snob).

The other good point he made was not stopping to render first aid until the assailant was verified as being neutralized. There was a case in Tyler, Texas where a man went on a rampage outside of a court house following divorce proceedings, armed with a MAK90. The assailant was able to fend off LEO (who were armed only with pistols). A concealed carry citizen engaged the assailant from behind with his .45, knocking him down. The way it was relayed to me, the citizen shot once, then went to render first aid. Problem was the assailant, who was wearing body armor, got up and re-engaged him, ultimately killing the citizen. The well intentioned citizen should have continued the engagement relentlessly, closing the distance, until confirming the assailant was neutralized.

Was the Aurora shooter really wearing LE/MIL grade body armor or was it simply ballistic nylon clothing? (does the press even know the difference?)

I believe that if there were concealed carry permit holders who were actually carrying inside that particular showing, there wouldn't be 12 dead. Are there any lawsuits against the theater owners yet?

Personally, I don't give business to those establishments that prohibit concealed carry...they are merely "victimization zones".

[bwaites]

Everything I've read says that he didn't have body armor, but simply a nylon weapons vest.

I believe businesses have the right to limit weapons on their premises, just like I have a right to not purchase things there.

Know your state laws, and if the business posts, but doesn't do it in such a way as to meet the state criteria for proper posting, and about 70% of the postings I see haven't met the criteria, don't worry about it.

PS, I've carried a Surefire or similar white light for almost a decade. I always have a light, as well as other things!

[BjornF16]

I believe businesses have the right to limit weapons on their premises, just like I have a right to not purchase things there.

I don't disagree with that...but I believe the business then assumes a liability. LEO is not responsible for my protection...I am. If someone removes my ability to protect myself, they assume the responsibility (imo).

Regardless, if a business posts a legal prohibition to concealed carry (30.06 sign in Texas), they lose my business.

If the Aurora shooter was merely wearing a nylon weapons vest, one well placed shot could have stopped the rampage.

[bwaites]

I don't disagree with that...but I believe the business then assumes a liability. LEO is not responsible for my protection...I am. If someone removes my ability to protect myself, they assume the responsibility (imo).

Regardless, if a business posts a legal prohibition to concealed carry (30.06 sign in Texas), they lose my business.

If the Aurora shooter was merely wearing a nylon weapons vest, one well placed shot could have stopped the rampage.

Heck, just someone shooting back might have stopped the rampage! The guy wasn't suicidal, he was making a statement; he wasn't willing to die, that's why he chose a signed theater.

While I agree with your sentiment about protection liability, no court in the land has so decided. When you make that decision, they are not assuming liability for protection, you are simply unilaterally disarming, and that is ALWAYS a mistake, whether nations or individuals are concerned. I simply refuse to take that chance.

[BjornF16]

Heck, just someone shooting back might have stopped the rampage! The guy wasn't suicidal, he was making a statement; he wasn't willing to die, that's why he chose a signed theater.

While I agree with your sentiment about protection liability, no court in the land has so decided. When you make that decision, they are not assuming liability for protection, you are simply unilaterally disarming, and that is ALWAYS a mistake, whether nations or individuals are concerned. I simply refuse to take that chance.

+1

That's why I was wondering if a lawsuit had been brought yet...

[LRRPF52]

Several lawsuits are in the works, and I believe some of them have merit. We know that his psychiatrist contacted Campus Police, which means he said something indicating that he would do harm to others or himself. It takes very specific things to get a doctor to break doctor-patient privelege.

http://www.9news.com/news/article/280496...st-theater

I used to live right there, and I expected things to go wrong every time I went to the movies, so I planned & prepared accordingly.

[ss355]

The author mentioned that attacks don't come from a vacuum, that there are usually signs that an attack is imminent, and often we (meaning those of us who are civilians) ignore those signs because we think we're overreacting. The book I'm reading, The Gift of Fear, by Gavin De Becker, goes into detail about listening to our intuition to help avoid threats. Haven't finished it, but from what I've read so far I'd say the time I've invested is worthwhile.

[BjornF16]

Thinking back on it, I suppose all the "counter-terrorism" training I rec'd in military had a bigger impact on my personal situational awareness (SA) here at home than I thought. My first operational assignment was at Torrejon AB, Spain (Madrid)...when we first pulled into the base, there was a protest in progress with tires burning. The previous week, there was a bombing at a restaurant frequented by Americans. There were constant bombings in Madrid and elsewhere throughout Spain. Britain wasn't much better (although the IRA typically would leave the port cities alone to not bring unwanted attention there). I caught a shopkeeper taking my photo as the "new guy" just outside the base of Kunsan AB, ROK...confrontation with muslims in Germany (Iranian and Serbs) who found out I was a "Yankee Air Pirate" - LOL (that one was my fault, let my guard down).

SA is not always common sense...most people need to learn the things to look for and work at it. I initially smirked at Webb's article but in re-reading, it has value for the "non-initiated".

[JASmith]

I had a similar picture experience in 1970 in northern Thailand. I made some follow-up queries because the fellow ran when I approached him. Yes, the guy was not a US asset and was filling dossiers. That and other events got me more aware of my surroundings.

Problem is that SA requires frequent refreshing because we all tend to be a bit lazy. The other major problem is doing something about an odd situation and being willing to accept the better 90% odds that it's a false alarm. Of course, one's evasive action might well have made the difference between an Oh S---- and a false alarm, but we rarely get confirmation that our "sixth sense" worked.

Complacency is all too frequently a fatal habit...

[Kikn]

I learned long ago (15) "to be aware is to be alive" it has served me well in a few situations that others didn't fair as well. That shady guy that's eye f@&#ing you is checking out how aware you are. You won't see me in the city streets head down reading my cellphone, sa 0, bad guys will see you as a target. mom taught me long ago not to cross the street without looking both ways, wht might you ask? So you will be aware if a car/truck/bus is coming. Just because you have the right of way doesn't mean you won't get hit by a bus.

[LRRPF52]

Every Stateside encounter I have had where I was justified in using lethal force was preceded by major pinging of my 6th sense, sometimes hours before the incident. There was no mistake in my mind that something was wrong, was going to go wrong, and involved me or my family. Trust your instincts, listen to them intently, be grey while employing or preparing your countermeasures.

I stopped 2 attempted car-jacking dead cold in their tracks, using verbal and visual cues against my would-be attackers. Both scenarios involved my stainless 1911 ready to clear leather if necessary, or already in-hand, and me dominating the mental, eye-focus, and verbal exchange playing fields. Both scenarios were totally different, except that my 6th sense told me something was inbound.

Living in the woods for weeks at a time, hunting other men, or being hunted by them teaches you to pay attention to your sensory zones in ways that sanitized society can never provide you. Living on the streets can teach the same lessons, if you associate with a switched-on and disciplined group of Type-A's, but the criminal world is mostly void of that profile. Discipline is a rare character trait among street gangs or recitivist criminals in general, until you look at orgnizations like the IRA.

Count on death around every corner, while enjoying life on your face like a care-free youth. If you get too wrapped-up in it, your paranoia will show, and that attracts attention in and of itself. That's my outlook anyway.