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WDAM in Mississippi is reporting that a Lumberton, MS convience store manager was stabbed by a subject while working at the store. A witness who was in the store who had a concealed carry permit took off after the subject, and held him at gunpoint until police arrived.
I commend the person for taking action, but I’m not sure I’d want to be the guy holding the gun when the police arrive.
Not to Monday Morning Quarterback this situation to death, but as an armed citizen, I’m not sure that chasing down a subject and holding them at gunpoint is my place. When witnessing an incident unfold in front of you, protecting you and yours, calling for help, and if possible offering aid to the wounded seems like a better course of action.
What say you?
I would have to say no , we are taught not to intervene unless that we are in direct danger . When you chase after someone it puts you as the aggressor in my opinion .
If more people intervened with their personal defense weapons, we would need less police, criminals would be less bold and more violent criminals like the one in this story would be imprisoned instead of free to harm more victims. We need to stop this collective wish for the police to protect us and start acting like the FREE Men we are supposed to be. If your wife,son or daughter was the clerk would that change your position on intervention?
Hey David,
Maybe I wasn’t totally clear in my blog post. I would have been absolutely alright with the CCW permit holder neutralizing the bad guy during the attack while they were all in the store. After the attack took place, I worry about the safety of the permit holder being the person holding someone at gun point when the police arrive.
Sure, let a criminal that just attempted to murder someone get away when you have it in your power to stop him. Hell, he probably won’t do it again. I sure you and your family are perfectly safe. Heck, you can probably sell all of your self defense guns now. You know you always wanted to take that flower arranging class.
If you have someone at gun point when the police arrive, you should already have a plan on what you are going to do when they actually get there. Turning toward them with the gun horizontal probably should not be part of that plan.
When the police arrive keep your gun trained on the perpetrator. Shout as load as you can that you are” holding this person as a suspect in an armed robbery. You are a CCW permit holder and what does the officer want you to do at this moment” This way you are putting the situation back in the officers court! He will tell you what to do. Your finger should not be on the trigger but along side the frame ready to go back into action if need be. The officer will see all of this, assess the situation and probably ask you to put your pistol on the ground and back away and get on the ground. He may wait for back up and put both of you in cuffs until he sorts it out. depends on if he knows you or not.You have to be aware that he does not know who you are and why you have a gun pointed at someone else.It is critical that shouting your statements breaks his adrenalin tunnel and gets through to him that you are a good guy helping him do his job to keep the community safe. It is a chance that you need to assess in your mind if you are willing to take. I run towards gunfire. Probably something wrong with me. That was why I was a US Army Ranger. Train for all possibilities and then train some more! Never quit and always be diligent!