It amazes me how fast this encounter goes from verbal to physical to deadly. How would you have practiced Active Self Protection if you were the intended victim?

News story with details and the decision of the DA: http://get-asp.com/7a86

What lessons do we learn from this encounter?

1. Racial violence is real in America, and it is terrible. To paraphrase Martin Luther King, Jr. I long to live in a country where people are judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character, and that desire goes all ways. These attackers were despicable all around, and violence based on ethnicity or race has no place in our society. None.

2. Thank God that Williams had his firearm on him that day. Four or five angry drunks bent on doing someone harm could quickly have put him in the hospital or killed him. Unless you’re Bruce Lee, one person against 4 attackers is a losing proposition if you don’t have a force multiplier like a firearm.

3. Gunfights are close quarters, mean, nasty fights. This was three shots at under 3 yards while moving and trying to avoid being hurt. That’s the reality of a gunfight, so once you’ve mastered basic marksmanship make sure to train in those skills. You’re likely to need them if you need your firearm.

4. Williams showed good restraint. In the face of slurs he kept his cool. I don’t blame him for not shaking the guy’s hand because he could well have seen it as a front for an attack, and that’s exactly what happened. He drew his firearm in the face of danger but retreated and sought not to use it, which was fantastic. When the time came, he shot until the threat stopped which was exemplary. This is a textbook case of what we train for as armed citizens.

5. The caliber debate is shown to be silly here. This attacker was fatally wounded by a .40 S&W, and yet died 6 miles from the scene and ran away. The myth of “stopping power” is just that: myth. Anything that passes the FBI ballistic protocol is acceptable, so carry what you’re best with and feel good about. And a psychological stop is as good as any other stop!

6. Generally, as a first blush, the one who calls 911 first is seen in the eyes of the law as the victim. Don’t overshare with 911 because the call is recorded and is evidence, but tell them where you are, what happened, and that you need police. Williams did a great job of being ready and being non-threatening when officers arrived, and they did a great job of not coming in ready for a fight.

7. Note as well that it took a good 5 minutes or more for police to arrive; the old adage, “When seconds count, the police are just minutes away” is utterly true and any cop will tell you that.

Attitude. Skills. Plan.

To paraphrase the late, great Col. Jeff Cooper, owning a gun doesn’t make you a gunfighter anymore than owning a guitar makes you a musician. You must know how to use it and here, most importantly, WHEN to use it. Do you have the skills to get to your gun in a gunfight?

There are several lessons for firearms carriers here:

1. You must have the empty-handed skills to use the Five Ds in a close-in gunfight BEFORE you try to draw your firearm. Your firearm is a powerful force multiplier but against a drawn gun and with the attention on you, it is not a useful tool. Drawing on a drawn gun with attention on you is a dying man’s game, so make sure to pick the time to draw your gun when you have opportunity to get ahead in initiative and use your firearm effectively.

2. Marksmanship absolutely matters! The second officer had a very small center of mass of the mugger to shoot at, as the rest was covered by an innocent. Taking a headshot on a moving target under duress with rounds coming back at you is not easy by any means, so OWNING the marksmanship portion of the equation without question is an important skill. You don’t want to question whether you can hit a small target!

3. I have said it before and will say it again…spiritual fitness is important. The officer in the first clip didn’t know that it was going to be his last day on earth, and the officer in the second clip was right there as well but thankfully came out on top. Knowing what you fight for is important, but making peace with God before you meet Him is important as well. Don’t put that off.

4. The second officer waited for his opportunity, and that was awesome. He used a submissive posture of hands up, palms out, fingers spread to show submission to the attacker, right up until the attacker wasn’t paying attention anymore. Then, the fight was ON! That is what we call a counter-ambush, and it can be a very effective tactic.

5. Your draw needs to be practiced, smooth, fast, and without a hitch. The first officer took at least 2 if not 3 tries to get the gun out of the holster, likely because he wasn’t absolutely proficient at releasing his retention mechanism. (I can’t tell which retention holster he has on, so I will refrain from speculating) Practice your draw until you can’t get it wrong, ASPers.

Attitude. Skills. Plan.