Episode 145 with Tony Simon

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Rob- Introduction-

I’m glad you found us and welcome to episode 145 of Self-Defense Gun Stories.

This podcast is for people who are curious about self-defense, and for those who are already trained. I’m your host, Rob Morse. We’re joined this week by self-defense instructor Tony Simon.

Tony- Hi, Rob.  We had the diversity shoot last month and we filled the event. I also have some patches for sale to support The Second is for Everyone. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/2a-patch-batch-2019#/

Rob- We received two new comments on iTunes this week. Please go to the iTunes store where you subscribe to podcasts and give us a rating and leave a comment.

Tony- We’ll talk about recent examples where gun owners were in 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 Cleveland, Ohio.

Rob- First story-  Are you armed at work in the middle of the day?  

You’re 80 years old and you still own this deli between Cleveland and Lakewood. The morning rush is over and you’re getting ready for the lunch crowd. Two men come in. Their faces are covered by hooded sweatshirts. One of them has a gun in his hand and he tries to push his way past you to get behind the counter. The robber tells you to open the cash drawer. You draw your gun and fire. Both robbers duck, and then they run away.

You call police. You had another robbery attempt a few weeks ago, and now you carry every day.  The police say your shot missed your attacker.

Tony- This entire attack probably didn’t last 10 seconds. That is why I’m so glad you’re listening to us now. If we’re involved in a robbery, then we won’t have time to think and to plan what to do. In this case, our defender saw a threat, and then reacted when he had an opportunity. Our defender shot his attacker without being wounded because he had a plan and he waited his turn.

Rob- Is an attack at a small store like this unusual?

Tony- Situations like this are common, this was his second robbery in as many months. In a defensive situation distance gives you options and time. If you don’t have that distance your options are limited, you must have a plan. If your mind hasn’t gone there beforehand your body may not have the time to launch your counter ambush.

Rob- Do you need a permit to carry in your own store?

Tony- I’m not a lawyer but in NJ you don’t need a carry permit in your own store or your home

Rob- Where would I learn to recognize an opportunity to defend myself, to move, to draw and and to shoot?

Tony- Go to a defensive firearms training class can teach you when you can legally apply deadly force to defend yourself and others. You also need to learn deadly force law in your state.

Rob- What do you want your students to do in this situation? (That our defender didn’t do.)

Tony- I tell my students they need to think through their defensive gun use before it happens. When the time comes to defend themselves, there should be no hesitation. It’s time to act. Use speed and precision to stop the threat immediately.  The faster the bad guy ceases to be a threat the better it is for everyone.
Rob- Tell me about dry practice.

Tony- Dry practice should be done everyday. It gets you comfortable handling your firearm. You can draw from Concealment, aim and dry fire at a target quickly. You can video yourself and see how to become more efficient in every aspect. You can also practice magazine changes and stoppages while in the comfort of your home at no cost.

Rob-Anything else?

Tony- That is enough for now. Our second story happened last week in Blytheville, Arkansas.

Rob- Second Story-  Are you armed at home on a Sunday morning?

You hear someone at your back door. A second later, the back door to your home crashes in. You walk toward the back door and see two young men with guns in their hands. You’re armed. You move, draw, and shoot. The two robbers run out the back door the way they came.

Now you call police. The officers arrive in minutes because other neighbors had already called the police to report the armed teens going from backyard to backyard.

Tony- That makes two stories that were over in seconds. The defender had no time to think, to plan, or to talk. He had to react quickly. This shows again that your unloaded gun in a box on your bedroom shelf.. Is a dusty paperweight.

Rob- What did our defender do correctly?

Tony-  He had a firearm on him and he acted quickly, decisively and with skill.

Rob- Is it unusual that we have a home breakin with two armed attackers?

Tony- Home invasions are now common.

Rob- When do you talk about home defense with your students? (What classes)

Tony- I teach a class on hardening your home.

Rob- If you’re a legal gun owner, can you carry a concealed firearm at home?

Tony- Yes you can. I do it every day.. even in New Jersey where I can’t carry on the street.

Rob- How would someone learn to carry concealed..and to draw from a concealed holster?

Tony- You learn that after you get your concealed carry permit.

Our third story happened last week in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Rob- First this message about Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership.

Support Doctors for responsible gun ownership, DRGO.us

Rob- Third story- Are you armed at work?

It is three in the afternoon. You and your co-workers are at EZ Pawn shop. You’re behind the counter. A young man walks up to the cash register. He points a gun at you and demands the cash. You’re armed. You open the cash drawer and then draw your gun. You shoot your attacker. He drops his gun and runs. You let him go and call police.

The police say your attacker used a stolen gun to threaten you.

Tony-  Today’s podcast features gun owners that have put in time thinking about how they are vulnerable and how to change that situation. Inventing a defense on the fly is a dangerous mistake.

Rob- How do you show that to your students..or do they have to learn it on their own?

Tony-  You want to remove as many unknowns as possible from a defensive encounter. You need to know how quickly you can draw your firearm. You don’t need to be world champion fast but you need to know how long it takes to get you firearm into action.

You need to know how accurately you shoot your firearm. Can you consistently hit exactly where you are aiming at 3 yards, 7 yards even at 25 yards. As Clint Eastwood says “A man has to know his limitations.“ As always, you need to know yourself. Can you defend yourself against a deadly threat with deadly force. You must know this before it happens. Looking down the barrel of a bad guys gun isn’t the time to ponder if you made the correct decision by pulling your own firearm.

Rob- Where should our students learn these things?

Tony- Step by step. First, we have to learn to own a gun. Then you go on to shoot a gun, and to fight with it.

Our forth story took place last week in Meadow Lake, New Mexico.

Rob- Fourth story- Are you armed at night when you’re at home?

You’re at home on a Saturday night when you hear a knock at your door. You recognize the two people outside, and open the door to talk to them. That is when the two push their way inside. The man has a knife in his hand. The woman has a baseball bat. They threaten you and demand money. You have your gun. You draw and shoot your attackers until they run outside. You stay inside and you call the police.

The police find your wounded attackers down the block. They are taken to the hospital and charged with aggravated burglary and felony assault.

What did our defender do correctly?

Tony- He had his defensive tool quickly accessible that helped him stop an attack. He fired until the threat was over and immediately called the police.

Rob- Was it appropriate to use a firearm in this case?

Tony- Two attackers. They are armed with a knife and a bat. Both are lethal weapons. He had every right to defend himself with a lethal weapon.

Rob- How do you explain that to your students?

Tony- I explain that firearms aren’t the only deadly weapons. Hands,  feet or multiple people can be deadly to a home defender. A person can have their life seriously altered by being struck in the head with a club. If cut severely an adult can lose consciousness in  seconds and die within 4 minutes. So yeeess. A bat and a knife are deadly weapons. The courts see it that way too.

Rob- What do you want your students to do in a situation like this What did our defender screw up?

Tony- He didn’t have his firearm on him. It seems that it was “by the door”. If it was unsecured by the door he could have had it used against him if the bad guys would have kicked open the door instead of knocking.

Rob- Is there more that we want to do if we see someone at our door?

Tony- Be skeptical about uninvited guests in the middle of the night.

Exit-  Rob- that wraps up this episode. Tony, thank you for helping us again. Where can we learn more about you?

Tony- Find me at Diversityshoot.com You can find me on Instagram and facebook at Simon Says Train and The 2nd is For Everyone podcast.

Rob- After you look at Tony websites, then leave us a message on the podcast facebook page.

Tony- We share this podcast with you for free.  Please share the podcast with a friend and give us a rating on I-Tunes and Stitcher.  We’re also available on Google Play Music, Tunein and Spotify.

Rob- This podcast is part of the Self-defense radio network at sdrn.us I’m Rob Morse.  We’ll be back in a few weeks with more Self-Defense Gun Stories.