Episode 158 with David Cole

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Rob- Introduction- I’m glad you found us and welcome to episode 158 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 David Cole.

David- Hi, Rob.  I’ve been working and shooting and…

Rob- I owe our listeners a thank you after they left three more comments (47) and 7 more ratings (77) on iTunes. Please go to the iTunes store where you subscribe to podcasts and leave your comment and rating. Your support tells new listeners that the show is worth their time.

David, it’s time for you to introduce this episode.

David- We’ll talk about recent examples where gun owners were in a life threatening situation. Were they lucky, or did they develop good habits of self-defense? What should we do if we were in their place? The links to the original articles are in our show notes. The first story took place last week in Harrisburg, PA.

Rob- First story-  Are you armed in the afternoon?  

You and your family are visiting your mother in law. Your wife and four year old daughter are walking along the sidewalk when a dog run around the corner and growls at you. Your wife steps between your daughter and the dog. A moment later the dog has grabbed your daughter and is dragging her behind some bushes. You dive in after them. You pry the dogs jaws open. The dog lets go of your daughter.A friend draws his firearm and puts it in your free hand. You shoot the dog as he lunges at you.

You call the police and take your daughter to the emergency room. Your daughter requires 30 to 40 stitches on her neck to close her wounds.

David- Your defensive situation may not necessarily involve another human, and a dog attack such as this can be a very difficult problem to solve. This one was especially tough.

Rob- Say more about that.

David- Imagine the situation this father was in, with a dog on his young daughter, and he has to figure out how to shoot it without hitting his child. If you are going to attempt to shoot a dog attacking another person with both of them in contact, as in this situation, there is a very real danger of the round we fire going through the dog and striking the person we’re trying to save. Then there is also the fact that a dog will usually be a fairly small target, and will probably be moving.

I think that the best solution here is to get as close as possible, even to the point of making a contact shot on the dog while considering the angle of the shot versus the position of the dog on the person being attacked. Also, if using a semiauto pistol, be careful not to press the muzzle too hard into the target. Most semiauto pistols have a disconnect which will keep the gun from firing if the muzzle is pressed hard enough.

And these considerations still apply if the dog is attacking us, rather than a third person. Pay attention to overpenetration and your background, and use care when attempting a contact shot. Also, don’t forget about less lethal weapons such as pepper spray. Opinions vary on its effectiveness against dogs, but in my one personal experience with it, it did work.

Rob- What would you like us to do if we were in a similar situation.

David- This young girl could have died if there wasn’t someone with a gun nearby. They were very lucky that someone else was armed and available to assist, but luck is not the same as having a plan and being prepared. Have your defensive tools with you, including less lethal options. Having some sort of personal first aid kit…and the training to use it…could also be extremely helpful. 

Rob- Anything else?

David- That is enough for now. Our second story happened last week in Wilson, North Carolina.

Rob- Second Story-  Are you armed at work in the morning?   

You’re working at the checkout counter of a small ethnic market. It is the middle of the morning when a man comes in with a cloth across his face. He hands you a note saying he has a gun and to give him the money in the cash register. You’re armed. You draw your gun and point it at the robber. The robber runs away and you call the police.

You give the police a description of your robber. They find him a few blocks away. He still has the hold up note in his pocket.

David- I’m glad the clerk had her firearm with her. She did not shoot at the robber as he ran away. She let the robber go rather than chase after him. She stayed at the scene and called the police. She gave a good description of the robber, and now we have a bad guy behind bars where he belongs. She did a great job.

Rob- Are these attacks on small businesses fairly common? 

David- Absolutely. The job of convenience store clerk is regularly cited as one of the most dangerous jobs you can have.

Rob- What would you like your students to do if they receive a robbery note?

David- Whether to comply or resist is a very difficult and personal question. There are those who will tell you to absolutely comply and give them what they want, every time. But if someone says they have a gun and will shoot you if you don’t give them the money, they are telling you directly that they are willing to kill you. I would take them at their word. I would, in most cases, give them the money, while looking for opportunities to flee or to fight if I feel it is necessary.

Tag-No shots fired

David- Our third story happened last week on the north side of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Rob- First this message from FASTER CO

Please support FASTER Colorado at Coloradans for Civil Liberties

Rob- Third story- Are you armed during the day?

You’re walking down the sidewalk when two young men run up to you. They shout, ‘Give me your money. Give it up or I’ll shoot.’ One boy has his hand in his pocket. This is a tough neighborhood and other people have been attacked here. You’re armed. You draw your firearm and shoot the attacker who said he has a gun. Both attackers run. You head the other way and call police.

Police take your wounded attacker to the hospital. The other attacker was taken to jail as an accomplice to murder. Your two attackers were 15 years old.

David- Our defender had seconds to defend herself and I’m glad she had her gun with her. She moved to safety rather than chase her attackers. She called the police and gave a statement.. because that is what the good men and women do.

Rob- This wasn’t a night club late at night. She was attacked on the street.

David- We’re more likely to be attacked in public than at home. We’re more likely to be attacked by several criminals than by one of them. Two young men attacked this woman because they thought they were stronger and meaner than she was. That is why she needed a firearm for her defense.

Rob- What comes before learning to present a firearm from concealment, and what comes after that as you take instruction?

David- First off, firearms safety, marksmanship, and the law. Then presentation, shooting on the move and other more advanced shooting, scenarios and distractions, and talking with the police.

Rob- Why do you mention distractions?

David- Avoid a gunfight. I know you’re fast, but don’t find out who is faster. Throw your purse in one direction and you go the other way. Then protect yourself until your attacker isn’t a threat.

David- Our fourth story took place last week in North Port Florida.

Rob- Fourth story- Are you armed at night when you’re with your girlfriend?

Your girlfriend says she needs cash, so you pull into the credit union. It is 10 at night, and you see someone walk toward your girlfriend as she stands at the ATM. She puts her hands in the air. The stranger has a gun. Your girlfriend is being robbed. You’re armed. You open your car door and shoot the robber several times. The robber runs around the corner to a waiting car. You and your girlfriend drive around the corner to a police station where you both report the attack.

Police pick up your attackers and take one of them to the hospital. The other one goes to jail.

David- Glad he was armed and paying attention. Glad he had a plan to defend his girlfriend if she was being robbed at gunpoint. There were conflicting stories about what happened, but the ATM videos showed who was the attacker and who was the defender.

Rob- Is an ATM at night a dangerous place?

David- it is a watering hole for urban predators. They wait there until their next victim comes along.

Rob- What should we do in this situation?

David- Stay at the scene if it is safe to do so. You want to be the first person to call the police because the first one to call is entered as the victim. 

How about both of you being armed and trained in self-defense? Maybe take a class in partner/team tactics?

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

David- My training website is Aegis Solutions on Facebook. I also write about gun rights at DeltaBravoCharlie.com 

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

David- 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, Spotify, and iHeart Radio.

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.