Episode 208 with Ben Branam

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Rob- Introduction- Welcome to episode 208 of Self-Defense Gun Stories. We’re glad you found us if you’re well trained and also if you’re new to self-defense. I’m Rob Morse and we’re joined this week by my friend and firearms instructor Ben Branam.

Ben- Hi, Rob. I’ve been recording and instructing. I drove to California since we talked, and you drove to Florida. Welcome back to places that like gun owners. Handgunlaw.us I carried a shotgun because California doesn’t like my handguns.

You know, I was thinking about some of the comments we received. You leave out some of the details that as the story unfolds. You don’t tell us how many people are outside his house.. Until the defender finds that out later from the police reports. The news reporter can have the point of view looking down from above, but you keep us in the dark until the attack is over.

Rob- I do that on purpose. It doesn’t seem fair to tell us things the defender couldn’t have known until later. Just like him, we have to make a decision based on what we know at the time.

Rob- We received two more ratings, but no new comments on iTunes 186/107 this week. Please go to the iTunes store where you subscribe to podcasts and let new listeners know what you like.

Ben- We’ll talk about recent examples where gun owners were in a life threatening situation. Did they have a plan, and what should we do if we were in their place? We give you the links back to the original news article in our show notes. Our first story took place last week in Bell County, Texas.

Rob- First story- Are you armed at night?

It is after dark. You’re upstairs in your home when you hear a crashing sound from downstairs. You feel your house shake. You draw your firearm and start down the stairs to see what is going on. You see a stranger with a gun. Before you can fire, he turns and runs. You back up and look out the window to see a car drive off. You call 911.

The Police find a car nearby that fits the description you gave them. They find a person inside the car that fits the description of your intruder. Police arrest all four occupants of the car and charge them with aggravated robbery. Some of the suspects have outstanding warrants for their arrest. They are being sought for aggravated assault and car theft. One of them is held on a 500 thousand dollar bond for armed robbery of a restaurant.

No shots fired.

Ben- (Our defender did some things exactly right.) and no shots fired.

Ben- (Here are some things I want you to do if this happened to you.)

Rob- There are about four million home invasion/robberies each year. What do you think of camera and alarm systems?

Rob- Choice between the back of the bedroom or the top of the stairs. That depends on who else is living in the house with you.

Ben- Fatal funnel. Stairs, hallways, doorways.
Rob- Anything else?

Ben- That is enough for now. Our second story happened in Chicago, Illinois.

Rob- Second Story- Are you armed as you drive in the afternoon?

You’re driving your car down the street of a suburban neighborhood. A stranger across the street sees you and shoots you in your right shoulder. You’re in traffic, so you can’t drive away. You have your Illinois Firearms Owners ID card. You also have your concealed carry license, and you’re armed. You draw your firearm and shoot your attacker in the chest. He stops shooting and drops his firearm. You roll out of your car and call 911. You also shout for help. Police and EMTs arrive. They transport both of you to a nearby hospital.

Ben- done right – Ready to continue fighting after taking damage

Ben- done better – Don’t get stuck in traffic

Rob- Our defender had to draw in his car while wearing a seatbelt and while he was wounded.

Rob- Tell me about competition or practice where you’re carrying something or someone and have to defend yourself. (Carl Rehn- KR training. https://www.krtraining.com/KRTraining/Classes/MedicineXAlumni.html)

Ben- (remember to stop your car.)

Rob- Is defending yourself in your car an advanced technique, or is it the basics applied in an unusual setting?

Ben- Our third story happened in Garden City, Alabama.

Rob- First this message from FASTER CO

Rob- Third story- Do you have a gun nearby at night while you sleep?

It is after midnight when you are jolted awake by a crashing sound, by footsteps, and by voices. You get out of bed and grab your firearm. You move toward the sound and see several strangers standing in your home. Both you and your attacker shout at about the same time. They turn and run the way they came. You follow them and watch them run away. That is when their get-away driver leaves without them, and one of them shoots at you. You shoot back, wounding your attacker. You retreat back inside and call 911.

EMTs take the wounded robber to the hospital. Police arrest his two accomplices at the scene. The police also arrest the fourth robber the next day. Charges include aggravated robbery, burglary of an occupied dwelling, and trafficking illegal drugs.

Ben- Done right – Got his gun before going anywhere else, didn’t fire until he was in fear for his life

Ben- Done better – How far he went or why to investigate voices or why – followed the intruders

Rob- That makes sense now, but might not make sense if we never thought about it and heard a crash at 2 in the morning. When do you talk to your students about defending their home?

Rob- It is really dangerous to chase the bad guys.

Ben- You don’t know what is in front of you. You’re dead if they leave a guy in the corner of your living room and you run to your front door. Now the bad guy can shoot you from behind and you never see him. What if there is a bad guy outside your home on each side of your door? Don’t go there if you don’t have to.
Rob-

Ben- Our forth story took place in Saint Louis, Missouri

Rob- Fourth story- Are you armed in public after dark?

You’re standing in line at the checkout counter of a convenience store. Another customer enters the store. He pushes past you in line and points a gun at the store clerk. Then he pushes you and tells you to get behind the counter and to hand over your money and phone. You own a gun. Missouri is a constitutional carry state, and you are carrying your gun concealed. Maybe it is because the clerk has more money than you do, or maybe it is because the clerk is a man and you’re a woman, but the robber is paying more attention to the clerk. You fumble in your bag with one hand, and draw your firearm with the other hand. You shoot your attacker. He runs away.

You and the clerk duck down and call 911. Both of you are shaken up, but neither of you are physically injured.

Ben- Almost textbook, tactical patience, didn’t follow, called 911

Rob- Is there anything else you’d like us to do if we were in her place?

Ben- More awareness, see it coming.

Rob- How can I do that?

Ben- watch everyone as they come, have an escape plan, have a fighting plan

Ben- What if game.

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

Ben- Contact for me at Modern Self Protection.com. I live in San Antonio, and most of my classes are in central Texas. I teach armed self-defense and church security. Listeners can see my class schedule at my website, and they can also listen to my weekly podcast Modern Self-Protection.

Rob- After you look at Ben articles and videos, then please leave us a message on the podcast facebook page.

Ben- We share this podcast with you for free.
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Rob- Ben’s podcast and this show are both part of the Self-defense radio network. Find more pro-freedom podcasts at sdrn.us

I’m Rob Morse. We’ll be back next week with more Self-Defense Gun Stories.

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