Episode 235 with Amanda Suffecool

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Rob- Introduction- Welcome to episode 235 of Self-Defense Gun Stories. We’re glad you found us if you’re well trained.. and also if you are new to self defense. I’m Rob Morse and we’re joined this week by my friend and firearms instructor Amanda Suffecool.

Amanda- Hi, Rob.  I’ve been working, talking, teaching, and with the DCProject took a trip to DC to talk to the Second Amendment Caucus, and have been working with them to defend our gun rights.

Rob- We received a rating and a comment last week. (230, 133) James in Minnesota said we helped him get his carry permit. Congratulations to James and to the rest of you who’ve made yourself safer. Please go to the iTunes store where you subscribe to podcasts and let new listeners know what you like.

Amanda- We defend ourselves with a firearm tens of thousands of times each week. Today, we’ll look at a few recent examples. We give you the links back to the original news articles on our podcast webpage.

Our first story took place last week in Ocala, Florida.

Rob- First story- Are you armed at home?  

You hear some strange noises coming from the back of your house. You’re a woman living alone and you’re armed. You walk towards your back door when you see someone outside. You open the door and demand an explanation. The intruder runs around the corner of your house and you follow him. You tell him to stop. The intruder locks himself in the strange car sitting in your driveway. You call the police. Eventually, the police get the man to come out of his car. The intruder runs and the police taze him. Your intruder is arrested for loitering and prowling, trespass and resisting an officer without violence. Your intruder has prior arrests for drug use and possession.

Amanda-  She had her door locked. She was armed when she went to investigate the noises. She called the police and later gave a statement. 

Rob- I bet you’re not happy with this story.

Amanda- Let the police catch the bad guy. When the bad guy went around the corner, what’s to say that there were not several others with him and you were running into a trap.

Rob- We have lots of new gun owners. When do you tell your students what to do if they have a prowler?

Amanda- That is usually during our concealed carry class. I tell them they are not auxiliary police officers. It is their job to run, to stay safe, and to call the police. 

Rob- Why is a holster important. What does it do?

Amanda-  A holster keeps your finger off the trigger. It gives you some place to keep your gun when you don’t want to shoot, and it makes it easier to have your gun with you wherever you are. 

Rob- Does home invasion happen very often in the US? 

Amanda- More and more during Covid.

Rob- Anything else?

Amanda- That is enough for now. Our second story happened in Lycoming township, Pennsylvania.

Rob- Second Story- Are you armed in public?   

You drive a few doors down to see your fiance and her mother.  When you arrive, you see your future mother in law being beaten as she sits in her car.   You call for your fiance’s attention and follow her outside while shouting for her attacker to stop.   The attacker turns his attention to your finance and starts advancing toward her.   Both of you retreat.   Again you shout for your attacker to stop.   Now, he comes toward you.  Your attacker backs you against the wall of the trailer, and reaches into his pocket.

You’re a legal gun owner. You have your carry permit. You are armed. You present your firearm from concealment and shoot your attacker in the chest. He stops advancing on you. You call 911 and begin CPR on the victim.

Both your fiance and your future mother in law have protection from abuse orders against your attacker, they have a history with him.  Earlier today your attacker crashed his car into your fiance’s home and your attacker crashed his car into your car as well. You called the police then and made a report. 

You stop resuscitation when the police and EMTs arrive and take over. The EMTs declare your attacker dead at the scene. You give a brief statement to the police. EMTs treat your mother in law for her injuries.

Amanda- Our defender had his carry permit. He called the police earlier. The family had PFAs (restraining order, or order or personal protection). He was armed and he tried verbal commands. Our good guys retreated from the confrontation, until their back was against a wall. Then, they defended themselves and stopped shooting when the threat went away. They called 911, did CPR, stayed at the scene, and gave a statement.

Rob- That is a lot to get right. Is there anything else you’d like your students to do if they were in a similar situation?

Amanda- Our defender did a really good job. I would not talk to the news, and I’d call my lawyer. I’d also like the fiance to be armed. I want her mother to be armed. When the police say you might need medical attention, then agree with them. We want a doctor’s report saying that mom was hit on this day and was hurt this badly. That acts as  legal documentation in case of future legal actions.

Rob- Talk to me about self-defense insurance and having a lawyer.

Amanda- They provide Money for bail. They provide A lawyer. And they can provide Money for a mental health counsellor.   All of which you will need. 

Rob- Why is that a good idea?

Amanda- Legal defense is expensive. Can your family budget stretch to add 20 – 50k $? If not, you will need to budget a few hundred dollars for self defense insurance. 

Rob- I’m not so big and bad that I wouldn’t want a counsellor to talk to. 

Amanda- Our third story happened in Hamilton, Ohio.

Rob- First this message from Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership.

Rob- Third story- Are you armed at home and here?

You hear a woman scream. It is 8 in the morning, and the screams for help continue. You grab your gun and go outside. You see a woman lying on the ground with a man standing over her. The woman tries to get up and the man throws her to the ground and hits her again and again. You walk closer and shout for him to stop, “Don’t touch her again.” The attacker turns to you and comes closer. You back up. He says he’ll beat you. Now your attacker lunges toward you. You step back again.

You present your firearm and shoot your attacker. Now your attacker stops advancing. You call 911. You stay at the scene. When the police arrive, you give them a brief statement. Other neighbors also called 911. EMS declares your attacker dead at the scene. They take the victim to the hospital for treatment. The local grand jury declares this an act of self-defense.

Amanda- Our good guy had a gun. He tried verbal commands. He retreated and defended himself. Then, he called 911 and gave a statement.

The victim was beaten for several minutes. She is lucky to be alive and not permanently maimed or disfigured. Note that the neighbors called, and the 911 recording could hear the victim screaming for help in the background.

Rob- What else do you see in this story?

Amanda-  I like it that the neighbor interveigned, but I want the victim armed too. It isn’t a plan when you depend on the kindness of strangers to save your life.

Rob- Should we help strangers?

Amanda-  That depends.  When it is obvious that they are in dire need of help,  but know that using your firearm to defend others requires you to meet a certain standard (for them) – the same standard that you must meet for yourself. 

Rob- What are those standards?

Amanda-  You cannot have been the aggressor (and that means the person you come upon and defend cannot have started the fight) and have an honest and true belief in serious bodily harm or death (that part is easier as its visual)

Rob- Defending other people carries some problems with it. When do you talk to your students about that?

Amanda- During our concealed carry class.

Amanda- Our forth story took place in Beech Grove, Indiana.

Rob- Fourth story- Are you armed as you go shopping?

You’re walking out of Walmart. You see a uniformed officer talking with the store greeter and a customer. They are arguing when you see the customer draw a gun and point it at the officer. You’re standing behind the attacker. Both of the victims step back. You drop your packages and draw your concealed firearm. You shoot at the attacker. The attacker runs out the door. You holster your firearm and walk up to the uniformed officer. You give them a brief statement.

Other good Samaritans and officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department stop the attacker outside. The attacker is charged with intimidation, battery by means of a deadly weapon, battery against a public safety official, three counts of resisting law enforcement, two counts of pointing a firearm, battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, theft, and carrying a handgun without a license. The attacker isn’t taken to the hospital. because your shot missed him.

The public affairs officer of the Indianapolis police department said, We thank the public individuals who jumped in to help us. 

Amanda- Like the defenders in our earlier stories, he had his carry permit, he dressed around his gun, and he carried concealed in public. This defender saw that the officer faced an immediate, unavoidable, lethal threat.

The defender used deadly force to stop that threat. He stopped shooting when the threat stopped. He didn’t chase the bad guys out into the parking lot. He holstered his firearm, stayed at the scene, and gave a statement to the officer.

Rob- What else do you want us to do?

Amanda- Can you articulate what you saw that justified the use of lethal force? That takes practice and training. In addition, our good guy missed his shot, so he needs more practice too. This is where I caution my students to know their skill level prior to an altercation.   Practice and understand your cold shot skill level. 

Rob- The real world isn’t what we’re used to at the shooting range.

Amanda- That bullet stopped somewhere and you will own every bit of damage it does. You do not have the legal protections, the qualified immunity, that the police have when they injure innocent people.    

Rob- What do you mean by a cold shot?

Amanda- The first shot of the day out of your holster. No warmup. Learn what you can do.. And what you can’t do yet. You’ll have to get closer or take more time to make your shot.

Rob- Tell me more about legal insurance. 

Amanda- Always have it.  And make sure you understand that you are not a police officer, and so be cautious when pulling your firearm to help others as there is a different standard in play there.

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

Amanda- My nationally syndicated radio show is eye on the target radio. Call in and talk with us Sunday nights from 5 to 7 eastern time. I instruct on the weekends in Northeastern Ohio. I’m also part of the DCProject. Find us at DCProject.info

Rob- After you look at Amanda articles and her schedule, then please leave her a message on the podcast facebook page.

Amanda- We share this podcast with you for free.
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Rob- This show is part of the Self-defense radio network. Find more pro-freedom podcasts at sdrn.us

I’m Rob Morse.  We’ll be back in a few weeks with more Self-Defense Gun Stories.
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