Quote

2012 is an election year so remember....

“Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed: everything else is public relations.”
― George Orwell

Spinning Hamster

Conversation overheard at work Friday.

Brunette: I know why I'm still single.
Blond: Why?
Brunette: I never forward those emails.
Blond: What emails?
Brunette: Those emails that say forward this to 10 people in the next 10 minutes or you will have bad luck.
Blond: What?
Brunette: I never forward them and that’s why I never get asked out.

Seriously, I gave up on the conversation after that. There were 3 girls one 24 taking her little sister and her friend to celebrate her little sisters 21st birthday the next day. The two sisters were blond and the friend was brunette. All three were what I would call “all American cute”. They were all at least a solid 6 on the Res Ipsa realistic rating scale. The brunette was the cutest and had the largest chest. However she seems to have “issues” attracting men. I didn’t take time to analyze what those issues could have been. However, I think she could have solved all of them by not talking and smiling and nodding whenever a male member of the species talked to her. I’m sure following that strategy she could be married by the end of the next term if that was what she has her hopes set on.

Beer Pong

He's got 12 more years to practice before he's legal but I'm guessing that won't slow him down when he gets to the frat parties.

After Action

When I fired off my post on 6/12 the cops had literally just left.   My Adeline levels were high and I still had red hot blood racing through my veins.  I also had a very mixed bag of emotions inside me.  I don’t know how good of a job I would have done conveying information at that time because I was in a very excited state of mind.

The Incident

I have been working the night shift at work for about 9 months so my “free time” is in the mornings and early afternoon before I go to work.  I was preparing for a benchrest competition and was in my workshop loading ammo.  Because benchrest ammunition is designed for extreme accuracy, the bullets are specially fitted to the gun which they are intended to be used in.  I had my benchrest gun in the shop with me to measure the proper chamber lengths.

A little after 9am I looked up and saw someone walking up my driveway.  This is not unusual as my driveway is long and most delivery drivers prefer to walk their packages around to the back door rather than try to turn around in my drive.  I called out, “Hey I’m over here”.  He didn’t seem to hear me.  My first thought was, “not a big deal”.  I finished up the process I was doing and went out to meet him.  As I was walking out of my shop I noticed a couple of things.  First, he wasn’t carrying a package or letter.  He seemed to be younger than most of the delivery guys that stop in.  Second, he was looking in the windows and doors.  Third, he was twitching and seemed to have a slight tremor, similar to a person coming off of a drug trip.  I was about to call out again, “I’m over here”, when he opened the door and walked in the house.

I ran back into my shop.  I grabbed the only firearm I had, and the single bullet I had just loaded and ran for the house.  I went in the back door very cautiously.  I saw the kid starting up the stairs to the bed rooms.  I took aim.  He didn’t seem to see me, and went upstairs.  I took advantage of the situation to retrieve a more serviceable handgun from my unlocked gun safe.

Properly armed, I started trough the kitchen, gun at the ready as I turned the kid came bounding down the stairs.  I yelled for him to stop, ordered him to “get on the floor”.  He sat down, Indian style by my dining room table.  I called 911.  I told the dispatcher that I was holding an intruder at gun point and gave her my address.  At that point she controlled the conversation.  I however, firmly controlled the suspect.  When he tried to get up, I ordered him back down.  During the time on the phone, the dispatch officers received another call concerning another situation in my neighborhood.  They informed me of that situation.  A teenager who is severely mentally handicapped had wandered off and was lost in the area.  I was asked to describe the suspect.  Which I did.  I then asked her the young man’s name.  When  I asked the suspect if that was his name, he just sat on the floor, like he had been.  I informed 911 that my suspect was unresponsive.  They told me that the kids mother said he wasn’t able to talk or speak at all.

I had been staring at the kid for the last couple of minutes while I was on the phone.  I decided that this kid was not a threat.  At that point I secured my weapon and told the kid he could get up.  He did and started opening the fridge and drawers.  He went back upstairs and jumped on my sons bed.  I went outside to wait for the police.  When they arrived I told them what was going on and they took over, and safely returned the boy to his mother.

Observations

 I’m a hobbyist when it comes to firearms.  I’m no Rambo.  This incident has enforced just how much the opposite is true.  I live blissfully unaware of any potential violence and am largely unprepared to deal with it on a day to day basis.  According to Col Cooper’s color code, this is a condition white mentality.

I’m sloppy when it comes to personal security. 

A.) I don’t normally carry a firearm.  The only reason I had a firearm when I needed on was because I happened to have one to check the chamber lengths of the ammo I was loading.
B.) I was able to retrieve a loaded handgun from an unlocked safe.  The intruder could have taken that same handgun, had he been so inclined.

The weapon you have is the weapon you will use.  If you want a proper gun, you must provide it.  This means its not enough to own good tools.  You have to have them with you to use them.

In terms of gun handling, I functioned flawlessly.  I achieved proper grip, sight picture etc. without ever being aware that I was doing those things.  It was only after I was on the phone with 911 that it even occurred to me that I was in a proper tactical stance.  I don’t remember going into it.  I had a very firm grip on my weapon.  I know this because when the cops arrived I was holding my hands palms out towards them and away from my body.  When the officer gave me the nod, I looked at my hands before I put them down.  The diamond grip pattern was still very clear.  I have no doubt that recoil would be controlled and follow up shots would have been flawless.

In terms of making the shot.  I knew exactly at what point the trigger would have been pulled and the threat stopped. 

In terms of communication.  Everything went according to the book, both in terms of dealing with the suspect and in dealing with 911 and the cops.  One side effect was that I was hoarse for a couple of days from making sure I was understood.  Some sort of hands free phone would have been an asset.

If you have something like this happen and call the cops, you will make the news.  They will get it wrong.  In my case they were kind in their misreporting of the facts, so I’m pleased with what made the paper.

In the heat of the moment, I didn’t do everything right.

First, there was no need for me to confront a (as I believed) doped up robber.  The kids weren’t at home and I was only protecting my stuff in the house.  I have a phone in the shop and could have called the cops.

 

Second,  I charged after a suspect that could have been robbing me for drug money.  The first place someone like that would look would be the safe.  The cash was right by the loaded handgun.  Talk about genius.  I had a single shot bolt action benchrest rig with one bullet, he had ready access to my personal defensive handgun.  My safety never entered my mind.  The smart thing would have been to call for help and wait for the cops in my shop.  Let them charge in.  That might sound like cowardice.  It would have been the smartest course of action.  It also never occurred to me till much latter.

Everything I did was legal and proper.  The cops were great.  The interview was very brief and they seemed pleased with my actions and were affirming of what I told them.  Still, things could have turned out differently and not nearly as pleasant for all involved.  Which brings me to a thought I have had several times.  I’m pleased with my not being dead, hurt or robbed and with not having harm come to my family.  I’ve heard it said, that you don’t know what you will do in a moment like this until after you’ve done it.  I disagree.  I knew at the time where the shoot/don’t shoot line was.  Had the kid crossed it, I knew what I was going to do and where I was going to place my shots.  At a distance of less than 10 feet (I’ve since measured it) none of my shots would have missed.  My strategy was the Mozambique drill.  He would not have survived.   I have thanked God more than once that He delivered this boy from my hand.  Had I killed him, it would have been legal and justified according to the law.  It would have been a burden for me.  I’m very glad it didn’t come to that.  I'm also glad that this was more drama than danager and that it had the best possible ending for everyone involved.

Back On Line

After a short hiatus caused by hardware dying, I now have internet again. Getting back online would have been faster if I hadn't made a trip out of state last week, but some things can't be helped. In other news I didn't compete in the 1,000 yard benchrest competition this year. A combination of a non working gun and last minute ammo issues helped me decide to stay home. I'll try to get to the promised after action report tonight at work if things aren't as crazy as they have been.

Almost...

The sheriffs deputies just left. For the second time in my life I pointed a gun at another human being with the express purpose of shooting.  Gun hot, Safety off, slack out of the trigger.  I shouted orders.  Stop! On the floor!  He did and no one died.

911 was great. The cops were here in less than 3 min.  They got the kid and all's well that ends well.  Most importantly the wife and kids were at grandma and papa's so they didn't see daddy draw down and nearly kill somebody.

I should mention that the two deputies that came were very professional and supportive.  They seemed like good guys.

Wasting Time

I was wasting time on the net today and clicked a link to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.  I stumbled across a section of the site dedicated to men who won the Medal twice.  Considering how difficult it is to win it once, and the fact that most of those who win it die in the process, it seems to me that a second award would be unheard of.  Not so.  19 men have won it twice.  I noticed that of the 19 double winners, 7 were marines, 4 were in the army and the rest were in the Navy.  I expected the marines would be well represented. I was a little surprised the army would have so few.  What really blew me away was the navy.  8 double CMOH awards for the Navy, Wow!  I thought it even more interesting that all of the awards were pre-WWII.  These Navy guys weren't SEALs they were just regular deck monkeys.

I clicked on one.  It reads:

Lafferty participated in the transfer of two torpedoes across an island swamp and then served as sentry to keep guard of clothes and arms left by other members of the party. After being rejoined by others of the party who had been discovered before the plan could be completed, Lafferty succeeded in returning to the mother ship after spending 24 hours of discomfort in the rain and swamp.

I guess you get a MOH for each torpedo you transfer.  Compare that to one of the Marines.

Hoffman was attempting to organize a position on the north slope of the hill when he saw 12 of the enemy, armed with 5 light machineguns, crawling toward his group. Giving the alarm, he rushed the hostile detachment, bayoneted the 2 leaders, and forced the others to flee, abandoning their guns. His quick action, initiative, and courage drove the enemy from a position from which they could have swept the hill with machinegun fire and forced the withdrawal of our troops.

Lets check another Marine.

 Pvt. Kelly ran through our own barrage 100 yards in advance of the front line and attacked an enemy machinegun nest, killing the gunner with a grenade, shooting another member of the crew with his pistol, and returning through the barrage with 8 prisoners.

Marines are awarded medals for acts of bravery in battle.  In the Navy you can get the MOH for, "returning to the mother ship after spending 24 hours of discomfort in the rain and swamp." Incidentally they didn't accomplish the mission.  Apparently you get the fist MOH for being off the ship 24 hours and the second for being in the rain.  The Marines have a special term for being off the ship for 24 hours, shore leave.