As a result of attending a two-day training session, I offer the following for your review and consideration as to how you would respond.
The two-day training included instructions as to when to use your concealed firearm.
At the conclusion of the two days, the students were taken to a training area where they are faced with a couple of scenarios.
This segment will deal with the first of those two scenarios.
In the first scenario, the student is instructed to walk down the alleyway, obtain money from the ATM machine which is on the wall is at the end of the alleyway, and walk back to the instructor where the journey began.
The alleyway is approximately 30 feet long and 12 feet wide with walls that are about 10 to 12 feet high. The walls have door openings approximately every 10 feet. At the top of the wall there is a viewing area where other students can observe how other students perform and react.
The student is fitted with protective gear and face mask. He or she is then armed with an airsoft pistol which is concealed until they remove it from the pocket/carrier. The student is then instructed that may encounter staff instructors, playing the role of an assailant, who may also be armed with airsoft pistols.
In this scenario the student is advised that he or she will need to make a decision as to how to react if faced by an assailant. (Student is not told whether the assailant will be armed or unarmed)
Each students walked down the alleyway, and upon withdrawing money from the ATM were confronted by the staff assailants.
In each case the assailant instructed the student to give up his or her wallet and the money which was received from the ATM machine. (The distance between the student and the armed assailant is purposely not given.)
In each of the scenarios, the student needed to make the decision as to whether to draw his or her concealed weapon when faced by the assailant who was pointing a loaded airsoft pistol at the student.
In a couple of the exercises, the student made the decision to draw their concealed weapon, at which point they were shot multiple times with the airsoft pistol held by the staff member.
In other cases, the student complied with the assailant, giving up the wallet and the money from the ATM machine, and then returned back to the spot where the journey began.
The question which each of the students had to face is whether to draw a concealed carried firearm when faced with an armed assailant pointing a firearm at the student.
The fact of the matter is: no matter how quick you can draw a concealed firearm, you cannot outdraw an assailant holding a pointed firearm at you.
The issue for you, the reader, is to consider if you would attempt to draw against an assailant pointing a firearm at you, or would you give up your wallet and its contents?
The salient point to be driven home is that no matter what is in your wallet, it is not worth your life.
Also remember the fourth basic rule of firearm safety: Always Be Sure of Your Target and What’s Beyond It – In other words just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Situational awareness
What factors would you take into consideration in evaluating the situation before reacting bearing in mind that your decision is to be made in tenths of seconds
I suggest to you that the time to reasonably consider what you would do in a scenario such as this should be done while you are sitting comfortably, in the safety and comfort of your home or office. This will better prepare you to know how you would choose to react should the situation ever arise.
The fact that you may have a Second Amendment right to carry a concealed weapon, does not outweigh your responsibility. How you exercise that right places upon you a certain burden. You must be careful that your reaction in certain situations do not violate your Second Amendment rights. I suggest that as you carry the firearm, you do not make a decision which will cost you your life or place you in jail.
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