Interview with a Gunfighter

[IndyKiller82]

Great story!

http://frontsight.com/newsletter/html/04-interview.html

 

[Kirk Freeman]

This is the guy a few years ago in Louisville?

Always amazed at why people do not talk through doors. Maybe it is a cultural objection to being rude. Maybe it is just me, but I'd rather be "rude" than in a gunfight.

What an ordeal. Hope he is doing well today.

 

[dusterboy49]

Just goes to show that you must always be prepared, you are not safe anywhere!

 

[Birds Away]

I am curious as to what gun he used and how many of those 11 rounds were hits.

 

[chris46131]

Thanks for posting that! Ths is exactly the kind of thing that needs to be shown every time someone starts talking about gun bans. This makes it clear that those who choose to carry aren't just crazy gun nuts, but rather they are informed citizens who choose to be prepared to keep themselves safe.

I hope i'm never in that situation but if i am, i hope i do as well as he did.

 

[IndyKiller82]

It does show you that things like that can happen anywhere at anytime.

Does anyone else think this guy looks like Fred Hurt from Gold Rush on Discovery?

 

[cosermann]

Like a lot of you, I collect and reflect on stories like this. Here are a few notes of common themes I think.

• Time – 4:30ish (1:15) – incidents can occur anytime – not just after o’ dark-thirty.
• Unusual interactions with people you don’t know can be probing/casing for a suitable victim.
• Displaying lots of cash (2:12) is never a good idea. Keep cash separate from items you need to access frequently (i.e. money clip, etc.) so it doesn’t flash when doing routine things like accessing business cards, etc. Better yet, only carry the cash you anticipating needing while out. Credit cards can cover the unexpected expenses.
• Knocks at the door (3:19) should always be events of high awareness and preparedness. Never figure it’s “ok” to just casually open the door for whatever reason.
• Multiple assailants (3:35). This is becoming far more common. Do you carry enough gun? Are you happy with a 5, 6, 7-shot whatever (regardless of caliber)? He emptied his weapon (5:44), an 11-shot .40 S&W. Do you carry a reload?
• Decisive action and a combat mindset are key. In this case they helped this man prevail against terrible odds and being behind the curve.
• Faked a heart-attack (4:30). I’ve heard of this before. No rules. Do whatever you need to do.
• Physical defensive skills (kicked one perp in the leg 4:37) are just as important as your gun handling skills and often have to be used in concert.
• His gun was carried on-body (4:43). What chance would he have had if the gun was “on the mantle” (9:41) or some other place?
• He often carries his weapon off body (9:19), but his spidey sense kicked in for some reason. Again – carry on body if possible. Never ignore your gut (9:44). My guess is that his subconscious was alerted from the previous interaction about the guy wanting work.
• All this happened (5:14) in just a second or two. Incidents like this often develop very quickly.
• The man and his wife were separated (7:02) and didn’t talk again until after being questioned/interviewed. A standard police practice - separate witnesses. Have your family members been briefed on how to deal w/police?
• They were interviewed for about 2 hours (8:02). This is one thing that makes me pretty uneasy. How does this make you defense attorneys feel? Seems like the standard counsel is to talk as little as possible: fear for my life, point out evidence and witnesses, be nice, then shut-up until your attorney is present. Glad it worked out for this guy.
• Post-traumatic effects are to be expected (8:15) more or less depending on your temperament. It will probably be a life changing event (13:00).
• He credits his past training & experience for kicking in (8:59). Get training! You cannot use skills you don't have.
• Just about all of us let down our guard at times when we feel safe (9:37). Try to be in condition yellow as much as possible.
• It can happen to any of us at any time (11:34). Be prepared (props to the Boy Scouts). There’s nothing you can do without the will and immediate access to defensive tools. Expected that your gun will be confiscated, at least temporarily. Do you have a backup to protect yourself in the meantime?
• He put his gun on the mantle when the perceived threat was eliminated (13:25). The advice is often that you don’t want to be the guy pointing guns around when the police arrive.
• The weapon used by the first perp was a Tec-9, stolen from, wait for it . . . the police department (13:25). Hmm.

 

[TB1999]

Good vid. I liked the part when he said he was upset that he killed the guys but he would have been really upset if his wife got killed.

 

[IndyKiller82]

Good vid. I liked the part when he said he was upset that he killed the guys but he would have been really upset if his wife got killed.

I liked that part a lot too. Great point to argue back at all the anti-gun people.

 

[indyjoe]

This is the guy a few years ago in Louisville?

Yes. He actually had pretty good coverage on local news down in Kentuckiana when it occurred.

 

[Pooty22]

Great breakdown cosermann! Rep'd! This is a great learning tool for anyone in three fence about meeting to be able to defend themselves and their loved ones. I'm going to be sharing this with people who think living in a small town means nothing can happen!

 

[indyjoe]

Great breakdown cosermann! Rep'd! This is a great learning tool for anyone in three fence about meeting to be able to defend themselves and their loved ones. I'm going to be sharing this with people who think living in a small town means nothing can happen!

This wasn't small town. This is the West End of Louisville. That is a bad area of Louisville. They have many of the same problems we see around Indianapolis.

 

[Pooty22]

This wasn't small town. This is the West End of Louisville. That is a bad area of Louisville. They have many of the same problems we see around Indianapolis.

Either way it can happen anywhere at anytime

 

[cosermann]

Check out this prior INGO thread. Happened to him several times (4 gunfights, I lost count), not just one.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...elf_defense/30786-the_lance_thomas_story.html

. . . and he has a cool mustache.

 

[cosermann]

And a little Ayoob commentary on Lance Thomas.

Urban Gunfighter ( The Lance Thomas story)

 

[indyjoe]

And a little Ayoob commentary on Lance Thomas.

Urban Gunfighter ( The Lance Thomas story)

Ayoob often turns a good phrase: "Each and every one of them had died from a sudden and acute failure of the victim selection process."

 

[elliotle]

Excellent. The most important rule of a gunfight: win.

 

[the1kidd03]

Hardly any "industry experts" put out the level of knowledge/commons sense combination as Ayoob.

 

[9mmfan]

I saw something on TV about this several months ago and was astounded with Lance. It validates training and shot placement.
On a side note, and not to offend anyone, it proves that the 45 ACP is not the wonder round that people think it is. In fact it took multiple hits of any of the guns he used to put the BG down.

 

[cosermann]

Lance's record also suggests something about the capacity one might shoot for (pun intended) with respect to one's carry rig.

"Firepower was a factor in all but the first, three-shot incident. The next three averaged more than a dozen shots by Thomas per incident. Add in the first shooting, and it still comes out to at least 10 shots per gunfight fired by the defender, 19 shots in one incident. Once the scope of the predictable threat became evident to him, Thomas was wise indeed to upgrade his firepower from the five-shot, snubnose revolver he started with." - Ayoob.

In the incident that started this thread, the victim also ran through 10 rounds of .40.


Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. - George Santayana.

The wise learn from other people's experience and fools from their own. - unknown.