Situational Awareness: Clerk has gun Ready When Robber Points Pistol (video)

Gun Watch ^ | 14 March, 2017 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

In this interesting video of an attempted robbery, the clerk's situational awareness allows him to respond quickly. The shooting occurred on March 10, 2017, in Columbus, Ohio. The clerk is suspicious of the customer coming in the door with his hand hidden. The clerk draws his semi-auto from his right side back pocket.  The lack of a holster is a good clue to a lack of training. Store personnel armed themselves after three armed robberies in a year.

Link to video:

In the video, I was only able to detect two shots.  One can be heard as the suspect drops down below the counter level. It is fired by the clerk. It appears to be a miss.

The second shot occurs as the suspect is at the shops doors. You can see the muzzle flash in the image.  It is possible that more shots were fired.

I was unable to detect any shots from the suspect's revolver.

The suspect was wounded in one of his hands. Which hand is not specified.
He was arrested at the hospital.  The clerk's pistol looks rather "Glockish" but many pistols today have that look.

After the suspect has fled the store, the clerk runs up to the doorway.  This is not a good tactic. The threat is gone, and may have set up an ambush.  Call the police.  If you must approach the door, consider a different approach.  It would be good to have a camera monitoring the entrance.

The robbery suspect is rather lucky he was not killed.

©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

[marktwain]

The Clerk had good situational awareness. It happened very quickly.

[Mathews]

How is not using a holster a sign of no training? I have had more training than most (20 years worth) and I don’t use a holster. It’s a personal preference and my weapon is secure.

[Notthemomma]

“The lack of a holster is a good clue to a lack of training.”

How do you know there was no pocket holster? My Ruger LCP has a nice pocket holster with extra mag. It fits nicely in my jeans rear pocket or my dress pants front pocket, is concealed, obscures the handgun outline, and allows easy draw. I saw a slight hesitation by the clerk in whether to complete the draw, not a fumbling about trying to make the draw. Or are you just of the opinion that an external holster and/or open carry is/are so superior for self-defense that no inside the waist or pocket holster is advised?

[raybbr]

I have an LC9S. I carry IWB. I practice drawing every day and with different clothing. I can draw pretty fast. I also practice drawing with one hand from both sides.

[Stentor]

How is not using a holster a sign of no training?

It's a meme to support the "training" industry. If you're not outfitted like John Wick, you're a danger to fuzzy bunnies.

[backwoods-engineer]

I have had more training than most (20 years worth) and I don’t use a holster.

You're just a negligent discharge waiting to happen, then. Even a pocket pistol should be in a pocket holster.

[backwoods-engineer]

Carrying a pistol in a waistband without a holster is dangerous. Since holsters are so inexpensive, why not own one? I have, like, ten.

[Stentor]

Carrying a pistol in a waistband without a holster is dangerous.

OK. In truth, my pocket pistol sits in a Nemesis. Easier on the pocket material.

[onedoug]

Just needs more range time.

[old-ager]

You know all you guys criticizing the remark are arguing with the Gun Watch proprietor (Weingarten), not the FR poster. Read the blog and show some respect.

Signed,
A “trainer”

[School of Rational Thought]

Exactly why he should know better than to make another baseless statement.