When evil individuals choose their targets, they typically pick places where they expect little to no resistance.
On July 17, a deranged individual walked out of a shopping mall bathroom and opened fire on the people in the food court. The first shots he fired were the first warning of the danger everyone was faced with. In high-stress, high-danger environments like this, humans typically do one of three things. The three Fs stand for Flight, Freeze of Fight. In this case, one individual chose the latter and opened fire on the gunman, eliminating the threat to himself, his girlfriend and all the other shoppers. While his actions undoubtedly saved many lives, three people did lose their lives in that food court that day. What can we learn from this event?
One thing we should take away is that evil things can happen anywhere. No one who went to that mall that day feared they might be the victim of a mass shooting, but they were. We need to be constantly vigilant about our surroundings and be aware that the worst could happen at any time.
When evil individuals choose their targets, they typically pick places where they expect little to no resistance. They don’t plan to have to defend themselves because they don’t expect a fight. In this case, the mall was posted as a firearms-free area. That post clearly failed to deter the shooter and, perhaps, even encouraged him to select that location to target. If there is anything that these events have taught us, it is that gun-free zones do not work. While the hero of this story violated the gun-free zone signs, they were mall policy, not law, and there are people alive today that would not be had he made a different choice.
How would you have reacted in a similar situation? Have you actually trained in a high-stress environment and determined exactly what you are and are not capable of? In this case, the hero and shooter were almost 40 yards apart. It’s safe to say that is a long distance to engage with a pistol. When was the last time you engaged a steel silhouette at 40 yards? Training in live fire video simulators can better prepare you to both make the right decisions and understand how you may react should you ever face a situation like this.
Mass shootings typically end when the shooter is challenged by a law enforcement officer or, in about 5% of the cases, an armed civilian. Once the shooting has stopped, there are still lives to save. Those who were injured need immediate medical attention. Have you attended a “Stop the Bleed” course so you know how and when to properly apply a tourniquet? The free course covers the latest philosophy relating to the use of a tourniquet – and it’s significantly different than in the past. I encourage you to attend the class, it’s two hours of information that could save your or your loved one’s life.
Nothing in this article is intended to suggest violating any laws. You need to be aware, prepared and committed to staying safe. FBN
By Rob Wilson
Rob Wilson is the owner (with his wife, Elise) of Timberline Firearms & Training in Flagstaff. They offer a full line of firearms, accessories, safes and ammunition along with Liberty Safes. For more information, visit timberlinefirearms.us.
