Man Shot by Deputy after Calling 911
#NegativeOutcome
After a Defensive Gun Use, don’t have your gun in hand when the POlice arrive.
[After the man called 911 saying he had killed someone,] The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the man’s home in the 4300 block of Central Avenue in Camarillo around 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 31. The 79-year-old man was allegedly armed with a gun and the dispatcher, who was still on the line, had asked the elderly man to step out of the house.
The man was allegedly still armed and behaved in a ‘threatening matter,’ prompting one of the deputies to shoot him, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
Most likely after a Defensive Gun Use, a person is going to be very excited. Plan ahead of time to put your gun down before exposing yourself to the POlice. In my first class with John Farnam, he advised us to say “You might want to look over there” and point to your gun that’s in a recognizable place. Probably best for it to be unloaded to preclude the possibility of an Unintentional Discharge.
This type of incident falls into the Negative Outcome category of Undesirable Police Involvement. https://store.payloadz.com/go/?id=2617872
I had a different idea for #fridayfundamentals today but not getting shot is definitely fundamental.
If you are interested in more in-depth commentary about shooting and Personal Protection incident analysis, please consider subscribing to my Patreon page. https://www.patreon.com/TacticalProfessor
My Favorite Pressure Testing Drill
This is an old post of mine on Facebook from 2013. It was reposted today by my friends Phil Wong and Rob Reed. My thanks to them for resurrecting it. The post follows:
The concept of livefire pressure testing one’s shooting skills came up on a forum. This was my contribution.
My favorite drill is simple to set up but complex to administer. It requires comfort with an execution matrix to do correctly.
Conceptually, it’s best done with a group of about 2 dozen people or less. I’ve done it with 3 dozen, but it’s a lot of work.
It’s called ‘Everyone shoots against everyone.’ Using an execution matrix, I have every student shoot a short bout against every other student. Not consecutively, though. It’s not a mystery, I just run down the matrix and pair up names.
Logistically, all that’s required is two pepper poppers and two shoot boxes. The shooting is static. The drill is simple. Two shooters, two poppers, one signal. First to drive his/her popper down is the winner.
Where it gets difficult for the shooters is ramping their focus up and down over the course of an hour or so. Shooters do a lot of standing around and then get quickly called to shoot while the poppers are being reset. I do that timing deliberately.
When I did this for a large police department’s firearms instructors several years ago, their lead firearms instructor was the hands down favorite to win because he was easily the best shot in the department. However, that turned out not to be the case. He became complacent after awhile. The guys that had to shoot against him were jacked up every time. There ended up being no clear cut winner. The guys at the top of the winning curve were all reasonably proficient but not equal to him. Not surprisingly to me, the dedicated point shooters ended up at the bottom of the curve. One even told me he had decided to re-evaluate his philosophy because he got beaten so consistently.
At the end I commented that the amount of time they had to prepare for each bout after being called was similar to the amount of time they had from when they turned on their lights for a ‘routine traffic stop’ until they exited their patrol cars. Some of them do dozens of stops each day because they work traffic on the Interstate.
The psychology of approaching combat is as important as skill. Complacency, among other things, kills. After two years at Rogers, how students dealt with the problem mentally became far more interesting to me than the technique.
One of the difficulties of the Rogers Testing Program is that it requires students to take turns loading magazines, watching/evaluating someone else, and then standing and delivering. It goes on for over an hour, which is psychologically nerve racking. This evening, I was watching some footage of a huge firefight in Afghanistan and was struck at how similar the pacing was to the Testing Program at the School.
Close Quarters Handgun Training
My latest Shooting Illustrated article is posted.
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/close-quarters-handgun-training/
The topic is the ‘Close Quarters Handgun’ class I attended last month. It was taught by Chuck Haggard of Agile Training https://agiletactical.com/ and hosted by The Complete Combatant https://www.thecompletecombatant.com/.
Fair disclaimers up front: Chuck, Shelley, and Brian are all dear friends of mine and I didn’t pay for the class; in fact, Chuck picked up my range fee. Furthermore, I shot the class with the HK CC9 https://hk-usa.com/cc9/ that HK gave me. Chuck called it my “stubby gun,” which it is. Almost everybody else was shooting full size service pistols, most with Red Dot Sights. That said, nobody is paying me for my comments.
If you are interested in more in-depth commentary about shooting and Personal Protection incident analysis, please consider subscribing to my Patreon page. https://www.patreon.com/c/TacticalProfessor
Fraternity Picnic Shooting
A précis of the incident:
- Fraternity holds picnic at an Atlanta park
- Uninvited intruder wearing ski mask crashes picnic and starts a confrontation
- Fraternity members try to de-escalate the situation
- Masked intruder pulls out a gun and starts shooting
- A fraternity Brother is shot in the head and dies on scene
- Other fraternity Brothers, who have Weapons Carry Licenses, are armed
- They draw their guns and shoot the masked intruder
- Intruder is neutralized with bullets and later expires in hospital
Sad that carrying a pistol has become a necessity even at a pleasant fellowship event but I’m glad the Brothers had theirs. It could have been much worse. There are a lot of emboldened wackos wandering around. The report indicated that the intruder had been walking down the sidewalk next to the park and just decided to make trouble for an unknown reason.
RIP Mr. Pearson.
ARMED CITIZEN – JUNE 2025
Visualization is a powerful tool for survival. Here are some real life incidents from the Official NRA Journals as food for thought.
In Chicago, a 66-year-old man was walking his dog around 6 a.m. on April 8 when he saw two men tapping something on the glass of a vehicle. He later told reporters that initially he thought it was a cellphone but then realized it was a gun pointed at the person inside the vehicle. One of the two men called out to him to “get the […] out of here before I shoot you,” but before he could comply, they fired shots at him. Thankfully, the man had his own firearm and returned fire. The men continued shooting toward him, but soon got into a waiting car and fled. The legally armed citizen suffered one superficial gunshot wound through his leg but was quickly treated and released. “It’s getting rough in Chicago,” the defender said. “And, Mayor Johnson, you ain’t got enough police force.” (abc7chicago.com, Chicago, Ill., 4/8/25)
https://www.americas1stfreedom.org/content/the-armed-citizen-may-30-2025/
In Tulsa, Okla., a man was working on a car in his driveway on March 24 when a homeless man with a baseball bat approached. The homeowner knew the man approaching and had sometimes bought him meals. The homeless man, however, said he was going to teach the homeowner a lesson and suddenly struck him in the face, breaking the bat in two. The homeowner defended himself by shooting the man twice. He then tried to help the assailant, but the man died of his wounds. Police allowed the armed citizen to return home after reviewing security camera footage. (newson6.com, Tulsa, Okla., 3/26/25)
A man in Hardeeville, S.C., attempted a string of armed assaults the night of March 23. Police received a call about the man attempting to carjack a food-delivery driver, but, as they responded to that call, they heard gunshots nearby. The man who’d attempted the carjacking had reportedly fired several shots near a motel, but police weren’t sure if he was targeting anyone in that incident. The suspect then attempted another carjacking outside another motel, firing at the driver once, but this driver was armed and returned fire, striking the assailant at least three times and killing him. The investigation revealed the carjacker had also been encountered trespassing and also in a drug-related investigation in the days leading up to the armed assaults, but his behavior had not been violent in those incidents. Police indicated this investigation remained open, but they believed the armed citizen had acted in self-defense. (islandpacket.com, Hilton Head, S.C., 3/26/25)
https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/crime/article303168656.html
https://www.americas1stfreedom.org/content/the-armed-citizen-may-30-2025/
A man in Philadelphia broke into a home around 1:30 a.m. on March 27 and was shot in the chest and killed by the 70-year-old homeowner. Police indicated the investigation was ongoing, but they believed it to be an attempted burglary and lawful self-defense situation. (nbcphiladelphia.com, Philadelphia, Pa., 3/27/25)
https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/suspect-arrested-man-killed-point-breeze/4144722/
Several people allegedly forced their way into a home in Los Banos, Calif., around 2 a.m. on March 28. The homeowner heard a commotion and discovered the armed intruders. He ran to get his own firearm, whereupon the suspects and homeowner shot at each other (details are vague in reports). The suspects fled, with some leaving in an unknown vehicle, but two suspects with gunshot wounds were later found and taken to the hospital for treatment. The investigation remains open. (kmph.com, Fresno, Calif., 3/28/25)
https://kmph.com/news/local/homeowner-shoots-two-after-home-invasion
In San Antonio, a 47-year-old man entered a shop on the afternoon of April 1 and confronted an employee because he was dissatisfied with the electronics repair service performed on his phone. The unhappy customer then produced a firearm and shot the 35-yearold clerk. Another employee saw the altercation and attempted to defend the clerk and other employees by shooting and killing the assailant. No other injuries were reported, and the armed citizen is not facing charges. Police told reporters “[The] suspect was actively shooting somebody in the store, so that employee stepped up and took care of that. [He] neutralized the threat.” (ksat.com and foxsanantonio.com, San Antonio, Texas, 4/1/25)
Two people allegedly broke into a home in Chino Hills, Calif., through a glass door on a second-floor balcony around 8:30 p.m. on April 2. A homeowner fired at them, causing them to flee. It was unclear whether either of the suspects were struck. Police were unable to locate them and no arrests were made. (ktla.com, Los Angeles, Calif., 4/3/25)
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/homeowner-fires-at-suspect/
A 40-year-old man in Jackson, Mich., fired one shot at a 47-year-old man who was coming up his stairs after breaking a basement window just before 6 a.m. on April 7, striking the alleged intruder in the neck. The suspect was taken to the hospital in critical condition and reportedly admitted breaking in, thinking no one was in the home. (mlive.com, Grand Rapids, Mich., 4/7/25)
https://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/2025/04/man-shot-in-neck-while-breaking-into-jackson-home.html
Anyone is free to quote or reproduce these accounts.
For bonus features, visit “The Armed Citizen Blog” at americanrifleman.org. Share this column online at nrapublications.org.
Negative Outcome – Chasing and Shooting
“Constable Deputies have an adult male suspect in custody following a shooting in the 5400 block of Monteith Drive.
Investigation revealed that the male observed an unknown male breaking into his vehicle and discharged his firearm, causing no injuries.
The unknown male fled the scene and the vehicle owner chased after him for almost a block. Once he caught up to him he discharged his firearm multiple times, striking the male in the torso.”
I find the fact that the shooter was in camo interesting. Purely speculation on my part but if he was waiting in ambush for the car thief it will make the situation even worse.
It’s very galling to have someone steal your property but spending time in prison for reacting to the theft is even worse. Every situation we face has at least two alternatives; sometimes we have to pick the one that’s least worst.
Car Gun – Negative Outcome
Firearms are relentlessly unforgiving of even the slightest moment of carelessness.
4-year-old dies after accidentally shooting self
“Chosen was excited about the family outing and detectives believe he entered the vehicle to wait for the rest of the family, when he found the handgun under the driver’s seat.”
Davenport police news release Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025 (excerpt)
What a beautiful little boy. Gone due to a moment’s carelessness.
Chief: Davenport father forgot to store gun ahead of accidental shooting death of 4-year old
“’Normally he will take the firearm out from underneath the seat and go secure it in his bedroom and he forgot. He just simply forgot,’ said Chief Parker. ”
Your car is not a holster. –Pat Rogers
This is the second incident this year in Polk County of a toddler gaining access to a pistol in a car and shooting himself. https://www.wfla.com/news/polk-county/6-year-old-rushed-to-lakeland-hospital-after-self-inflicted-gunshot-to-head-police/
“Officials remind residents to remain vigilant with firearm safety and to never leave a firearm unattended and unsecured in a vehicle.”
The friend who brought this sad incident to my attention shared some related information.
“On a related note, we baby sat our two grandchildren 1.5 & almost 3 years old boys, and while playing with his cordless drill I was amazed at the interest & ability of the 1-1/2 YO in putting the drill chuck in his mouth and manipulating the trigger to activate the drill. The drill looks a lot like a handgun profile, just no trigger guard….there were several other innocuous toys like that as well. Clear to understand how a small toddler could find a gun and place it on the floor to push the trigger while muzzle directed at their head.”
Don’t let this happen to you, your loved ones, or your friends. Firearms are relentlessly unforgiving of even the slightest moment of carelessness as Chief Parker mentioned. Firearms CANNOT be ‘hidden’ from children; they WILL find them.
We all need to have a way to constantly secure our firearms. Holstering it on your person is the best way. If your gun is too big, too heavy, or has too much tactical crap hanging off of it to keep constantly holstered, then you need to make better decisions about your choice of pistol. A Little Crappy Pistol on your person is better than a .40 S&W with WML in a child’s mouth. And for those times when you can’t holster it, get some kind of safe or lockable container that’s easy to use. Practice using it until it’s as second nature to you as shooting your pistol.
Sorry for being preachy but that little boy’s picture brings tears to my eyes.
More (Again) about Boyd and OODA
Since my coffee hadn’t set in yet this morning, I unwisely became involved in another discussion about O O-D-A and Colonel John Boyd. What most people refer to as the O-O-D-A Loop, I refer to as Boyd’s Process because it’s much more involved than some simplistic circular diagram. Since I typed the whole reply out, I may as well reproduce it.
The foundation of O-O-D-A is Boyd’s Aerial Attack Study. The premise of the AAS is diametrically opposite of what 99% of people think about O-O-D-A. The common interpretation of O-O-D-A is that it somehow involves ‘thinking faster,’ which is physiologically impossible.
O-O-D-A is an analytical concept that Boyd spoke about and mentioned in passing late in his career. The neat extensive diagram sometimes seen was developed by one of Boyd’s acolytes, not Boyd, although he did approve it while he was in the throes of prostate cancer. This is Boyd’s original hand drawn sketch of the process. It is rather complex and doesn’t look anything like the circular models seen in current discussions.
The simplistic circular bastardized diagram that is commonly seen was not part of Boyd’s repertoire and is not even worth mentioning in relation to any serious discussion of O-O-D-A.
The concept of O-O-D-A Loops is mentioned only briefly a few times in Boyd’s multi-hour presentations. Even then he mentioned it in relation to strategy not tactics.
The AAS describes an operational tactical concept that Boyd developed during his time as an instructor at the USAF Fighter Weapons School. He was known as ‘Forty Second Boyd’ because of his ability to defeat any aerial opponent in 40 seconds or less.
However, this ability came from an understanding of possible attack and defense patterns and the capabilities of his aircraft’s weapons systems. He had pre-planned his counters to every move his opponent might make and then vigorously executed the counter faster than his opponent could avoid it.
Because Boyd was a talker and not a writer (he dictated the entire AAS to his boss’s secretary), whether he placed any value on ‘O-O-D-A Loops’ as anything other than a descriptive metaphor is unclear. Nothing in his presentations leads to the conclusion that he thought of it as a tactical decision making template.
Here is an example of Boyd’s thinking in the AAS.
This is the kind of tactical and weapon analysis that was the foundation for tactical execution in the AAS.
Another aspect of Forty Second Boyd is that he was willing to push his aircraft, the F-100, to limits no one else would. He brutalized his plane so badly that at times it required significant rebuilding after he landed.
The Aerial Attack Study is readily available on the Internet. It’s essential reading for anyone who wants to talk about Boyd’s Process from an informed perspective.
Open Carry v. Doofus Carry
A video is circulating on the Interwebz now about an unfortunate situation in which a man’s gun was snatched from him in a gas station. He chased the thief and was subsequently shot with his own gun.
Although I am not a fan of Open Carry, let’s analyze the situation in a little more depth. The proximate cause of the snatch was that he simply stuck his gun in his back pocket unconcealed and then walked into a crowded environment where a bunch of lowlifes were coming and going.
As a result, a ne’er-do-well nonchalantly walked up behind him and simply grabbed the gun out of his pocket.
The carry technique the man was using is more correctly described as “Doofus Carry,” having two parts. There’s no back story to the incident but it wouldn’t be surprising to find that his usual carry technique is in the side door pocket of his car. If so, then when he pulled into the gas station and saw a bunch of lowlifes going in and out, he decided to stick his gun in his pocket when he went in. He probably didn’t stick it in the front of his waistband because he had a striker fired gun and was concerned about ‘shooting his junk off.’
Sticking a gun in a back pocket is not the same thing as having it in a proper holster attached to the belt.
If my hypothesis is correct, it leads more credence to something the late Pat Rogers often said:
“Your car is not a holster.”
To reiterate, I’m not advocating Open Carry. But, if you’re going to carry a gun, at do it right. Have a decent holster and belt. Use it all the time when you leave home. If it’s uncomfortable and you don’t like wearing it, get a better holster or consider getting a more comfortable gun. “Your gun should be comforting not comfortable” is possibly the most ridiculous statement that’s ever been made about firearms.
The one good piece of advice in these retellings is that if your gun does get taken from you, Let it go. https://www.patreon.com/posts/let-it-go-107811846 The thief is now armed and you’re not. Chasing the felon means you’re going unarmed to a potential shooting. That’s a Serious Mistake. Don’t be foolish and assume the thief isn’t familiar and experienced with guns. As this incident shows, that’s the formula for a Negative Outcome.
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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – November 2024
This month we have a Good story of thwarting a gun grab, a Bad story about muzzle direction, and awareness, and an Ugly story about stupidity.
Since November is the month of Veterans’ Day, the musical selection is “La Storia di un Soldalto” (The Story of a Soldier).
https://www.patreon.com/posts/good-bad-and-117021444
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY – NOVEMBER 2024
The Good
DA: Aurora convenience store guard shot gunman in self defense
The video of this incident is quite dramatic and demonstrates that Open Carry is not a deterrence to assault and theft. The criminal deliberately targeted the guard to get his gun. Fortunately, the guard gave the criminal a bullet instead of the gun in the struggle that followed the grab attempt.
The Bad
A DRAMATIC video shows a referee firing a gun at a competitor at point-blank range and hitting him in the bum [i.e., ass] after allegedly not putting the safety on.
“Muzzle direction is the primary safety; always has been, always will be.” –Bill Rogers
The Ugly
McAlester Football Coach Forrest Mazey was charged Friday for a July incident involving a handgun at a cabin in McCurtain County.
Aiming firearms, loaded or not, at other people to scare them is not funny in the least. It’s stupid and ugly.
Enjoy!
If you like my work, join me on Patreon where I post more in-depth articles about shooting, marksmanship, and incident analysis.
https://www.patreon.com/TacticalProfessor
The GBU isn’t drawn from The Armed Citizen column of the official NRA Journals but the November edition of The Armed Citizen is attached. Rather than an obsessive interest in ‘the worst case scenario,’ it shows what the vast majority of Defensive Gun Uses really look like.
tacticalprofessor 
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