Category Archives: Incident Analysis

Rock Hill SC Assassination Attempt

You don’t have to be President Trump to be ‘Targeted for Termination.’ Bad Decisions lead to Negative Outcomes; one Justifiable Killing and one 10 year prison sentence.

“This was basically an assassination attempt,” Judge Bill McKinnon said. “It’s pre-planned. I mean, they intercepted him in traffic to block his car in and then tried to kill him.”

Many thanks to Good Guy With A Gun for reporting on this case.

Executive Summary of the Crime

  • Woman (aka WBM ‘would-be murderer’) gets into argument with a male co-worker (MCW).
  • Texts girlfriend (GF) to bring her a ‘tool’ (aka pistol) and sends picture of the male’s car.
  • GF picks up WBM and they follow MCW in car when he leaves work.
  • MCW tries multiple times to escape the confrontation.
  • GF and WBM finally box MCW in at a stoplight.
  • WBM exits GF’s car with pistol concealed in a grocery bag and confronts MCW.
  • MCW retrieves his own pistol from his vehicle and then shoots and kills WBM.
  • GF gets out of her car and punches MCW in the face.
  • MCW indicates to GF with pistol to back off.
  • GF is arrested by POlice.
  • GF charged with Assault and Battery and Felony Murder because of WBM’s death.
  • POlice say MCW acted in self-defense https://www.heraldonline.com/news/local/crime/article289406968.html and no charges are filed against him.
  • GF pleads Guilty to Aggravated Assault and Battery.
  • Judge is unsympathetic to her plea for leniency due to pregnancy and sentences GF to 10 years imprisonment.
  • Prosecutors drop Felony Murder and other charges after 10 year sentence for A & B.

There is no shortage of wackadoos who will try to kill you for nonsensical reasons.

If you would like to read more in-depth articles about self-defense and personal protection, please consider subscribing to my Patreon page.

https://www.patreon.com/TacticalProfessor

Surviving Edged Weapons

There is plenty of commentary, both informed and uninformed, available about the legalities and moralities of Austin Metcalfe’s murder, so I’m not going to go into those aspects of the incident. What has been focused on less is the actual mechanics of the incident. What’s most important for us and our loved ones to know is how to avoid becoming a casualty or fatality in such an incident.

“Yes, Karmelo put his hand in the bag and said five times, ‘touch me and see what happens,’ the witness testified.”

https://www.courthousenews.com/prosecutors-rest-in-karmelo-anthony-murder-trial-after-testimony-on-track-meet-stabbing/

Note that the weapon used was a camping multitool available at WalMart. It has a knife blade, which is 3.5 inches long. This was more than sufficient to pierce Austin Metcalfe’s heart and kill him. Since Anthony had his hand in the bag long enough to repeat his threat five times, the knife was probably already open when it came out. Being within arm’s length in that situation is very dangerous.

Contrary to the pronouncements of some foolish common taters, knives are definitely deadly weapons. While many edged weapon attacks involve multiple slashes or stabs, just one can be sufficient to cause death. Austin Metcalfe’s demise is a sad example of how quickly that can happen.

The video Surviving Edged Weapons is available on YouTube. Made in 1988, it’s still well worth watching, either for the first time or as a review. It contains multiple actual incidents and re-enactments of edged weapon attacks and their aftermaths.

As noted in one comment to the video, the example at 7:15 of an officer being stabbed with a sword through the opening of a door recently occurred IRL in Boston. https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/boston-police-northeastern-university-sword-stabbing/

If you would like to read more in-depth articles about self-defense and personal protection, please consider subscribing to my Patreon page. https://www.patreon.com/TacticalProfessor

Defense of a Third Party – Double Trouble

“What’s the difference between truth and fiction? Fiction has to make sense.” Variously attributed to Mark Twain, Tom Clancy, and other notable authors of fiction.

A recent incident was summarized in a news release by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation because it involved a GBI Agent’s interaction with an Armed Citizen. It is an example of why I don’t bother making up ‘Worst Possible Cases.’ I just follow the news. I’m not clever enough to dream up something as weird as this.

Incident Summary

While driving with his daughter, a man was blocked in by an unhinged driver. The attacker exited his vehicle and approached the victim. The victim put a revolver in his pocket and got out of his vehicle. A fight ensued and the attacker got control of the victim’s revolver. The victim regained control of the revolver and shot the attacker.

A Georgia Bureau of Investigation Agent passing by saw the confrontation. Upon seeing the victim shoot the attacker, the GBI Agent opened fire on the victim. Fortunately, no hits were scored. The victim dropped his revolver and complied with the Agent’s commands.

The attacker drove off. He went to an adjacent county and called for medical assistance. After being treated, he was arrested and charged with multiple felonies.

This incident contains at least three, possibly all four, elements of the Avoid, Escape, Confront, Resist paradigm. https://thetacticalprofessor.net/2016/07/24/the-cost-of-killing/ The underlying causes of all this weirdness have not yet been revealed.

https://gbi.georgia.gov/press-releases/2026-04-05/gbi-investigates-aggravated-assault-and-officer-involved-shooting-hull

A few of the elements involved in the incident for consideration

This incident is worthy of an entire series on my Patreon page.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/complicated-of-i-156362758

https://www.patreon.com/TacticalProfessor

He Saved My Life!

#mousegunmonday #win

The victim of the robbery wouldn’t go on camera but said, “He saved my life!” Customer’s mousegun comes to the rescue. The surveillance video of this incident shows a customer in a Michigan convenience store react to an armed robbery of the store clerk.

The customer draws a pocket carried, probably laser equipped, mousegun from his pocket, activate the laser, and fire seven shots in three volleys at the robber. His initial volley of three shots is taken at the closer end of the Near Phase of Public Space, probably about 12-15 feet. He made at least three hits for the seven shots; a minimum of a 43% hit rate. The firing solution required him to shoot past the clerk who is downrange and in close proximity to the robber. He was able to do this despite shooting with his Primary Hand Only.

The robber was neutralized by the customer’s bullets and the clerk was unharmed. #WIN It wasn’t a 25 yard headshot but it was beyond “arm’s length.”

Legal post-mortem: The District Attorney ruled that the shooting was Justified as a Defense of Another Individual.

SELF-DEFENSE ACT (EXCERPT)

Act 309 of 2006

780.972 Use of deadly force by individual not engaged in commission of crime; conditions.

Sec. 2.

    (1) An individual who has not or is not engaged in the commission of a crime at the time he or she uses deadly force may use deadly force against another individual anywhere he or she has the legal right to be with no duty to retreat if either of the following applies:

    (a) The individual honestly and reasonably believes that the use of deadly force is necessary to prevent the imminent death of or imminent great bodily harm to himself or herself or to another individual.

Note that some common taters to the video were outraged that charges would even be considered. In any use of deadly force against someone, a decision will have to be made about the legality of the use of force. The news story was published three weeks after the shooting and the decision had not yet been made, pending the completion of the POlice investigation. Anyone who shoots at someone else for any reason is going to have a period of sweating it out waiting for the decision about prosecution. Be ready for that.

The robber was arraigned for three charges including armed robbery. He could face up to life imprisonment because he’s a three-time loser.

I’ll do a more in-depth analysis of this incident on the Incidents and Walkbacks Tier of my Patreon page in a day or two.

https://www.patreon.com/TacticalProfessor

Underestimating Your Opponent

A picture is circulating on Facebook that many people are mocking because the only AR platform rifles they know are in caliber 5.56mm. The picture is of two youths in Minneapolis sitting on a car. One of them is holding a rifle. He’s muzzling his friend but that’s for another time.

“What do you notice about his magazine?”

What I noticed about his magazine is that it’s an M&P 15-22 .22 rifle with a partially loaded magazine. This fact seems to escape some ‘cognoscenti’ who aren’t as cognizant as they think. The follower isn’t all the way down but it’s not obscured by the magazine well either. There are definitely some ammos in it. It might be a magazine blocked to 10 rounds.

Within their performance envelope, which covers many urban situations, .22 rifles are incredibly lethal. One of my colleagues calls them ‘three step guns.’ After being shot with one, the shootee takes three steps and falls down dead as a hammer. Underestimating their lethality is a grave mistake. I have many incidents in my database of people killed by a single round to the chest from a .22 rifle.

“There is no greater danger than underestimating your opponent.”

Lao Tzu

If you would like to read more in-depth information about shooting and personal protection, including making good decisions, consider subscribing to my Patreon page.

https://www.patreon.com/TacticalProfessor

Facebook Marketplace Robbery Foiled

#throwbackthursday

A friend sent me the Good Guy With A Gun desk calendar https://goodguywithagun.store/ as a Christmas present. There’s a story of self-defense or personal protection each day on the calendar.

It’s an excellent resource to rebut the contentions of anti-gunners that guns are never used for self-defense. It’s also useful for updating your own mindset about personal protection. Here is today’s story.

Good Guy with a Gun #76: Peoria, IL

https://www.goodguywithagun.online/p/good-guy-with-a-gun-76-peoria-il

This incident occurred on January 15, 2024. The Substack provides numerous links about the incident and follow-ups but here’s a few for synopsis and easy reference.

Fourth Defendant Pleads Guilty in Fatal Facebook Marketplace Robbery

State’s Attorney News Posted on December 15, 2025

On the evening of January 15, 2024, two individuals traveled to Peoria to purchase a vehicle arranged through Facebook Marketplace. They were directed to an alley in the south end, where several individuals, including Williams, attempted to rob them at gunpoint. 

One of the purchasers, who possessed a lawfully owned firearm, exchanged gunfire with the robbers, and one of the robbers was killed.  The purchaser was not charged, as the shooting was determined to be self-defense.

https://www.peoriacounty.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/1250

Two men charged in deadly Facebook Marketplace robbery attempt

The victim is a legal gunowner with an out-of-state carry permit.

https://www.25newsnow.com/video/2024/01/30/two-men-charged-deadly-facebook-marketplace-robbery-attempt/

Fourth person pleads guilty to 2024 Facebook Marketplace robbery in Peoria

The person who shot and killed one of the robbers was not charged, as [Peoria County States Attorney spokeswoman Anna Perales] said that he acted in self-defense.

https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/aggravated-robbery-sentencing-hearings/

Note: I don’t receive any compensation for mentioning the calendar. It’s a good resource worth looking at.

If you would like to read more in-depth information about shooting and personal protection, including making good decisions, consider subscribing to my Patreon page.

https://www.patreon.com/TacticalProfessor

Why re-enact the losing gunfight?

#wheelgunwednesday

The subject of ‘The Pence Drill’ came up today in the context of reloading a revolver during an incident. I posted a video explanation of what ‘The Pence Drill’ is on my Tactical Professor https://www.facebook.com/ATLFirearms/ Facebook page.

Someone asked, “Why re-enact the losing gunfight?” That’s actually a meaningful question. Two of my friends posted the answers that I would have.

“He is showing a solution that may have saved the officer. Why waste time loading all 6 when two will do?

It’s the teachable moment. Learning from the mistakes of others.”

As my colleague Michael de Bethencourt of Snub Noir https://snubnoir.com/ says, “when you’ve got at least one live round back in the gun, it’s loaded.”

It’s good to hear a meaningful question asked rather than just expressing a criticism.

Gun Grab Attempt Washington SRO Deputy

Every time a POlice officer is attacked in a gun grab, it’s a reminder that Open Carry is not necessarily a deterrent. It may be to a rational criminal but many folks are irrational.

Newly-released videos show the moments a suspected impaired driver grabbed a Thurston County Sheriff’s deputy’s gun during a fight at the scene of a car crash last month.

https://komonews.com/news/operation-crime-justice/body-dash-camera-thurston-county-video-sheriff-deputy-fights-with-dui-suspect-who-grabbed-gun-lacey-crime-public-safety-police-investigation

Items of note from the incident.

  1. The deputy’s openly carried firearm wasn’t a deterrent, it was an opportunity.
  2. The reason the deputy had to get into the fight of her life was because she was preventing the violent suspect from going toward the other parties who were involved in the crash. Don’t assume because you’re a rational person without malevolent intent that others you may have to become involved with are also rational.
  3. The suspect wasn’t a goof at personal combat, he was a Brown Belt in jujitsu.
  4. The taser had no effect on an adrenalized and pain resistant opponent.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving with your loved ones and be cautious when traveling to and from your gatherings. There will be plenty of drunk drivers about.

Lots of lessons from this incident. More about it on my Patreon page.

https://www.patreon.com/TacticalProfessor

Boyd’s Process In Application Not Theory

From a post on my personal Facebook page.

I avoid Stop and Robs in general. One of my men was murdered in one while working an evening part time. It scarred me forever. The hardest thing I ever had to do in the Army was sit with his mother while he was dying in the hospital and listen to her tell me how that POS had killed her son. It was heart breaking.

Many years ago, Evan Marshall, a long time Detroit policeman, wrote a column in Combat Handguns magazine. One month he described his plan if he was caught up in a convenience store robbery.

As long as all they’re doing is robbing the till (register), I’m going to act like a CPA from Akron and be a good witness. But if they start searching people, making people get down on their knees, or herding people into a back room, my wife knows to get away from me because I’m going to start shooting.

My soldier’s murder was captured on grainy surveillance video. He did everything the robbers wanted and opened the safe. They made him get down on his knees and then one of them shot him in the head. He survived for two weeks in hospital before he passed away.

When I went to visit him, his mother took me into an unoccupied waiting room and told me the story of what happened. I will never forget it as long as I live. Evan’s words came to mind and I decided then and there it would never happen to me.

This is Boyd’s Process; know ahead of time what your capabilities are and what you are going to do when the time comes. Then execute your plan without hesitation.

“He threatened me, and said he was gonna slice my head off, and that’s when I tried to call the police. He started throwing things at me, came behind the counter. I tried to run off, but he grabbed his hands around my neck, and pushed me out of the counter space, and that’s when I pulled out my gun and I shot him.”

https://okcfox.com/news/local/7-eleven-clerk-fired-after-shooting-attacker-in-self-defense

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-stephanie-dilyard-after-job-loss?attribution_id=sl%3A4669c667-0958-49d4-a6a5-179769205986

The 1950 Assassination Attempt on President Truman

This post and article are dedicated to the memories and heroics of Officer Leslie Coffelt, who made the ultimate sacrifice, and Special Agent Floyd Boring, who kept his cool under fire.

In the afternoon of November 1, 1950, two Puerto Rican Nationalists made an assassination attempt on President Truman. It’s been described as the biggest gunfight in Secret Service history. Before the assassins were able to enter Truman’s temporary residence on Pennsylvania Avenue across from the White House, their attack was stopped by the White House Police and the Secret Service.

https://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/546e4b74-c821-4f5c-a59d-8ddbbb64aba7

It’s worth noting that the assassins were stopped by two shots by two men armed with revolvers, who knew how to shoot them well.

If you would like to read more in-depth information about shooting and personal protection, consider subscribing to my Patreon page.

https://www.patreon.com/TacticalProfessor