Subject: Store Robbery Test

Date Sent: 16 Jan 2018

While shopping at a local Stop & Rob, you notice the terrified look on the cashier’s face as she hands over money from the register to a hooded person holding what appears to be a short-barreled shotgun. The hooded person tucks the gun into his long overcoat and runs toward the exit. You are licensed to carry a concealed firearm and have a handgun in a holster under your loose fitting shirt. Do you: 

a) Follow the hooded person outside where there are no bystanders, draw your handgun and, while chasing him and pointing your gun at him, call for him to halt or you’ll shoot;

 b) Draw your gun and shoot the hooded person before he exits the store; 

 c) Without drawing your handgun, shelter-in-place and call 9-1-1;

d) Draw your handgun and be prepared to use it should there be accomplices still in the store or the robber returns – then call 9-1-1.

Answers/Commentary

 

a) Wrong. Unless you are a law enforcement officer, you have no duty, power or right to apprehend the robber. When you point a firearm at another it is a felony in most jurisdictions, self-defense notwithstanding. See d) below.

 

b) Wrong. Intentionally shooting another is murder, self-defense notwithstanding. 

 

c) Correct. Your life is not in immediate danger. Just because you’re packing a heater, doesn’t mean you need to display it. 

 

d) Wrong. Brandishing a firearm might get you killed. Responding law enforcement officers, the store owner/manager or on-scene, off-duty LEOs might mistake you as one of the robbers.  

Chuck Klein is an NRA Certified Firearms Instructor, active member of the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors and author of INSTINCT COMBAT SHOOTING, Defensive Handgunning for Police and many firearm related articles and books.

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Armed Robbery Test

Date Sent: 23 May 2017

Accompanied by two loved ones, you are walking on a public sidewalk with your legally concealed firearm in a hip holster. Suddenly, you are confronted by a man brandishing a handgun, standing at arms length, and demanding your money. Do you:

a) While looking him in the eye and vocally telling him to go away in a commanding voice, ignore his demands, while placing yourself in front of your loved ones and reaching for your cell phone;

b) Immediately reach for your cell phone to call 9-1-1 while telling your loved ones to run away;

c) Grab for his gun with one hand while drawing your own gun and shooting him if he has not relinquished control of his gun by the time your gun comes to battery.

d) Do not look him in the eye, while begging him to point his gun away and while promising to give him your money which you tell him is in your hip pocket. Then slowly reach for your hip-holstered gun, draw it and shoot him – continually and until he is not longer a threat. e) Surrender your money and when he turns to leave, draw your gun and shoot him. Answers: Answer Page Chuck Klein http://chuckklein.com 

Answer/Commentary

There are no absolute right or wrong answers as each situation is unique and circumstance dictates possible conclusions to the scenario.

 

a) If you believe that psychological tough talk will enable you to bluff your way out of a dangerous situation, you might be wrong...dead wrong. Super-predators - losers with nothing to lose - can't be bluffed.

 

b) Some thugs, especially those strung out on drugs, will shoot you even after you have complied with their request.

 

c) Timing, they say, is everything. There's lots worse things than being killed by some thug - one is: watching a loved one die at the hands of this thug because you failed to use the tools available – or were not sufficiently trained in their use.

 

d) Probably your best option if you are practiced enough.

 

e) If he is no longer a threat and you shoot him, it’s called murder.

Chuck Klein is an NRA Certified Firearms Instructor, active member of the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors and author of INSTINCT COMBAT SHOOTING, Defensive Handgunning for Police and many firearm related articles and books.

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Subject: Road Rage Test 

Date Sent: 28 Mar 2017

You are cut-off while driving through traffic. At the next stop light, you flip the other driver off and mouth few vile names at him. When he ignores you, you exit your vehicle and continue taunting him. He gets out of his car brandishing a tire iron. Being only a few yards apart, you fear for your life. Are you justified in drawing your legally concealed handgun and blowing him away?

a) Yes. He is clearly a threat of great bodily harm or death to you;

b) Yes. You may stand-your-ground and defend yourself;

c) Yes, but only if you make it clear that you are capitulating – saying you’re sorry and retreating toward your car - and then only if he continues to advance toward you in a menacing manner;

d) Yes, but you must first fire a warning shot.

Chuck Klein is an NRA Certified Firearms Instructor, active member of the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors and author of INSTINCT COMBAT SHOOTING, Defensive Handgunning for Police and many firearm related articles and books. 

Answer/Commentary

a) Wrong. Court and state laws will never allow you to suck someone into a confrontation for the purpose of then claiming self-defense after wasting him.

b) Wrong. Stand-your-ground laws do not apply to incidents in which you are the aggressor. See a).

c) Correct. If you create a lethal force incident, you must make it clear that you realize your error and stop your aggressive behavior. The problem here is proof. Sans conclusive evidence that you capitulated, might make it insurmountable when defending a charge of wrongful shooting.

d) Wrong. Warning shots are almost never a good plan as an errant shot could injure an innocent person. Witnesses, after the fact, could implicate you as the continuing aggressor. 

Chuck Klein is an NRA Certified Firearms Instructor, active member of the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors and author of INSTINCT COMBAT SHOOTING, Defensive Handgunning for Police and many firearm related articles and books.

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Subject: PARKING LOT SCENARIO TEST

Date Sent: 3 Jan 2017

You are licensed to carry a concealed handgun and are doing so. Standing next to your car in a shopping center parking lot, you hear a disturbance. Turning to look, you see a man about your size, beating another person with a 2x4. The man is across a driving lane – about 25 feet from you. He sees you looking at him, raises the 2x4, screams he going to kill you and then begins to advance. Considering your safety and legal consequences, do you:

a) Draw your weapon and shoot him.

b) Run away.

c) Draw your handgun and fire a warning shot then shoot him if necessary.

d) Shoot to wound in the arm or leg. e) Enter your car and call 9-1-1. Parking lot scenario from email editorial dated 3 Jan 2017

 Answer/Commentary 

a) Correct. The man has beaten another with a weapon that can cause death or great bodily harm, he is advancing toward you and he has verbally indicated he is going to kill you. At such close distance, you might only have time to draw and fire. You shoot for center mass (chest/abdomen) and continue shooting until the threat is gone.  And, no, you are not trying to kill him - only stop his illegal and unwarranted deadly assault. If he dies of his wounds, tough cookies. Legally defensible. 

b) Wrong. You might not be able to outrun him. Even if you are younger and a world class sprinter, turning your back on a killer and trying to outrun him in a parking lot full of cars, people and shopping carts is not a good idea.

c) Wrong. Warning shots are almost never a good plan as an errant shot could injure an innocent person. Witnesses, after the fact, could implicate you as the aggressor. A legal nightmare.

d) Wrong. Even police are not trained to shoot to wound. Trying to hit a moving limb is most difficult and even if successful, at such close distance, might not even slow him down. If unsuccessful (and you survive) a legal nightmare.

e) Wrong. You don't have time. Besides, he could break the window, and being seated, it would be most difficult to draw your handgun. Not a good plan.

Chuck Klein is an NRA Certified Firearms Instructor, active member of the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors and author of INSTINCT COMBAT SHOOTING, Defensive Handgunning for Police and many firearm related articles and books.

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