Armed Citizen Stops Man on Seemingly Random Shooting Spree

It could be reasonably argued that the hardest criminal attacks to predict and prepare for are the ones that at least appear to be totally random. There may be more to this one than we currently know, but it sure looks like a random attack by a disturbed person.

Earlier this month, a 46-year-old Colorado man shot another man in an Oak Creek neighborhood for reasons not yet known. This victim was not seriously hurt.

He then drove a few blocks to a mobile home park, fired shots outside of a unit, and then went inside that unit. Inside, he tried to shot a man, but his gun malfunctioned. That victim tackled the suspect, but the suspect was able to fire several rounds at the victim. A woman in the home was also shot. At this point, another man in the home accessed a gun and shot the suspect ending the attack. Both the suspect and male victim died of their injuries. The woman was taken to a hospital and is expected to be fine.

Perhaps the investigation will reveal a motive that ties both locations, and all involved together.

Either way, this case illustrates the point that part of a self-defense plan should be to be as prepared for the unexpected as possible.

A common question asked by non-concealed carriers is, “Why do you need a gun with you?” The standard reply is, “If I thought I needed it, I wouldn’t be here. I’d be somewhere else?” But maybe the best way to answer that is to ask, “Why do you wear a seat belt? Are you expecting to get into an accident?”

The answer, of course, is something like, “No, but just in case it were to happen, then I would be less likely to get hurt?” Exactly! That’s why we carry and stage defensive tools.

Fortunately, a gun was in the home for the second male to end the attack and prevent further life loss. How quickly could you access your defensive firearm in your home to stop a sudden attack? Have you ever run a drill to find out? Is your firearm staged in a place to optimize your response? Stuff to think about.