11 Oct 03=20

One of my LEO students in a large city in the Midwest was involved in a fata l shooting last week. He is an exceedingly competent shooter and a dedicated trainer. His skills were tested:

"My young partner (two weeks out of the academy) and I responded to a domestic call. Our department just graduated a large academy class, and all us senior patrolmen are currently functioning as FTOs. A man had accused his wife/live-in of hiding his drug supply (crack cocaine) from him. He subsequ ently became angry and threatened her with a pistol (Bryco 9mm, bright-chrome plat ed). The call to 911 was made by the woman. The offender, upon discovering that his wife had called the police, said that he would 'have a little su rprise for them (responding police officers) when they arrived.' He then went outside and waited for us.

He didn't have to wait long! The two of us arrived, parked one house away, and approached the house in question on foot. We saw the suspect standing ne ar the sidewalk, but it was a warm evening, and there were many other people walking about, as well as a good deal of traffic. However, the offender's s tance (his hands were not visible) made me particularly suspicions of him. I said to my partner, 'See the way that guy is standing? That may be our suspe ct.'

He waited for us to get within twenty feet. We were commanding him to move slowly and show us his hands. Without saying a word, he brought up the Bryco pistol and pointed it directly me. I responded by lurching to the side and simultaneously drawing my SIG P220 (my hand was already on it). As soon as I found my front sight on his body midline, I fired several rounds (230gr Gold Dot). I could see his shirt convulsing, so I knew I was hitting him.

He stumbled backward, but stayed on his feet and did not drop the gun. I could see him frantically yanking on the trigger of his shiny pistol. He wa s trying desperately to shoot me. I fired several more rounds, again into the body midline. By this time, my partner was also firing (9mm, 147gr WW). The suspect fell backward onto his fanny and then fell the rest of the way, hitt ing the back of his head on the ground. However, he still had not dropped his pistol.

Then, he sat back up and pointed his pistol at us once more! I knew I couldn't have more than one or two rounds left in my magazine, so I put my f ront sight on his head and fired what turned out to be my last two rounds (shooti ng him in the pelvis would have been pointless, as he was already sitting). On e round hit him in the throat, and the other hit him in the eye. That did it! He finally dropped the pistol and fell back down, DRT.

I reloaded, but have no memory of it. My partner commented on my fast reload. When he made his comments, I didn't even realize that I had reloaded .

Of nine shots I fired, seven struck the suspect. Of the seven that hit, two , fully expanded, still went through and through. The rest stayed in the body .

As it turns out, the suspect never fired a round. His pistol had a fully charged magazine inserted, but there was no round in the chamber. Either th rough ignorance or carelessness, he had not loaded his pistol. He brought a club t o a gunfight. Shame on him. He won't have the opportunity to make that mistake again!

The department backed us fully. What little criticism there was of our actions was handled deftly, professionally, and quickly."

Lessons:

>There is no "safe way" to walk up to a suspect, just as there is no "safe way" to approach a vehicle. In situations like this, there is seldom going to be useable cover available, so sudden, lateral movement, combined with a smo oth draw, and decisive, aggressive shooting will be the difference between you living or dying.

>In gunfights, you're going to miss with some of your shots. No one bats a thousand in this business. The important thing is to finish the fight! We carry pistols because they are convenient, not because they are effective. Multiple shots will probably be required, maybe even an emergency reload, or two. All this must be practiced thoroughly. If there must be a fight, the best o ne is a short one. Deadly force should always be applied with surgical precisi on but also with great enthusiasm, sufficient volume, and without hesitation or apology.

>Even when a suspect is off his feet and on the ground, he can still be dangerous. You have to watch his hands. If he still has a weapon, make you r judgment based upon his capabilities, not his "intent" or his posture.

>My students were victorious because of skill, teamwork, preparedness, good equipment, personal gallantry, and superiority of purpose. Good show, guys!

/John