Armed Robbery!

14 Sept 09

One of our instructors was a close witness to an armed robbery last Thursday evening!

We're currently in the Midwest, conducting training courses, and we, along with our instructors, were all staying at a local Holiday Inn Express.

Late Thursday evening, my instructor was in the hotel's lobby, working alone at the computer enclave, when an armed-robbery suspect came in and held up the hotel desk clerk at gunpoint.

His narrative:

"Thursday night, after a day on the pistol range, and before retiring to my hotel room for the evening, I was using the hotel's courtesy computer in a nook within the lobby. It was just after 11:00pm.

At the late hour at which I entered the lobby, no one else, aside from the desk clerk, appeared to be present. While seated at the computer, I witnessed an armed robber rapidly approaching the reception counter from some point to the rear of the lobby. If he had been there when I entered, I never noticed him. He pointed a black handgun (looked like a small revolver) at the clerk and loudly demanded money. His hooded sweatshirt was pulled over his head, and he was wearing large sunglasses.

During the robbery, neither the clerk nor the robbery suspect were aware of me. When I realized what was happening, I immediately acquired a master grip of my concealed pistol (G23 w/DPX), took cover behind a corner, and drew to low-ready. As the clerk frantically worked to satisfy the gunman's repeated, squawky, and threatening demands, it was my decision to remain a non-participant so long as my presence was not detected.

However, my mind rapidly sorted through all possibilities. Had the suspect discovered me, I concluded, I'd have only fractions of a second to react.

I considered shooting the suspect in the back, as he certainly represented a lethal threat to the clerk, and to me too. But, I also considered the possibility that what I was witnessing was not what I thought it was. Maybe this whole thing is a just brainless joke between two friends, I thought! Maybe the suspect has an accomplice (or two) I'd not seen!

In any event, the entire episode was over in less than a minute. The robber, cash in hand (less than $200.00, as it turns out), quickly exited and disappeared into the darkness. The traumatized clerk immediately went to the back room and presumably locked the door.

I hustled to my room, locked the door, and called the front desk. The clerk answered, confirmed the robbery, and that police were on the way. The clerk called me back after police arrived, and I went down and talked with them. During the conversation, I gave investigators a description of the suspect and described where I had been standing, along with other details, but I never mentioned that I had been armed, deeming that fact irrelevant.

No arrest has yet been made, so far as I know.

My observations:

(1) As you continually emphasize with us, when least expected, you're elected! We were in a nice hotel, in a nice town, in a nice part of the nice town. No matter! We must have dangerous encounters like this constantly on our mental map. Only then can we keep our wits about us and form a plan without delay. My plan as a private citizen was non-participation. Yet, I was prepared to instantly engage this suspect with gunfire when necessary.

(2) We must remember to look all around. The suspect never looked around. If he had, he would surely have seen me. By the same token, had the suspect been working with a secreted lay-off man, I probably would not have seen him either!"

Comment: All is well that ends well! No one was injured, and my instructor subsequently went his way in peace, none the worse for wear, and with only minimal involvement. That is the good news!

I only found out about the incident the following morning over breakfast, as I had been fast asleep in the same hotel when it occurred. While relating details, my instructor was visibly shaken and only then beginning to contemplate the events of the previous evening.

The rest of the instructors, and I, all contemplated what we would have done had we been there; some of us silently; some of us out loud. However, none of us really knows, nor, with any luck, will we ever!

Gaining information, processing information, sizing-up a situation, distinguishing the significant from the insignificant, and making tactical decisions quickly are all critical personal survival skills, in addition, of course, to weapons acumen.

My instructor did just fine. He made decisions, and he kept his wits about him. He didn't panic!

When it is my turn, I only hope I do as well!

/John