Citizen Makes 165yd Revolver Shot to Save Cop From Ambush

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Bartholomew Roberts

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Here is a Youtube video of the citizen telling the story in his own words:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g1n8cmwhIY

And here is a local news story covering the press conference of the shooting (written): http://www.brownwoodnews.com/index....v-park-shooting-video&catid=35:news&Itemid=58

The short version is that in a trailer park altercation over a neighbor's dogs, the criminal killed the owner of the dogs, the dogs and the owner's wife and then grabbed a rifle to set up an ambush for police. A local citizen saw the criminal attempting to ambush the responding police officer and made a 165 yard shot with a .357 Magnum 5" revolver which connected to the leg. The murderer turned to fire at the citizen (whose name I still don't know) and the officer was able to grab his rifle and take cover behind his vehicle and end the fight.

I thought there were a number of interesting aspects to the story:

1. It seems I read the argument that you will never need to take a shot over 25yds frequently; but it does occasionally pop up. That this shooter pulled it off with a pistol was even more impressive.

2. A great case of citizens and police working together to support each other, as well as a department that recognizes the benefit of this and welcomes it.

3. A lot of bravery on the part of the citizen to start a pistol vs. rifle fight from 165yds away when you have the pistol.
 
Funny, I was telling this story to an anti coworker, and before I mentioned the guy with the revolver, she's going on a rant about how the murderer got that rifle...
 
Very nice to see this said by the police -
Sheriff Grubbs commended the assisting resident for his actions. Law enforcement has determined that the resident acted valiantly and perhaps saved the lives of Sgt. Means and responding deputies, Grubbs said.

“His actions may have also saved the lives of other citizens who could have innocently walked into the situation. Under fire, the resident shooter returned fire at precisely the right moment. One of the rounds struck Conner in the thigh and staggered Conner as he turned fire on Sgt. Means,” said Grubbs. “This staggered Conner from having an effective aim as Conner fired upon Sgt. Means. This also enabled Sgt. Means to accurately return fire on Conner.”
Click to expand...
 
excellent job! i would be very hesitant to call that "luck." from 165 yards with a 5" revolver sounds a lot more like SKILL to me!
 
Sheriff Grubbs also noted that some may take this incident as an opportunity to promote gun control; however he felt it is an example of importance of the right to bear arms.

“Had this citizen not had a gun, this could have been a whole lot worse,” said Grubbs.
Click to expand...

This is great.

And that's an amazing story. 165yds... wow. I don't think I could ever make a shot like that. It's VERY nice to see a positive response to an armed citizen assisting police.
 
"I'm fixin' to put one in him, if I can." - :) Sounds like, from what he said, that he went five for five! That's some good shooting for sure. I hope they give him a medal.

I shoot a few rounds from my 9mm's at the 100 and 200 yard targets every once in a while, but to be sure I know how much hold over I need. I always thought it was good to know I could at least put a few rounds onto a car door sized (or smaller) target if I needed to.

I wasn't quite clear on what cover he was behind when he started shooting the guy shot back??
 
At 165 yards, the round he put in the guy's leg might've been aimed as a headshot... :p
Still, you gotta be impressed! THR needs to take up a collection for this guy, and send him the t-shirt that says, "You mess with me... you're messin' with the WHOLE trailer park!".
Better yet, send him two... so he has one for every day of the week! :D

On a quasi-related note, few people realize that the slogan 'Don't MESS with Texas' started as an anti-litter campaign (encouraging people to dispose of their 'mess' appropriately)... sounds like "Message Received"!
 
This is the total defnition of "LUCK"
Click to expand...

Not necessarily. If one is experience and practiced at longer range shooting, such a shot would not be a serious challenge. On the other hand if you consider 15 yards to be a long shot...

Oh well.
 
Good for him and good to show an example of a guy who can shoot doing what needs to be done.
Having LE recognize it is even better.
I'm sure had some of those commenting on the hopelessness of a shooter in Aurora seen this guy take aim they would have just laughed and let the deputy take one for the team.
I wonder if he had proper training and a certification?
Can't say I saw this on the Today Show or GMA.
 
I once heard a self-defense shooting instructor ask students:
"What will happen if you take a 100 yard shot with your handgun?"
No one answered so he said:
"You will probably go to prison because your life is no longer in danger."
I guess there are exceptions to everything.
 
At an LFI course I took years ago, Ayoob had us on the 100 yard line with our handguns. I was shooting a Glock 23, and my first two shots went over the target as I overestimated the drop at that distance and held too high. My spotter gave me instruction, and I dropped the next four (class requirement was to load no more than six) into the chest area on a standard IPSC target.

My conclusion: handguns are plenty accurate, even at distance. It just takes practice.

Kudos to the citizen ... for his spirit and his skill.
 
Gotta love those 357's. and that 66 year old man, who risked his life for a stranger. We don't see that with the younger generation as much, unless they have served their country, or from that kind of upbringing . Good old American unity.This should get more press, "although it won't" it should.
 
Even if he missed it probably would have saved the cops life because being shot at is really distracting. Maybe there really is a use for suppressive fire outside the military.
 
I'll have to fire up a ballistics program when i get home to be sure, but IIRC drop for a .357 at 100 yds is only 4-5". I'm guessing at one 165 yards, it would be about 10-15." In other words, totally reasonable shot.

More than once i've gone to the range with my model 27, set up a silhouette, and startfing backing up to see how far I could go before I stopped making hits. About 220 yards is when I dropped below 50% hits (given, I was holding at the top of the head, and hitting the bottom of the silhouhette at that point)
 
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