Have a "Plan B"

[coloradokevin]

I just thought I'd post a story from the other night at work, just to remind folks to be prepared for the unexpected when carrying concealed.

I investigated an armed robbery just a couple of nights ago, where a business was robbed at gun-point as the two owners worked inside. One of the owners has a CCW permit, and was armed with a revolver at the time of the incident. That fact alone makes this incident very unique in my mind, as it is the ONLY case of violent crime I have EVER investigated where the victim was armed with a gun at the time of the offense. This victim also told me that he has been shooting his whole life, and was well versed in the use of his firearm.

Anyway, in this particular instance the armed victim was working on the installation of a security camera at the time of the incident (irony, I know). As the owner stood on a stool to adjust his new camera, two armed men blitzed the door of his store, immediately jumping the counter and placing him at gun-point. The victim later told me that he thought it took less than a second from the time the door opened until he had a gun to his head.

The suspects were both armed with handguns, and immediately ordered both victims to lay face down on the floor. The armed victim was carrying his firearm in an ankle holster, and told me that the location of the weapon on his body was problematic, as he couldn't easily go for the gun without being noticed. The suspects then ordered the victims to crawl to a back room in the business, at which point they frisked both parties, and discovered the victim's revolver. The victim was disarmed by the suspect at this point, and the suspects also stripped the victims of their cellphones at this time. The suspects then proceeded to lock the victims in the back room of the store while they cleaned the place out.

Without going into any of the critical details of a current investigation, it is safe to say that both owners of this business recognized that their establishment was a prime target for robbery, based both on the type of business they were running, and the location where they were conducting their business. Their store was fairly new to this location, and therefore wasn't yet fully equiped with the security measures that they were planning to install.

In this case the business took a substantial financial loss, but no persons were harmed in the course of the robbery. Nevertheless, this incident clearly highlights how quickly a bad situation can evolve, and should get us all thinking about having a "Plan B".

I can't claim to have all of the answers, but at least thought I'd open this subject for discussion!

A few noteworthy points:

1) Having a gun does not make you safe in and of itself, even with training. Our guns are merely tools.

2) How you carry your gun could be a factor in determining whether or not you are able to deploy the weapon in a time of need.

3) Sometimes you are forced into a situation where taking immediate action against a criminal is not preferable. I fully agree with the store's owner in believing that he would have been killed if he had tried to move for his firearm.

4) Bad things often happen when you are least expecting it. The fight chooses you, you don't choose the fight.

 

[psyopspec]

Awesome post.

I concur with your assessment about the way a person carries. I don't carry on the ankle often, but when I do, it's with the knowledge that if a threat comes up the tactics change. "Seek cover/return fire" becomes "seek cover, draw, then return fire. However, in this case, with absolutely no warning it's likely that not many shooters could have done anything about it.

 

[Girodin]

2) How you carry your gun could be a factor in determining whether or not you are able to deploy the weapon in a time of need.

When I first received some professional training in defensive firearm use this was one of the biggest lessons I took home. We ran through various scenarios and some of them made a huge impression on me about how sometimes when you need your gun you need it immediately. I now prefer to carry in a method that I have very fast access to the weapon. Of course if one is caught completely off guard, as can easily happen, even that might not be enough.

I think your other points are valid as well.

 

[Glamdring]

This sounds more to me like living in condition white. No Situational awareness.

The store owner might be used to guns but doesn't sound like he has training or experience in self defense or combat.

 

[lasinvegas]

I don't lik eankle holsters for the very reason that I doubt I will ever be mugged while tying my shoe.

 

[thorazine]

The armed victim was carrying his firearm in an ankle holster, and told me that the location of the weapon on his body was problematic, as he couldn't easily go for the gun without being noticed. The suspects then ordered the victims to crawl to a back room in the business, at which point they frisked both parties, and discovered the victim's revolver.

I'm quite surprised the criminals did that thorough of a pat down -- especially checking the ankle area.

 

[coloradokevin]

I'm quite surprised the criminals did that thorough of a pat down -- especially checking the ankle area.

Agreed. I've spent my career marveling over the stupidity of criminals, so this piece of information came as quite a shock to me as well. Because that behavior is so abnormal, it does make me consider some other possibilities regarding this case (inside job, etc.). I also considered the fact that the suspect may have spotted the gun on the victim if his pant leg rode up at all when he was proned out on the ground.

This sounds more to me like living in condition white. No Situational awareness.

The store owner might be used to guns but doesn't sound like he has training or experience in self defense or combat.

Well, that is the initial gut reaction I think a lot of folks are inclined to have in these situations. However, the owner's behavior wasn't really carelessly out of line in my opinion... He was working on an elevated security camera in his store (standing on a stool), and said that the suspects came running through the door and made it to him in virtually no time at all.

If his account of the incident is at all accurate, then I doubt that situational awareness could have prevented this blitz attack. Frankly, unless he had an armed "spotter" watching his back while he worked, I doubt he'd have been able to react in time to this type of attack. That's where a "Plan B" needs to come into play.

Simply put, there's only one good side of an ambush to be on, and this guy wasn't on that side on this day!

 

[Averageman]

I would be curious when in the pat down they went for the ankle, because if the went there fairly early in the frisk; they may have known it was there.
I would say the guy had been in there before an at least had a knowledge of the approach to take.
Add the two together and I think you might have that guy on another security camera when he came in before.

In that scenerio,
"As the owner stood on a stool to adjust his new camera, two armed men blitzed the door of his store, immediately jumping the counter and placing him at gun-point. The victim later told me that he thought it took less than a second from the time the door opened until he had a gun to his head."
it may not have mattered where he holstered his gun, they were on him before he could have comprehended the situation and drawn his gun.

Ankle holsters may work for a back-up gun, but your primary needs to be more accessable.

 

[Sav .250]

There are times when a "situation" just doesn`t work to your advantage.
Having a plan...B? Getting caught with your pants down( a figure of speech) leaves no wiggle room. Hence in "this situation" I see no plan B. IMO.
Security camera a given.

 

[Averageman]

Plan "B" might have been lock the front door while your on a ladder adjusting the camera. High crime area and all.

 

[dolittlebb]

IMO, this is a great example of how you can't be prepared for every possible senario, but you should be as prepared as possible. Great post, it sure is going to get me to thinking.

 

[Bailey Boat]

I found a "new" pawn shop in my area last week and decided to drop in, introduce myself and have a look at the firearms. I approached the entry door and saw a small sign that said to "ring the bell" to gain entry. Strange, but not unreasonable so I press the button and the front door buzzes and I enter.

I do what I came in to do and approach the door to leave only to see another sign that says "press the button to exit". I press the button and the door buzzes so I can exit.

I turned back to the owner at the counter and ask about the "different" entry/exit procedures and he holds up a little remote about the size of a normal key fob for your vehicle and presses the button and the door buzzes again. I smiled and went on my way.......

Sounds like the owner in the OP needs to talk to a security person.......

 

[Legionnaire]

I do what I came in to do and approach the door to leave only to see another sign that says "press the button to exit."

One of the gun shops I frequent has this kind of setup. Owner does security systems as well as guns. His place is built like a blockhouse and the front door has no glass panel. This isn't really a "plan B," but his precautions make the kind of surprise attack described by the OP much more difficult.

 

[Jon_Snow]

About the only thing I can see that he really did wong was installing the camera during normal business hours. Personally I think that ankle-carry is too slow to draw, but as Averaman said, in this instance it wouldn't have made a difference. Seems like the store-owner was the victim of some unusually well prepared criminals. 'Blitz' tactics like this are great for taking control of a situation and that's why SWAT teams and the like tend to prefer them. But, as I'm sure any SWAT officer will tell you, they require a good amount of coordination and planning as well as comfort with your partner/partners. My guess would be that these two have been at this before and take it very seriously. I would also guess that the owner made the right decision in not going for his gun, sounds like these criminals would have not hesitated to shoot him.

 

[Glamdring]

coloradokevin: Without going into any of the critical details of a current investigation, it is safe to say that both owners of this business recognized that their establishment was a prime target for robbery, based both on the type of business they were running, and the location where they were conducting their business. Their store was fairly new to this location, and therefore wasn't yet fully equiped with the security measures that they were planning to install.

If his account of the incident is at all accurate, then I doubt that situational awareness could have prevented this blitz attack. Frankly, unless he had an armed "spotter" watching his back while he worked, I doubt he'd have been able to react in time to this type of attack. That's where a "Plan B" needs to come into play.

Simply put, there's only one good side of an ambush to be on, and this guy wasn't on that side on this day!

You say they have reason to believe they are in a high threat area or in other words they were a target. If that is the case then you never let people you don't trust get behind you. You avoid anything that makes you more vulnerable.

He should have been in Cooper's Yellow at least,since it is a high threat I would suggest Orange as a better choice.

He was in condition white (ie not paying attention), he was on a stool which limits his mobility, and he was fiddling with the camera so his attention was not on his surroundings.

I suspect that his being on the stool and not paying attention MIGHT have triggered the attack. The bad guys were certainly conducting surveillance before they launched their attack.

It is like a Lion or house cat stalking prey, they wait till target is looking away from them to launch the attack. That buys them TIME.

Lots of predators, but not all, will be deterred just because your paying attention. Not paying attention, turning your back, things like that can be a trigger just like running from a dog.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Cooper_(Marine)#Combat_Mindset_-_The_Cooper_Color_Code

Check out Lee Lapins posts here. He covers this stuff in great detail.

Be Aware. Be Alert. Have a Plan. Realize it CAN happen to you.

 

[Glamdring]

Averageman
Plan "B" might have been lock the front door while your on a ladder adjusting the camera. High crime area and all.

Excellent observation!

 

[sheepdog]

...I sure would be looking at an inside job...and ex-cops or ex-security...these guys knew just what they were doing...Never have I heard of robbers searching their victims' ankles...that's pro...glad these two lived to tell the story...I guess they had gloves so you got no prints off his gun???

 

[Glamdring]

I have been taught that the priorities are: 1) Awareness (see potential trouble coming) 2) Preparedness (Have Plans) 3) Tactics (Cover) 4) Skill (be able to use tools and tactics correctly without having to think about it) 5) Equipment

If this person had a 1911 or Glock on a belt holster plus the backup on his ankle he still would have had a problem.

His equipment didn't fail him.

At United States Navy Fighter Weapons School aka Top Gun school
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy_Fighter_Weapons_School
they teach many things. One of the basic concepts IIRC is that a pilot can put himself into the "Box" which is a combination of altitude, speed, & position in which he can't get out of without giving opponent the chance to kill him.

To avoid that requires skills and knowledge, with some thinking ahead.

That is more or less what the shop owner did here. He didn't walk into an ambush. He was on his home field and handicapped himself enough so badguys had an easy target.

 

[Diggers]

In and over the counter with gun to head in less than a second?

They were made to crawl to the back of the store?

They were frisked and the gun was found? (Wow that makes me think they have had some training, OR have been arrested a lot.)

Their cell phones were taken?

These criminals were PROS not some wasted junky! The used good tactics which kept them in control at all times. They obviously have practiced this.

I don't care where your gun is if someone can come through the door and put a gun to your head in less than a second you are not getting to it.

It takes the average person 1.5 seconds to react to and unexpected event and in a store you expect people to come through the door so that will slow you down even more.

What condition they were in seem irrelevant to me. Unless they were standing there with a gun aimed at the door knowing someone was about to charge in there was nothing they could have done.
Plan B seems to be – When they have the drop on me what do I need to do and say to stay alive?

 

[Warhawk83]

Sounds like they could use a backup gun hidden in the backroom,to avoid a potential Wendy's freezer incident. This definitely wasn't their first rodeo.

 

[coloradokevin]

Thanks for keeping the thoughts rolling on this subject. To clarify, when I say that you should have a "Plan B", I'm not necessarily limiting that plan to how one should go about drawing his weapon. A "Plan B" might be as simple as trying to determine how you are going to survive the attack after being disarmed, etc.

By mentioning this point, I am more or less trying to remind everyone to keep the wheels turning... Don't fall into the mental trap of believing that your gun can always save you, and don't fall into the trap of believing you are already dead if you've been disarmed. Sometimes the backup plan involves fighting, sometimes it involves running, and sometimes it involves cooperating with the bad guy. At the end of the day, coming out of the encounter alive and intact is the most crucial factor!

 

[SSN Vet]

backup gun hidden in the backroom,

now that sounds like a viable plan "B"

you could put a sipher lock on a athroom sink vanity and most people would think you were simply trying to prevent your TP and cleaning supplies from being pilfered...

then secure a gun vault inside the vanity.

I like it, I like it!!!

 

[jeepmor]

I don't lik eankle holsters for the very reason that I doubt I will ever be mugged while tying my shoe.

indeed

 

[JamisJockey]

Don't lie to us. We all know the gun owner went for his AR15 behind the counter with 500 rounds of AP ammo and tactically hosed down the bad guys.
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Great post! What stuck out the most for me was actually #4

Bad things often happen when you are least expecting it. The fight chooses you, you don't choose the fight.

All the firepower in the world might be for naught when they get the drop on you.

 

[middleground]

Thanks for the post coloradokevin.