COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO — Late on Thursday night, an armed robber entered an auto shop and attempted to rob the owner at gun point. The owner pulled out his own gun and the two exchanged rounds. During the exchange of gunfire, the owner was hit twice and taken to a hospital in serious condition. The armed robber fled and it is unknown the extent of his injuries.
According to ABC News Channel 13, the owner is believed to be recovering from his wounds. Police are still on the look out for the armed robber.
As a business owner, it has to be especially hard to see your life’s work jeopardized in an instant because some criminal thinks he can take it. Tools, equipment, and most of all — your own life — are all up for grabs when a bad guy walks in the door.
This owner was injured and that is a shame. However, it’s a chance any person takes when he tries to defend himself. It shouldn’t mean we stop trying. If anything, after this man recovers, he’ll probably be more emboldened in his self defense.
Surviving failure is important. Learning from that failure to lessen the chances of it happening again is how we improve.
After a long day’s work, the senses are dulled. The mind and body are both tired. Having to push those things aside to maintain situational awareness takes exceptional discipline and self-awareness. That’s our first tool — our mind. A gun without a mind to use it properly is useless.
If anything, let this be a stark reminder to all those hard workers out there. Just because the end of the day has arrived, it doesn’t mean we throw our guard down. Situational awareness is the one key factor that can tip us off to a threat before that threat is upon us. What we can’t see, we can’t react to. Worse, we’re left in a truly horrible situation of needing to react and, instead, staring down the barrel of a bad guy’s gun.
Don’t be disheartened when a law-abiding citizen gets injured defending his life and his life’s work. It should be a reminder that we’re never ever at the top of our training and ability. That only comes through continuous, ardent practice.
I hope the owner makes a swift recovery. Carry everyday, everywhere.