Bicyclist Shot And Killed By Concealed Carrier After He Attacked Him In A Parking Lot

REDDING, CALIFORNIA — Redding investigators are treating the recent shooting death of a bicyclist as self-defense. A Redding district attorney may decide to change that initial treatment but when police arrived at the scene, the man who defended himself with a gun was never arrested or frisked.

According to the Redding Record Searchlight, the man who used his gun produced a concealed carry permit for police and stayed on scene until police could inspect the scene.

“Considering the fact he was never handcuffed, frisked or anything else, it’s pretty clear this was a self-defense issue,” Redding defense attorney John Kucera said. “And he’s taking it pretty hard.”

Speculation persists as to why the defensive gun use needed to exist but the prevailing suspicion is that the bicyclist got into some verbal altercation leading to the driver pulling into a parking lot. The bicyclist then pursued the driver and, during that altercation, he was shot and killed.

The Redding Record Searchlight asked a local concealed carry firearms instructor to get his impression of this scene.

“Generally CCW holders make good decisions with their firearms and with their lives,” said Ted Lidie, founder and senior instructor for Redding-based Northern Firearms Instruction. “They don’t get in trouble because generally speaking, they’re your best and brightest and most responsible gun owners.”

While the full details of this case are still being investigated, it really does come down to the right to protect one’s self. Who knows if the bicyclist was enraged or decided to take matters into his own hands, but when he approached that driver — who had pulled off into a parking lot — he was clearly in the wrong.

Carrying every single day brings with it added responsibilities. Everyone that has a permit ought to carry every single day. I can’t fault a concealed carrier for withdrawing from a tense situation. I know it’s got to be hard on this concealed carrier because it’s very doubtful he ever intended to get into a fight in the first place.