PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA — A man who was no stranger to violent crimes refused to become a victim himself on the morning of October 20th. Just before 10:00 am, an employee working as a victim services advocate for the city’s District Attorney’s Office was targeted by a robber.
The intended victim used his handgun to shoot and kill the suspect. Police seized both guns at the scene, in the 2600 block of North Napa Street in the Strawberry Hills section of the city. The employee’s identity was not released, and the District Attorney’s Office has said that the incident will be referred to another agency.
How would you react to an armed robber in the street, in broad daylight?
Would you have given up your valuables to avoid a potentially deadly altercation or would you have drawn your own gun and shot the robber?
Do you carry with a round in the chamber? Have you honed your skills so that you can quickly and confidently draw and fire your handgun to defend yourself?
Are you prepared to be injured or killed in a shootout, especially if you muff your draw, don’t have a round in the chamber, experience a misfire or misfeed, forgot to load your gun, or drop it in the stress of the moment?
That’s why we should continue to practice and hone our skills so that we can have an advantage in these situations. Hopefully we’re never in them, but we cover enough day after day to show us that it’s entirely possible.
Even if we think it could never happen to us.