.jpg)
Friday, an armed permit holder shot and killed a knife wielding man in the parking lot of a Family Dollar Store in Frayser. The man was reported to have been going around threatening people with the knife.
But then the knifeman* made a fatal mistake. He threatened the permit holder, who was in a car with two children, and was killed.
Under Tennessee's Castle Doctrine, deadly force may be used when a person is in fear of grave bodily injury or death; and may be used any place that the person has a right to be.
There is a short report with video from a WMC-TV helicopter shown HERE. According to the report,
A young man was patted down and placed in the rear of a squad car. At this point, investigators do not consider this a murder, rather an apparent case of self defense.
Police have not released the name of the suspect who was shot and killed, nor have they identified the customer who shot him.
The shooter acted wisely when the police arrived on the scene. According to a report from MyFoxMemphis, witness Lakisha Gorman stated,
When police pulled up he laid his gun on the ground and handed them a gun permit or drivers license.
Also, from MyFoxMemphis, Lt. Col. JM Willis with the Memphis Police Department stated,
the individual was trying to attack numerous people we have a number of witnesses that have said he was wielding a knife at them."
MyFoxMemphis also reports that detectives say it looks like the shooting will be ruled justifiable, but hold on, look what the Memphis Commercial Appeal has to say about this incident:
The suspect waited in the parking lot after the shooting until police arrived and took him into custody, according to officers.'
Does this mean that the Commercial Appeal is incapable of discerning between righteous and unrighteous use of force? If Chris Newsome and Channon Christian had been able to effectively fight back with weapons and prevail, would the Commercial Appeal have considered them to be suspects? Newsome and Christian were abducted, brutally raped and murdered in Knoxville in January, 2007.
What would you do if you were faced with such a situation? With seat belts, it's too late to put them on after a crash. With homeowner's insurance, it's too late to buy it after a storm. ...And, with personal defense, it's too late to prepare when the perp has a knife against your throat. If you decide to take up arms for personal defense, you will need training. Read up on it, too. You could start with Massad Ayoob's The Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry.
*knifeman - here the term knifeman is used in the same sense as gunman, we simply substitute the word knife for gun: A man armed with a gun, especially an armed criminal or a professional killer.
If you enjoyed or learned from this article, here are more you might like:
Near the top of any article, you can SUBSCRIBE (free) (or click here), if you would like to be alerted to my future articles. Try it; you can easily unsubscribe at any time. Share the link with your friends.
Disclaimer: The information and ideas presented in this column are provided for informational purposes only. Gunrights, like all other Constitutionally recognized rights, must be exercised responsibly. Firearms, like cars, kitchen knives and life itself all can be dangerous. You should get professional training as part of any plan to use firearms for any purpose. I have made a reasonable, good-faith effort to assure that the content of this column is accurate. I have no control over what you do, and specifically accept no responsibility for anything you do as a result of reading my columns. Any action or lack of action on your part is strictly your responsibility.
Comments
the sad part about this tale of two reports of the same incident is that one reported the facts and the other apparently slanted/twisted the facts to suit their political agenda without regard to what they might be doing to an innocent man's reputation.
Why did the shooter not shoot the guy in the leg or shoot his arm or something like that? He was sitting in his car, whipped out his gun, and then shot and killed the guy? That doesn't seem right.
You can't shoot somebody in the leg. You can't shoot somebody at all unless you feel your life is in eminent danger. If you shoot them and just wound them you will have your butt sued off, even when you are the good guy. Most people don't want to kill anyone and preventing an attack by shooting a leg or whatever seems like a good idea on TV but thats not how the real world works.
You shoot someone to protect your family you can still be sued tens of thousands of dollars from the guys family. Expect to pay $30,000 to defend yourself in court, even if you are 100% legal in shooting the guy. America, the land of greedy lawyers.
Sad .. As I mentioned in the article, one does NOT shoot unless one is in fear of grave bodily injury or death. Defensive training teaches to shoot for center of mass. The intent is to stop the attack, and stay alive. Many police are trained to shoot two to center of mass, then, if needed, a cranial shot.
A handgun shot may not necessarily incapacitate an assailant, particularly in an arm or leg. Odds increase though, with the center of mass shot. And remember, the shooter had two children with him to protect. Don't be to quick to second-guess his decision and action, which occurred very quickly.
The lawsuit, if it comes, is referred to as Problem Two. If Problem One is not solved, Problem Two is irrelevant.
I am always sad to see the emphasis on "permit holder" or "licensed handgun." So, if he had not had a "permit" or a "license," it would have been perfectly ok for the criminal to kill him and the children? God forbid anyone should defend themselves without "permission!!"
MamaLiberty - - I agree with your idea. See my article titled
The illogic of handgun carry permits. It was published Dec 10, 2009.
I am not sure why feel sad for the criminal that chose to attack strangers in a parking lot but using your logic the man sitting in the car should have allowed the criminal to get close enough to slash him? I suppose he should have hoped that the criminal was not able to get the knife into his throat. Think about what you are saying. A person sitting in a vehicle only has his upper body exposed where even a cursory stab or slash could be fatal. This man had Zero options other than to defend himself. Your show of sympathy for the criminal and questioning the true victim speaks volumes about you. I suggest you see think deeply about your shortcomings or seek professional help.
Sad, One thing to think about.
1. it's much harder to hit someone in the arm or leg than it is to shoot center mass. The chances that you will miss are much greater. this is NOT something to think about when you're in fear for your life.
2. a hit in the leg with a large caliber pistol round could as easily kill, if the femoral artery was hit.
3. if the stakes were as high with YOUR family in danger, I would think you would do the same thing...I know I would!
I guess you're sad because a man, wielding a knife wasn't given a 2nd chance? Just how many chances should one have to threaten another person's life?
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!