Bicycle-
yes I read the article but flipped the numbers, I did it from memory. Still stand by the HUGE differences between a CCW and cop being in a deadly encounter, cop is a walking bill board, the CCW can chose when and if to engage.
Now where did I say CCWs get their permits so they can kill people? Too many in here make wild claims to argue against. I NEVER said CCWs want to go shooting people, I'd lean the other way if anyway about it. I would say the vast majority of CCWs are ill-prepared to win a shootout. I did ask a few questions about how you practice. Most CCWs showed up at the school unable to cleanly present after an hour's practice back at the dorm. Difference? We were friendly, laughing and giving support along with pointers, very relaxed practice in a climate controlled room.
Out in the full sun we were abrupt, terse and using 'Drill' voices. We mocked the first student up online in front of the entire class (reserve deputy who had been CCW for over a year as I recall) The rest of the pack had a miserable time attempting to draw and present cleanly. But was done for a reason, practice as you fight, it won't be relaxed and fun. You will have to identify and react cleanly in a face to face encounter (what cops have to do when they are in the situation the 57 year old was)
Now the examples of effective use of a concealed weapon lean strongly to ambush tactics. I was a grunt, I love TO ambush, hate being IN one...
Very effective, the badguys have no idea they are in a shootout till hopefully one of them is going down. Works for me, but can't compare to badguy vs cop.
Now there was a security cam vid posted on an old guy in a interwebz cafe who shoots repeatedly at two bad guys. He missed at least as much as he hit, neither badguy was fatally wounded.
Not very productive to cite one instance and proclaim it the example of all CCWs, either the one shot one kill or the multiple shots in a cafe.
Open carry is even rarer, I never saw the usefulness. Doesn't mean I am against it enough to vote to block it. only civilians I have heard of doing so are from your state where a few guys strap on and go to lunch one day a week as a 'show the flag' group meeting. Not doing anything useful.
Oh and a couple of guys in here who claim they do so in the small towns they go to for supplies up in the NW somewhere.
Anywho, never said CCWs are wannabee killers, just not well trained and at their best when they have the advantage of ambush, something few uniformed cops ever have. Unless the CCW is in the extremely rare face to face shootout, and yes you should expect to get hit at least once but must stay in the fight, the CCW gets to pick when and if he joins the dance.
I often wonder how many times a CCW was close by but chose not to play that day, you only here about the very rare successes, never about CCWs refusing to step forward.
Justa thought