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Old March 5, 2006, 04:52 PM   #21
Al Norris
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Join Date: June 29, 2000
Location: Rupert, Idaho
Posts: 9,660
Quote:
Originally Posted by threegun
Just an update. The goodguy drew and positioned himself in a defensive posture but then tucked the gun back in his waistband.
Actually, there are several accounts of what "really" happened. They all differ. The bottom line is that even the police aren't sure if the guy had even drawn his weapon when he confronted the kid. Here's three examples of what I mean:
Seattle Times November 29, 2005:
Quote:
McKown's parents said last week that witnesses reported he drew his pistol against the shooter, but police said they had not confirmed that account. In a television interview, McKown recalled saying, " 'Hey, put the weapon down — I think I said, 'Son' — I was going with the other hand to [my] jacket, and he obviously was faster on the draw than I was."
The News Tribune Feb. 22, 2006:
Quote:
Tacoma police say it’s unclear what happened. McKown had a gun but it was never fired, investigators said. They are unsure whether it was drawn. The family bases its belief on what they know of McKown and what they heard some police officers saying.

McKown, 38, was shot at least two times in the left side from a distance of 20 feet, severing his bowel and spinal cord, Schuman said. The exit wound in his lower right back is as big as a softball. He also was shot in the right elbow.

McKown, an assistant manager at Excalibur Cutlery and Gifts in the mall, was on his way to make a deposit when he ran into the gunman, who was walking along the concourse, firing a semi-automatic rifle.
Gun Week Magazine, 12-10-2005:
Quote:
McKown, 38, of Tacoma, was the last person shot by the gunman. Licensed to carry, McKown is an assistant manager at the Excalibur Cutlery and Gifts store in the mall. He confronted the gunman and briefly drew his own pistol, but told reporters that he returned the gun to his belt and instead verbally challenged the suspect. He said he told the gunman that he ought to put the rifle down. That’s when the suspect swung the gun around and shot him several times. The wounds apparently have left him partially paralyzed, though McKown has told reporters he expects to walk again. He has some feeling in one leg.
From these, and other accounts, I deduced the following:

1. McKown never fired his gun.
2. McKown attempted to verbally argue with a madman already holding a superior weapon and already engaged in shooting the place (and people) up.
3. McKown hesitated.
4. McKown was not willing to engage in force.
5. McKown didn't have the mentality needed to survive.
6. McKown's lucky to be alive.
7. McKown is a hero, in that he tried to save others, but he is just another untrained guy who lucked out.

It comes down to 1) training. McKown didn't have any. And 2) experience, something else he didn't have.

We can all get training. Whether it be professional training or solitary "by the book" training. What we can't get is the experience. That won't happen until it happens. I have seen the biggest, meanest, baddest, most trained people freeze, we confronted with the "moment of truth." All this means is that until you face the reaper, you simply won't know what you will do. So you train, to the best of your ability for that, however unlikely, event.

For those of us that have been through that looking glass and out the other side, we now have that experience. Even though each and every situation will be different, we can infer from prior experience to know pretty much how we will act or react.
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