The recent shooting of Representative Steve Scalise and other Republicans while practicing for a charity baseball game has brought the issues of gun control and mass shootings to the forefront once again.
It should serve as a wake-up call to all Americans.
It’s the unfortunately reality in America — we do have more than our fair share of mass shootings, even when you take into consideration the size of our population and the high rate of safe firearm ownership.
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Unfortunately, between deranged individuals who are looking for their moment of fame, hatred from the political left, and Islamic extremists, mass shootings of this sort are on the upswing worldwide. The chances of ending up caught in such a situation are higher now than they have ever been before.
With such a high risk, this is no longer something that any of us can afford to ignore… at least, not if we expect to survive.
But what can one person do? How can you and I ensure our own survival, and the survival of those closest to us?
Fortunately, there are simple best practices that everyone should know —
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Develop Situational Awareness
Surviving such a situation requires either a lot of luck (something I don’t like to count on) or some preparation beforehand. While you may not be able to avoid such a situation, you may be able to prevent yourself from being caught by surprise by it. That alone is a huge advantage, as it normally takes two or three seconds to realize what is happening, time that the killer is using to his advantage.
In modern society, most people walk around with their nose in their smartphones, rather than looking to see what is going on around them. They are caught by surprise, simply for not looking. Most bad guys will give their intentions away, before they act, by the things they do to prepare for their attack.
The trick here is to look for anything unusual. A man wearing an overcoat in the middle of summer is out of place. So is someone with a bulge under their clothing. Clutching a package tightly rather than holding it comfortably is another giveaway. Seeing these things can warn you that something is about to happen.
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Carry Concealed
If you don’t have a concealed carry license, you should consider it. Confronting an active shooter with nothing more than your bare hands is a recipe for disaster. While he may still have you outgunned if you are carrying concealed, you at least have a chance to fight back.
This is not something to be taken lightly. Firearms are a grave responsibility. When you pull that trigger, you are responsible for where the bullet goes. So if you are going to carry, train and practice. The last thing you would want to do is miss the bad guy, and end up shooting an innocent bystander who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Get Under Cover
The first reaction of anyone who is carrying concealed is going to be to draw their gun. But that’s the wrong reaction to have. As long as that gun is concealed, the shooter doesn’t know you’re armed. So keep it stashed until you are ready to use it.
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While standing up to the bad guy and having a High Noon shootout might seem dramatic and heroic, it’s also a good way to end up dead. Chances are, the shooter is going to be using a rifle, which means that you’ll be at a disadvantage no matter what sort of pistol you have. You’ll need to get closer, so that you have a reasonable chance of hitting him, but first…
If you’re going to do anything against the shooter, you have to be alive. That means keeping him from shooting you.
There’s nothing glorious or heroic about getting shot.. So your very first action has to be to get yourself out of the line of fire. Find something that’s big enough and strong enough to stop his bullets, and get behind it. If you have anyone with you, drag them along too. Don’t bother trying to convince them to move, just grab them and start moving.
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Assess the Situation
Once you’re out of the direct line of fire, asses your situation. The best weapon you have is the one between your ears, so use it. Take a moment to break down the situation and how you can respond to it. How many shooters are there? How are they armed? Are they shooting like they know what they are doing or just spraying lead indiscriminately? Does it appear that they are picking certain targets or just shooting at anything that moves?
You can ask and answer all those questions in seconds. Then you have to ask yourself the most important question: “What can you do?”
Develop a plan, which allows you to take on the shooter without exposing yourself to too much danger.
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Move to an Advantageous Position
Part of your plan is probably going to require moving to a position where you can better bring what firepower you have to bear. That means moving to within the range that you are comfortable shooting at. In doing so, you want to take care to remain under cover, so that you don’t become a victim.
This may take time; time in which the shooter is killing or wounding others. So there will be an incredible amount of pressure to move quickly. Even so, your speed must be tempered by caution. Being a live hero is much better than being a dead one.
Take Your Best Shot
In any such situation the adrenaline coursing through your veins is going to mess with your fine motor skills. That’s going to greatly affect your shooting accuracy, as the single most important part of a good shot is trigger control. Practice, practice, practice until shooting is second nature. Control your breathing and your trigger squeeze, and make every shot count.
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The saying is, “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.” Rushing your shot is just going to make you miss. Taking the time to make your shot smooth will ultimately result in a faster time to your first hit, and that’s what’s important. Lead in the wall or floor isn’t going to do you the least bit of good.
In every situation, allow law enforcement to handle it before you take any dire action. Using your firearm should be a last resort, only in a life or death situation.
-The Horn editorial team