In Las Vegas earlier this month, a husband and wife decided to act on their extreme views of the federal government, and killed two local officers as they were eating lunch. After killing the officers, the pair headed to a nearby Wal-Mart, killing a woman as they entered the store. Presumably, the couple went to Wal-Mart to target people in crowded, confined area. What the couple may not have planned on was being confronted by an individual with a concealed weapon permit.
Initial reports indicate that Joseph Wilcox, a concealed permit holder, confronted the husband with his firearm drawn. Police estimate Wilcox’s confrontation may have given other Wal-Mart shoppers 20 to 30 seconds of extra time to flee to safety. Unfortunately, Mr. Wilcox apparently did not see the husband and wife enter together. As Mr. Wilcox confronted the shooter he was aware of, the wife was able to sneak behind and end his life.
Mr. Wilcox’s decision to confront an active shooter is a brave one, and he paid dearly. There are a few lessons we can learn from Mr. Wilcox’s action. First, always carry concealed where legal to do so; you never know when an active shooter will show up. Secondly, take cover and assess your situation: what are my surroundings, where are the shooters, where are innocents. After drawing your firearm, you need to be hyper-aware of all three. You want to be aware of any objects that you can use for cover as the shooters move, where the shooters are so none get behind you, and where other innocents are so you do not accidently shoot them.
