The entire altercation only took 11 seconds. In less time than it takes most of us to pour ourselves a cup of coffee, store clerk Jon Alexander defended himself and his liquor store from an armed robbery. The thief entered the store and quickly learned that he’d pulled a gun on the wrong guy. Jon Alexander, a resident of the Missouri town of Marionville, was calm and measured as he used his firearm to defend himself.
The video below is an excellent example of how a well-trained gun owner can bring a thief to a dead stop.
When the man entered the store while smoking a cigarette, Jon politely asked him to take the smoke outside. That’s when things turned dangerous. The thief pulled his gun and demanded that Alexander give him the money in the register. In this instant, his years of experience as a military police officer clicked into place and the thief quickly realized his mistake.
Jon’s calm demeanor and clean draw are lessons in how to correctly use a firearm in self-defense. After 30 years in the military, he was experienced in reacting to split second situations that put him in danger. Jon was able to recognize a threat, present his firearm, and defend himself and the store in only 11 seconds. The look on the would-be thief’s face as he backs away shows just how effective he really was.
He recognized that he was working in a situation that may require self-defense, and armed himself appropriately. The liquor, beer, and cigarettes sold by the store meant that there would be a good amount of cash on the premises, and that made it a likely target for robbery.
Jon Alexander’s reaction to a deadly threat should serve as an example of how to act calm when something like this occurs. The video shows how effective armed self-defense can be when done by a person who has trained with a firearm and has respect for the power of the weapon.
This video also shows the importance of practice and training. Taking the time to improve your draw can end up saving your life. In this instance, Jon had only a few seconds to make the decision to draw his weapon. If he had needed any more time wondering about if he should draw or fumbling around because he was out of practice, it could have meant his life.
Jon Alexander’s reaction to the would-be thief that entered his store shows that a person who has trained with a firearm and who is mentally prepared to use is an asset to all of us.
