First hand account.

[mcshaker]

The issue of losing my job over this is being discussed here.

I thought that a discussion of my account of the incident would be both of interest and therapeutic.

So as promised when I first posted in January here is the statement as I provided both the police and Pizza Huts Insurance Agent:

At approximately 2300 hours on the 23rd of December 2009 the suspect entered through the front of house. I heard him demand money and order the other employees to get on the ground.

At this time I fell back to the managers office, drew and loaded my pistol. From around the corner I saw the suspect enter the back of house. He had a small caliber hand gun drawn in a two hand carry.

As the suspect approached my position I said “Hold it.” The suspect responded by turning and raising his pistol. I fired my weapon. The suspect immediately fell to the floor, but did not drop his weapon. His finger was still inside the trigger guard. I covered the suspect and ordered him to “drop it.” The suspect responded that he could not, so I removed the pistol from his hand and placed it on the counter.

I then walked towards front of house and shouted to call 911. Returning to the suspect I found that he was coherent, and that his pulse and breathing were strong. Shortly thereafter the police arrived and secured the scene.

Here is the same statement with what I believe to be my actual thoughts in brown. Although some may very well have been inserted later as mind play.



Along with some commentary in (brackets)


This is in no way should be considered a statement of any kind just a fictional account for the purposes of discussion.

At approximately 2300 hours on the 23rd of December 2009 the suspect entered through the front of house.


Alright, closing time - let's get this done.

I heard him demand money and order the other employees to get on the ground.


Wha?
Draw gun....
Wait, Think!
I hope this isn't just someone playing around.
(weird thought that makes me sound like I'm John Wayne, but the intent was I hope I don't draw down on/injure an innocent.)

Draw gun!



At this time I fell back to the managers office, drew and loaded my pistol.



Oh gosh. Oh gosh. Oh gosh.

(insert your favorite curse word. My favorite for something of this magnitude starts with F)

(Moving and loading chamber at same time. Yes I carry on open chamber, we can discuss that again too. I've carried on empty since I could carry, and I've never had any kind of incident I felt would have been unsafe if one was in the chamber. I have zero problem racking one up if I feel myself to be in possible danger such as entering a bad neighborhood. And I also feel that 98% of any violent attacks will have some sort of warning.)


Cover or concealment.
Metal table and pans, but big spaces of drywall.
Concealment only.

From around the corner I saw the suspect enter the back of house. He had a small caliber hand gun drawn in a two hand carry.



What now?
Guns are out.

He can't take my gun.
And, he can't point his gun at me.




(He was moving mad fast. Obviously pumped on the robbery not to speculate on anything else. Focus zoomed right in on the gun, later I thought about how that prevents ID of suspects - because it sure happened. I only had a vague idea of what the guy was wearing, but I KNEW the pistol was a small automatic with wood grain grips and that he had on black leather gloves.)


Here he comes.
I have to stop his advance, what do I say?
Hold it? Stop? Freeze?
No, freeze is silly like a tv cop.
FOCUS!


As the suspect approached my position I said “Hold it.” The suspect responded by turning and raising his pistol.


(If I had waited half a second longer the pistol would have traversed my chest. Later, I had brief regrets that maybe he didn't understand I had him covered. But, he led with his gun and that was a large mistake.)


Oh ****. This is it.


(no thoughts past this point only action.)


I fired my weapon.



(Again just like they say - the gun fired itself. I am ex-army, some of the things I took from it were training and safety. So I've put a lot rounds downrange and regularly do what I consider individual training. I know the rules of gun safety. And I follow them. But I sure don't remember going from indexing to trigger pull.)


The suspect immediately fell to the floor,


(One moment he was there the next he wasn't - Just like they say. I saw the dent in the backdrop before I noticed he had slumped to the floor.)


But did not drop his weapon. His finger was still inside the trigger guard.


(I had instinctively dropped back around the cover/concealment and had to peak around the corner to see.)



I covered the suspect and ordered him to “drop it.”



(I had to pop out to do this. He was on the ground crucifix style.)

The suspect responded that he could not, so I removed the pistol from his hand and placed it on the counter.


(I remember this part being extra scary. The first parts were all instinct but this was going back into the breach just as normal thought processes were returning. I vaguely remember thinking about how I had him covered and could easily put 2 -3 more in him if he twitched wrong.)


Call 911


I then walked towards front of house and shouted to call 911.



(elapsed time 30 - 45 seconds.)



OK.
What now?
Bleeding.
Think like Medic.


Returning to the suspect I found that he was coherent, and that his pulse and breathing were strong.


(My brain was completely scrambled and I couldn't remember any medical training. I have taken a few classes, but all were over 10 years ago. I remember thinking entry and exit wound. But, couldn't see anything on top. Some small blood pool by neck and shoulder. That and him saying he couldn't move scared me from rolling him over to check backside. He asked to phone his family which I tried to do for him since the phone was there but was unable. Lots of garbled thoughts here as you might expect, just a flood.)



Shortly thereafter the police arrived and secured the scene.


(They peeked around the corner as a 2 man team. I think they both had tasers drawn. I spoke with a detective, I was open and honest about everything and did not lawyer up as some might advise. I felt I had a pretty clear case but YMMV. All in all the police treated me well and gave me as close to attaboys as you can get with out being improper. The detective was polite but professional and did question me thoroughly. And, if something fishy was up he probably would have caught the smell. All in all - in and out in 2 hours, I don't think that's bad for this situation.)

Later I think I've worked out that I missed the guy and he ate the ricochet. Hence the wound to the back of the head but no brain splatter or large pools of blood. Guy has recovered and is being sentenced on Monday.

 

[eldirector]

Holy cow. Not too often do we hear first-hand accounts. Thanks for sharing. Sounds like you did about as best you could. If it comes down to it, I hope I handle myself as well.

Too bad about the job, but that's over in the other thread. At least you are here to post about it!

 

[patton487]

You should be commended on how you handled everything. If I ever have to react to a situation like that, God forbid, I hope I can keep my cool like you did. Only one thing I would have done differently though. Always, always, always lawyer up! It's not hiding anything, it's just protecting yourself.

By the way, I called your old employer and blew them sh** about how they treated you. lol....

 

[SavageEagle]

Repped for the posts. Really appreciate the first-hand account and you posting the thought process. Not something we see everyday.

 

[groovatron]

Wow man....that's intense...thanks for sharing.

 

[wtfd661]

Thank you for posting and sharing your experience. I tried to rep you but I'm out for the day, will get you later.

 

[4sarge]

At approximately 2300 hours on the 23rd of December 2009 the suspect entered through the front of house. I heard him demand money and order the other employees to get on the ground.

At this time I fell back to the managers office, drew and loaded my pistol. From around the corner I saw the suspect enter the back of house. He had a small caliber hand gun drawn in a two hand carry.

As the suspect approached my position I said “Hold it.” The suspect responded by turning and raising his pistol. I fired my weapon. The suspect immediately fell to the floor, but did not drop his weapon. His finger was still inside the trigger guard. I covered the suspect and ordered him to “drop it.” The suspect responded that he could not, so I removed the pistol from his hand and placed it on the counter.

I then walked towards front of house and shouted to call 911. Returning to the suspect I found that he was coherent, and that his pulse and breathing were strong. Shortly thereafter the police arrived and secured the scene.

Good Statement

 

[jd4320t]

Why is the word "house" repeatedly used?? Didn't this happen in a store?

 

[mcshaker]

Why is the word "house" repeatedly used?? Didn't this happen in a store?

Sorry - I guess it would be considered lingo. Restaurants typically call the customer area front of house and the kitchen area back of house.

 

[glockman23]

Thanks for the post. Sounds like you handled yourself great. I think the only thing I would've done different is already had a round in the chamber!!

 

[Sasquatchhunter]

if I may, what kind of gun did you use? By your description it sounds like the suspect ad a phoenix/Raven/ .22 or 25ACP? chrome with wood grips fits the bill. If you can't answer I understand. Thanks, and you will get a STRONG "attaboy" from me sir. You've been shafted for not willing to lay down and take it, and that is total garbage. When I read your other post about how you had been fired, it honestly made me sick...

 

[mcshaker]

if I may, what kind of gun did you use? By your description it sounds like the suspect ad a phoenix/Raven/ .22 or 25ACP? chrome with wood grips fits the bill. If you can't answer I understand. Thanks, and you will get a STRONG "attaboy" from me sir. You've been shafted for not willing to lay down and take it, and that is total garbage. When I read your other post about how you had been fired, it honestly made me sick...

My only pistol is a keltec PF9. Bought for price and concealability. I think it has taken kind of a bad rap as a handgun. I had some failure to eject and stovepipe jams at first because you can't give a gun that size any wrist at all. Once that was worked out - it's been great. Fits in with know "YOUR" gun. Right now I love it

Newspaper said perp had a combat arms .25. It was black with woodgrain grips maybe plastic with fake grain. Heard he is convicted awaiting sentencing so I guess he is a perpetrator now instead of suspect.

 

[r.o.b.o.]

Do you have any charges pending against you?

Also was he just escaping the scene and you yelled at him as he was passing by you?

 

[infidel]

Thanks for posting. Its very interesting to hear it like this.

 

[mcshaker]

Do you have any charges pending against you?

Also was he just escaping the scene and you yelled at him as he was passing by you?

No charges.

He had left the money at the front and was what I can only assume to be "clearing" the back. I don't know what he was doing - could have been a victory lap. But, he sure wasn't on his way out.

 

[r.o.b.o.]

“The safety of our employees is one of our top priorities,”

This is an interesting quote seeing as they won't even let their employees carry when they are legally allowed to

 

[mcshaker]

Add: He could have had every penny he wanted. His only mistake was pointing the gun at me. That's what got him shot.

 

[r.o.b.o.]

No charges.

He had left the money at the front and was what I can only assume to be "clearing" the back. I don't know what he was doing - could have been a victory lap. But, he sure wasn't on his way out.

I wasn't insinuating or anything, just unclear on the events.

Glad you were treated fairly in regards to the law.

Scary situation, sounds like your training paid off and you reacted to the situation well.

 

[mcshaker]

I wasn't insinuating or anything, just unclear on the events.

Glad you were treated fairly in regards to the law.

Scary situation, sounds like your training paid off and you reacted to the situation well.

No offense taken. Didn't mean to sound cynical. Just elaborating with what I hoped to be a little extra wit.

 

[ironjaw]

mcshaker, if i ever get the opportunity to meet you in person, I'd love for the chance to shake your hand, and pat u on the back. Proud of you, for your service to this country and also how you handled yourself in regards to the incident....As for me and my house---NO PIZZA HUT EVER AGAIN! My work is hiring also...we do directional drilling if you are interested. Good job brother.