Welcome to Aftermath, a portion of our First Line email newsletter where Attorney Anthony L. DeWitt walks you through a real-life self-defense incident and shares his key takeaways.
Basketball Foul Leads to Armed Attack
Some people take sports way too seriously. So was the case with Alan Womack, a Pennsylvania man who accused a fellow player of traveling during a basketball game at an LA Fitness center, according to Associated Press. During an argument, Womack threatened to shoot the other player in the head. At that point, the man left the game and the gym. That didnât satisfy Womack, who followed him out, pulled a weapon, racked the slide and pointed the weapon at the other man. When the defender heard the slide rack, he turned, drew his own Glock from his backpack and shot Womack once. Womack died at the scene. The district attorney ruled it was self-defense.
What is your go-to method for de-escalating an argument?
Only comment I have on that story is, WHAT THE HECK DOES IT MATTER THAT HE HAD A GLOCK??! Would it be different if it was a Smith & Wesson, Springfield XDM (MUCH BETTER than an over rated GLOCK), or a Sig, or Colt!!! Sick of hearing everything thatâs a HANDGUN is referred to as GLOCK! If he had a different brand , would you have said, he pulled out his Walther or FN, or any other brand! Sick of the Glock fans, and Glock Crock Infatuation! There are more Better guns out there than lesser guns when you say, âGLOCKâ!!!
SORRY, to the Glock owners who arent so animate about their glocks. I know all the non glock fans feel the same! What the brand of gun which was used I have a absolutely NO IDEA has to do the this shooting unless the author is a Glock guy?!
What is your go-to method for de-escalating an argument?.. Definitely not to rack my slide, because I carry with one in chamber! This wasnât about Sports, this was about a Punk/Thug with a gun. PERIOD!
If he (Womack) had a 1911 .45 Cocked and Locked he would not have been afraid to carry one in the chamber (Glock) and wouldnât have had to rack his slide and may be alive today and in prison.
I would acknowledge that things can get heated when people play sports and urge the other person to just put it behind us so we can go on having a good time playing a game that we really enjoy. Tactically speaking however, you never draw on a drawn gun. If he had his hand on his glock when he heard the other gunâs slide being racked, he could have spun and struck the assailantâs gunhand while simultaneously putting the glock barrel in the guyâs chest for a conact self defense shot, or 6 or 7 until the deadly threat was stopped. Duck ,spin, get out of line of fire all at once and fire defensively.
My advice, from once being confronted by a kid with a gun about 14 or15 was to remain calm. He accused me of âdissingâ him and said I have no idea what you are talking about as Iâve never seen you before. I looked him in the eyes and didnât waver. I was dressed in a suit with a briefcase in
a rapid transit station about 0530 hours in the AM. We stared at each other and I did not show
fear or aggression, but just as blank an expression as I could. I then sorry I simply donât know what
you are talking about again. He had his hand in his pocket and the outline on his pants was just to big to be just his hand. I turned and walked up the stairs to the elevated platform. I was waiting for the report of the firearm and the bullet in my back, but alas, it never came. Did I do the right thing? I donât know, but remaining calm and trying to look unafraid may have been the key to survival and the kid may have thought twice that I wasnât the guy who âdissedâ him. Of course, there may never have been anyone who insulted him and he was just looking for a fight. I didnât have a concealed carry permit in those days as they did not exist. In my early days with the Transit system, I worked as a conductor and/or motorman on the trains and the confrontations with punks, drunks, amateurs and gang bangers was incessant. It was a very dangerous job, but I had acquired two bad habits that kept me working there. One was eating and the other was paying the rent. By that time, I had already served on active duty with the Marines and I guessed I could hopefully handle most situations.
How do people carry at the gym? I donât want to leave a loaded gun in my locker or car. Is it even legal (in MI) to do either one? Backpacks are not allowed in the exercise areas - so what do others do?
Iâm sure my comment will be redundant as everyone else here will note the correct response to identifying the gun: it relates to removing safetys on the gun before shooting. Along that line of thought it would be just as important to note the type or carry and the type of holster. disclaimer: I do have glocks but agree there are better. I carry concealed appendex with Phlster. Good luck Michail358
Armchair quarterbacking situations like these is inevitable I guess. But , continual practice in simple de-escalation, escape and evade is critical. Along with those, situational awareness and preparedness are fundamentals everyone, let alone those who carry responsibly, should have and be practicing. These sports related issues are akin to road rage issues. They are stupid and avoidable. Your place in the pecking order of a ball game with strangers or your place on the road is not as important as your life or simply the ability to live peacefully. Let them have their ego win and move on with your life. But, never turn your back on a recognized threat, again, be situationally aware at all times, reassess as often as it takes, and take steps to de-escalate, evade and escape until you simply are left with no other option.
Thanks for pointing that out. Point well taken. Sorry, didnt mean to sound abrupt or insulting to anybody here. I just felt in past , and current, although regardless of anything else Glocks Are dependable, in so many instances including commercial applications such as movies or tv, the name glock is a synonym for handgun. I Do realize itâs based on glocks phenomenal marketing campaigns. Sometimes can put others with alternate favorites seeming lacking in any competitors brands. Obviously you agree. Thank you for your comment and article, theyâre Always of Great help when evaluating a life or death scenario! Stay safe, regardless of what you carry! Best regards.
