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.
A 49-year-old woman, who escaped a Jeep where a 61-year-old man had been beating her, was walking toward her home. Another man saw the injured woman and offered to help. The woman requested a ride home, and the man, who was transporting his child, drove to his home to drop off his child first. As he was pulling out of his driveway to return to the woman in need of assistance, the defender was rammed by the other man in the Jeep. The assailant pulled out a firearm, aiming it at the defender. The good Samaritan presented his own firearm and fired back, killing the attacker. No charges were filed.
Are you trained on how to handle a self-defense incident from inside your vehicle? Assuming your state allows you to be armed while in your vehicle, what is your preferred method of carry when driving?
Unfortunately I haven’t had any formal training on firing from within a vehicle. I have done dry fire practice inside my vehicle to figure out how best to draw and fire. I prefer on body carry in a vehicle.
I’m somewhat ashamed to say I’m not so sure I would have offered this women a ride if my young son was in the car. I wouldn’t be able to know why she was wandering down the road in an injured state. Had she just assaulted someone and received a bunch of wounds from the defender? Letting an unknown person into the vehicle would put my son at risk and he comes first.
I probably would have asked if she needed help and definitely would have called the cops and likely hung around to watch over her until the police came.
If I decided she clearly wasn’t a threat and needed to get out of there ASAP I wouldn’t bring her to my house. I’d call 911 to arrange a meetup with the police and/or ambulance and make sure no one was following me as I drove.
That’s no reason to be ashamed. I vaguely remember when we discussed this story earlier. I make different decisions when my kids are present. Would I pick up a stranger who needed a ride? Perhaps, if I was by myself. But there’s an almost 0% chance I would do the same if my kids were in the car.
I don’t need kids to know never to pick up a stranger.
Everyone owns a cell phone and 911 is a touch away! I’ll offer as much assistance from a distance away. Avoid, avoid, avoid!
My state permits, I do carry in vehicles, unfortunately I don’t practice in my car!
I do find the seatbelt to be a pain in the a$$! I normally carry right hip 3 o’clock.
There are folks changing to appendix carry for this very reason. It is much safer than removing the gun from your holster to place it in a car holster or just on the seat each time you get in and out of the car.
I carry appendix in my car. Seatbelt does not interfere. I think this fellow handled it perfectly by getting his son home 1st. However, i definitely would have dialed 911 with details.
I do notpractice enough from the car but agree it’s no place to be in a confrontation.
I drive a Ford ranger that has a center console, so I have a IWB holster mounted to it right next to my seat.
It’s perfect, it’s in a perfect position to grab quickly but is also not visible as my leg blocks it from view.
Props to the guy for getting involved, I can’t say I would have done the same especially with a child of mine in my vehicle.
I would have definitely called the police though.
