How will you know when it’s the right time to use your concealed carry gun?
As regular readers on The Arms Guide are familiar, I read a good deal of news, namely reports that relate to self defense and concealed carry. As a concealed carrier myself, I’m always interested in learning how other CCWers who have been confronted with self defense situations have responded, and what the fallout of their decision was afterward.
The story that I wanted to share with you today reminds me of a scene out of a movie—the diner scene from Pulp Fiction with the characters Honey Bunny, Pumpkin, Jules, and Vincent. As in the Tarantino classic, a pair of individuals, two young men, in this case, attempted to rob a diner, threatening the customers with a firearm. However, instead of the more-or-less pleasant resolution that Jules offers the Pulp Fiction diner thieves, no harm done to anyone beyond being scared witless, this particular real life story had a lethal conclusion for one of the would-be robbers. I’ll back up and give you a quick summary of the story, according to one of the local news station’s reports.
Two young men, identified in the report as Dante Williams and Jawan Craig, attempted to rob a Spartanburg, South Carolina Waffle House restaurant back in January of 2012. The report states that the pair were threatening the patrons. A surveillance video captured Williams approaching one of the restaurant’s diners, specifically, a man named Justin Harrison, who happens to be a concealed carry permit holder. Harrison explained that, after witnessing the pair of youths threatening and scaring the other patrons, he decided he didn’t want to become a victim, and as Williams approached, gun drawn (apparently verified by the security cam footage), Harrison drew his concealed carry pistol and fired on Williams several times. Williams didn’t survive the encounter. Allegedly, Williams’ accomplice, Craig, than engaged in a struggle with Harrison for his gun, unsuccessfully. Eventually, Craig extricated himself from the scuffle, and fled the scene.
Since the crime in early 2012, Harrison’s lethal actions against Williams have been deemed justifiable, while Craig has been sentenced to 30 years prison time for his involvement in the crime.
By drawing, and firing, his self defense pistol, Harrison was able to protect himself, as well as neutralize the threat against the other restaurant-goers. But, that doesn’t negate the fact that Williams’ family has been reduced by one member. In the report, Harrison explained that he knew he only had one chance to protect himself and the others, and he took it, but Williams’ family wondered if there wasn’t a better resolution for the situation. Had you been in that Waffle House that January, over two years ago, what would you have done? How do you know when to draw?
Featured image courtesy of contributor Uberphotos via istockphoto.com
