35 Examples of CCW Saving Lives

[Mudinyeri]

Occasionally, I'll get into a "discussion" with someone about the benefits of carrying and they'll suggest that there are virtually no instances of a concealed carry weapon saving a life.  I found this on Calguns.net and though it was worth re-posting here:

Examples of CCWs saving lives (in chronological order):

1) IN CCW'er Samuel Hatcher stopped a bank robber who was grappling w/a deputy (Jan 1983).

2) FL CCW'er Vincent McCarthy rescues an officer being beaten up by shooting BG in the leg (April 1992).

3) CCW'er Principal Joel Myrick, Pearl High School, Mississippi, stops a school shooter (1 Oct 1997). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_High_School_shooting

4) off-duty LEOs (pretty much equivalent to a CCW'ers) Tracy Bridges and Mikael Gross, stop the Appalachian School of Law shooter (9 Jan 2002). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalac...f_Law_shooting

5) In Tyler, TX, CCW'er Mark Allen Wilson engages BG who used semiauto AK-47 to kill his ex-wife and attempted to kill many others, incl LEOs, at the Tyler Courthouse (24 Feb 2005). Mr. Wilson died, but he saved those who were near the ex-wife by intervening. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyler_c...empt_to_subdue
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,149250,00.html

6) Albuquerque, NM, 72 y.o. CCW'er Drew Moore shot and killed Felix Vigil who stabbed his ex-wife Joyce Cordova as she worked at the deli in Wal-Mart (25 Aug 2005). There's a local news video of the knife attack and shooting here:

7) In East Baton Rouge, LA, CCW'er Perry Stevens saves LEO Brian Harrison's life by killing George Temple (Feb 2006). http://www.wafb.com/global/story.asp...Type=Printable
http://www.theshootist.net/2009/01/o...-perry_12.html

8. In UT, off-duty LEO (again, no radio, no body armor, no partner, so pretty much like a CCW'er) Kenneth Hammond engaged Trolley Square mall shooter until SWAT arrived (13 Feb 2007). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolley_Square_shooting

9. In Bessemer, AL, CCW'er Chris Chappell stops double murderer and bank robber from escaping (14 May 2007). http://xavierthoughts.blogspot.com/2...k-robbery.html

10) In Plantation, FL, CCW'er John Lovell bested two armed robbers at a Subway sandwich shop (27 June 2007). http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news...obbery_070702/

11) In CO, CCW'er (and ex-LEO) Jeanne Assam, a volunteer security officer at New Life Church uses her CCW to stop BG w/AR-15 from entering main building after he killed two and injured three in parking lot (Dec 2007).
http://jeanneassamfanclub.blogspot.com/

12) In Orlando, FL, 5 BGs try robbing 65 y.o. CCWer at gunpoint as he collects cash for parking at a church. Instead of cash, he pulls his gun out from his coat and fires; BGs flee (27 Dec 2007).

13) In Indianapolis, IN, a masked gunman holds up grocery store when 51 y.o. Charlie Merrell pulls out his CCW and holds BG for police (31 Dec 2007). http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59503

14) In Houston, TX, a gunman tries to rob a CCW'er in a grocery parking lot around 10pm. CCW'er draws, fires, and kills BG (6 Feb 2008).

15) In Des Moies, IO, around 10:30 pm, 38 y.o. pizza delivery man James William Spiers III, was lured w/a order to deliver a pizza to a location where 19 y.o. Kenneth Jimmerson put a gun to his head. Spiers grabbed the BG's gun while simultaneously drawing and firing his own, hitting the BG multiple times. Jimmerson was arrested after he phoned for medical aid (29 March 2008). http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/17948249.html

16) In Glasgow, Montana, CCW'er Scott Billingsly shoots BG who killed EMT Melissa Greenhagen in Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital's parking lot. BG also injured Scott and Scott's wife, a RN who tried to give aid to the fallen EMT (17 Jan 2009). http://www.kulr8.com/news/state/45434932.html

17) In Columbia's Five Points, SC, just before 11:00pm on a Sat night, BG Kayson Helms, of Edison, NJ, entered an AA meeting in an ACOA Club, pulled a .25 caliber HGN and said "Gimme what you got." A few pull out wallets, but a CCW'er pulls out his [.32 acp Keltec] and shoot BG in abdomen, chest and neck. BG flees ~ 100 ft, collapses, and dies (18 April 2009). http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=175162

18) In Burton, MI, masked BG w/SGN enters poker business by shooting open a locked door at 1 am. BG orders the 40 - 60 patrons on the floor. Retired Flint CoP (again, a virtual CCW'er) Brad Barksdale confronts BG and kills him w/one shot to the chest (1 July 2009). http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=200005

19) In Detroit, MI, at 5:30 am on a Fri, a 43 y.o. woman is pumping gas when 2 BGs approach her and grab her purse. She drew her CCW and fired several rnds, striking one BG multiple times. He later died at Harper Grace Hospital. Police spokesman John Roach: "They didn't realize she has a CCW, so she had a weapon of her own" (25 Sept 2009). http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=234513

20) In Jefferson City, MO, an armed assailant was shot by one of the people he was attempting to herd into the building housing law offices on East Capitol Ave (13 Oct 2009). http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=233862

21) In Columbus, OH, BG Wayne Winston barged into a motel room, brandished a HGN, ordered the 6 occupants onto the floor, and demanded money. A 70 y.o. great-grandmother w/a CCW pulled her .357 mag. from her purse and shot him once in the chest, causing him to run from the room and die in the parking lot (21 Oct 2009). http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=234559

22) In Coeur D'Alene, ID, just before 6:30am, a 17 y.o. BG walked up to rob Michelle Cornelsen, owner of Sunshine Espresso, in her stand. BG set his gun down and covered it w/his hand to hide it when a customer pulled up. That's when Michelle drew her CCW and ordered BG to leave. No shots were fired. A deputy nearby caught BG a few minutes later (30 Dec 2009). News story & video at: http://www.kxly.com/news/22089081/detail.html

23) In Memphis, TN, just after 3:00pm on a Friday, a man with a knife ran through the parking lot of a Family Dollar store threatening customers. The BG chased a delivery driver and others. He was stopped when he tried to lunge his knife at a driver leaving the parking lot. That driver had a "gun permit" and pulled his gun and shot the BG, killing him (5 March 2010). Text & video news report: http://www.wmctv.com/global/story.asp?s=12094028
http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-man-wi...,2103052.story

24) In Turley, OK, just after 10pm on a Thursday, homeowner Michael Lish entered his home through the back door. He heard a noise in the master bedroom and went to investigate. He was confronted by Mr. Billy Jean Tiffey, III, who was wielding Mr. Lish's sword. Mr. Lish told him to stop and drew his CCW. The BG did not stop so Mr. Lish shot him. The BG reached for his pocket so Mr. Lish shot him twice in the chest killing him. A .38 revolver was in the BG's pocket. He also had Mr. Lish's 9mm pistol as well as a stun gun and knife. The BG had a record of drug offenses and DUI (1 April 2010). http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=12246529

25) In Omaha, NB, at about 9:00pm in a Walgreens, a GG w/o a CCW but carrying concealed takes out a masked BG, 18 y.o. Marquail Thomas, armed w/a sawed-off Rem. 870 shotgun by shooting him 4 times w/his .40 cal S&W semiauto pistol as the BG threatens a woman. GG then tackles a second BG, 17 y.o. Angelo Douglas, and holds him for police (26 April 2010). News story w/video at: http://www.ketv.com/news/23275007/detail.html and 5 min video interview of GG's attorney w/details of the shoot at: http://www.ketv.com/video/23288954/index.html

26 & 27) In FL, two CCWers foil two separate bank robberies, the first in Palm Bay (2 May 2010), and the second in Titusville (3 May 2010). News video describing both at: http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/vid...bber/1d09v6dqo

28) In West Hollywood, CA, off-duty Los Angeles Sheriff's Deputy Clay Grant, Jr., (what I call a "virtual CCWer") while shopping in a Target store hears a commotion, draws his handgun, and confronts 34 y.o. Layla Trawick holding butcher's knife in one hand and a carving knife in the other. She had stabbed 4 shoppers. He orders her to get on the floor, she runs away inside the store, he pursues her, confronts her again, and she complies (3 May 2010). http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100504/...rget_stabbings

29) In Colleton County, SC, a CCW'er, his wife, and her mother were traveling at night in two cars. They pulled over when one car started having problems and called a towing service. Three BGs pull up, and one (David Jayquon Jakes, age 19), gets out w/a mask on and points a gun at one of the women and orders her around. The CCW'er -- who was unseen as he had been behind one of the vehicles working on it -- orders the BGs to leave. Jakes turns w/gun to CCWer, so CCW'er shoots him several times. Other BGs drag wounded one back to car and fire as they drive away. They drop critically wounded Jakes off at a hospital (3 June 2010). News story and video at: http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12598387

30) In Mesquite, TX, just after midnight, an unknown man shows up at a poker party at an apartment. He flashes a gun and attempts to rob the players. "Lt. Bill Hedgpeth said 35-year-old Tracey Moore struggled with the suspect and was shot and killed. Another man at the party, 34-year-old Jerome Johnson, then fatally shot the gunman, 28-year-old Darvis Dervon Young. Hedgepeth said Johnson does have a concealed handgun license. A grand jury will decide whether he will face any charges" (15 June 2010). New story and video at: http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/061...rty-police-say

31) In Bartlett, TN, two 16 y.o. men tried robbing a 21 y.o. man, who works for a gun range. "The shootout occurred about 10 p.m. Wednesday at the Edgewater Apartments east of Sycamore View and south of Raleigh-LaGrange. . . . one of the suspects fired at the man during an attempted robbery. The victim, who was within 3 feet of one robber and about 10 from the other, fired five shots, four of them striking the would-be robbers." One BG was dead right there, and the other was taken to a local hospital (30 June 2010). http://www.commercialappeal.com/news.../?cid=Facebook

32) In Chandler, AZ, at a party two gangstas pick a fight w/a CCWer and then draw on him. He kills them both (5 Sept 2010). http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=339717

33) In Clearwater, FL, 83 y.o. CCW'er Charles Place was attacked from behind in a restaurant parking lot in a robbery attempt. Charles, knocked to the ground, drew his .25 cal. semi and ordered the BG to leave him alone. Bryan Treloar, ran and was followed by a witness. Police caught up with him and charged him with attempted strong arm robbery (22 Sept 2010). http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/...,7201060.story

34) In Charlotte, NC, a Pizza Hut driver who is attacked and pistol whipped in the restaurant uses his CCW to stop and kill Gregory James Hardy and Dauntrae Wallace, both 21 and both convicted felons (27 Sept 2010). http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s....php?p=5049750

35) In Nashville, TN, around 8:30 pm in the Arbors of Brentwood apartment complex, a Jet's Pizza driver was held up at gunpoint by 3 BGs. Driver uses his CCW to shoot and kill one of the BGs. Other 2 flee. Police believe shooting was in self-defense (26 Nov or 3 Dec 2010). (http://www.newschannel5.com/story/13...elivery-driver)

[Jay]

I'm 100% certain that it happens more often than people realize. Stories don't always make the news, especially if a shot is not actually fired, and people are not always willing to openly talk about such instances, at least not publicly.

[Lorimor]

Absolutely!  If shots aren't fired, I don't think many news outlets are interested in running the story. 

If it bleeds, it leads.