NEVER Say *These* Things If You're Carrying Concealed...

Should you issue a verbal command to “STOP” when defending yourself against an attacker? In this short informational video, U.S. Concealed Carry Association Director of Content Kevin Michalowski discusses the usefulness of verbal commands in a self-defense situation.

00:00 How important is a verbal warning when drawing your concealed carry gun in self-defense?
00:25 If you think you might have to shoot someone to stop an imminent threat of death or great bodily harm, you may not have time to verbalize a warning and wait for a reaction before pulling the trigger.
00:51 If your would-be attacker immediately stops presenting a threat, a short, emphatic command of “STOP!” or “LEAVE ME ALONE!” might be enough to make him retreat.
01:10 Firearms always present deadly force in the eyes of the law. Only draw/brandish your concealed handgun if the situation warrants that level of force to defend yourself or another person.
01:52 All told, issuing a verbal warning may help your immediate situation and your court case down the road, but if the scenario is bad enough to require deadly force, you should focus more on the safe and accurate operation of your firearm.
02:01 One added benefit of a loud, clear verbal command is that it will change bystanders into potential witnesses.
02:22 A verbal warning can help build your case, but you may never have the time to use one in a dynamic life-or-death situation.

#concealedcarry #selfdefense #uscca

-------------------------
[URGENT] Attention Gun Owners:
-------------------------
Want the same peace of mind enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of responsibly armed Americans like you?

[bglk]

Strange how the criminals never are charged with "branding", yet decent law abiding people have to keep tip toeing around defending themselves.

[rangersmith]

Drawing the attention of others who might be nearby is always a good idea if you're being accosted, whether you're carrying or not. It doesn't matter if all you shout is "Go away, leave me alone!" Calling others to your aide, or even just creating the unwanted (by the attacker) witness, is often enough to end the attack. And it will never get you prosecuted.

[cprendon]

My training was from a former SWAT officer and police trainer. His instructions were that as you practice your draw you yell the word stop. You do it every time and it becomes pure muscle memory. It takes no more time and becomes automatic.

[nokoolaid]

Never draw if you don't intend to use it. That's how serious it is.

[culinaryavatar]

De-escalation and avoidance by yelling STOP, GO AWAY! It may or may not influence a person to stop their actions but, I have seen it work too!

[rp]

Thank you for talking about this. Very important if you carry in Public. The part you remind us about the 1911 ( Round in chamber safety on) is so important for all those that carry that Firearm. It was your training video that helped me understand the importance of a round in the chamber. The practice at range of draw, safety OFF as you bring Firearm to target, practice practice practice, key with a 1911. I was lucky they still had the Colt 1911 when I was in ARMY
We got a lot of practice with that side arm.

[fredschroederjr]

Until you have been shot/shot at, you have no idea what that adrenaline spike feels like. Never pull your weapon, unless you intend to use it.

[rodrunion]

Carrying on an empty chamber is deadly stupid.

[jojohaj]

I was in a sticky situation a few years ago and said, "Back up! Stay back! Back up!" and kept walking backwards myself. The person kept coming at me with a knife before I drew my firearm. The cops showed up almost immediately. They were watching from the top of the hill where I was standing told me I was in the right and that I did what was expected of me. I had backed up as far as I could into a well lit area and chose that to be my spot to wave them down. They said if they weren't there I would have been completely justified since the person was screaming "I'm gonna effin' kill you" and coming at me with a knife. As I drew i still kept saying get back until they were in comfortable shot range. I just lucked out that the officers were right there and all they did was catalog my handgun cuffed me for a few minutes to find out what was going on and arrested the guy that came at me with the knife. I explained that due to my disability I can't run and that I purposely got to where they could see me so I could flag them down and they sent me on my way within 25 or so minutes.

[LK-bzsk]

Someone started shooting at me and a friend in South Africa many years ago. It was so reflexive to run, duck and dodge over to cover and then kept opening distance, I don't think I would have even thought about a gun on my hip.

When it cracks off, things happen so fast. Very humbling experience.

[samhouston]

Good advice. I heard this probably 30 years ago and it is still true. It needs to be told to every generation.

[homesteadishdad]

"I'm the wrong guy, man" worked for me one time with a suspicious feller at a gas station at 2 in the morning

[southernblueblood]

When I received my CCW I took a gun class and we practiced this while retreating, my state required this before the use of deadly force. The instructor said basically the same as you have, thank you for the videos they're very helpful and adds to our knowledge.

[egberthigglewonk]

A cop once told me "never, ever use a Dirty Harry or Death Wish quote"

[zerstorer]

It would seem that a verbal warning is generally easy to add to the process of drawing a weapon, since most of us don’t use our mouths for that process. Granted, there might not end up being enough time between when you draw and when you have to pull the trigger to see if they heeded your warning (there might not even be enough time to finish giving the warning); but if you keep it simple, it’s not likely to hurt anything.

[LilSkimp]

Making a verbal warning is a rookie mistake and you’re basically letting the criminal see that you wouldn’t shoot them. It’s never a good idea to talk at all once the guns drawn. They just might shoot you before you can react. Never say “don’t make me shoot you” that’s also a threat..

[BrandonW]

Did anyone else miss the things not to say, or was it just me?

[HMSGT]

*ROE*

Always remember the test: if you had to reach into a box of one of those to get money or jewelry or car keys back, would you do it? A firearm is a deadly weapon, and it is a last resort to keep yourself or another innocent alive when there is no other option then kill or be killed.

Never draw a weapon unless you intend to use it.
Never aim the weapon at a person unless you intend to shoot them.
Never shoot a person unless you intend to kill them.
If you aim a weapon at someone else you raise the stakes. Whoever it is has to assume you will- or may, at least- pull the trigger. If they're willing to back down, well and good. If they're not, and some people won't be, they may decide to go for broke. If they've got a weapon of their own, they'll use it. If they don't, they'll try to take your weapon, and if that happens, will probably use it against you. Never think for a moment that simply demonstrating that you have a weapon is going to magically make them do whatever it is you want them to do.
You have to be completely certain that the stakes are worth escalating a confrontation that way. If there's any question in your mind that stopping the other person justifies killing them, then it doesn't. When you shoot to stop a threat it's because you've decided that it's better that they be dead and that you or someone else be alive. If you're justified in shooting at all then the sole object should be to neutralize the threat as quickly as possible, and fastest way to do that is to shoot to kill.

[shadowfyre]

I would never take the chance that drawing and pointing your firearm at an attacker is going to intimidate them. I’d never reveal my firearm to an attacker, and only draw if my life is in danger, after drawing immediatly aim and fire

[r.f.pennington]

As one who, sadly, knows what flying lead can do to a human body and would rather not relive those situations, I 'amen' the things that were said in this video. As a civilian, I had one occasion to draw my weapon and the BG, thankfully, retreated at my drawing and verbal commands. I still went to jail when the police arrived and remained in custody for about 30 hours. Thankfully, no one was killed. Took months to get my weapon back, but the kid was still alive. ANYTHING we can do to stop a threat and everyone walk away alive is worth exploring. Having said that, if it comes down to your life (or those in your care: spouse, kids, grandkids) then the perp has to go, plain and simple. Train, train, train. Popping off two or three mags at the range isn't training. It's something, but it's not training.

The idea of carrying without one 'in the pipe' to me is ridiculous. Carry, as if time is NOT on your side...meaning, one in the pipe. These are split second decisions (always will be) and we don't want to be on the losing end. Good vid, and thank you, Kevin and the good folks at USCCA..