Saturday, September 10th, 9am to 12 noon

Raising awareness about the risk of terrorism

A day-long event in California’s Central valley for citizens, terrorism specialists, and law enforcement officials to discuss threat, impacts, and response needs involved in a potential terrorist attack on the San Joaquin Valley.

The Range will be hosting a seminar to raise awareness of the threat, impacts, and response needs involved in a potential terrorist attack on the San Joaquin Valley. Industry representatives, and law enforcement officials will present the half-day course to learn more information about the multifaceted nature of terrorism.

“The more eyes we having looking out, the better,” organizer Tom Knowles said. Knowles is the retired assistant director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  He know heads the Civilian Liaison Officer Program for the Department of Homeland Security.  “The first responders know about  terrorism, so now it’s time to talk to the private sector,” he said.

Many people involved in food production would see a stranger entering their property as a potential thief — not terrorist — he said.

The potential ramifications of an attack on a food production facility, Knowles said, are far-reaching. He emphasized the negative effect any amount of contamination could have on both the economy and public safety.

The security plan for the World Ag Expo consists of information to be used in the case of such an incident, including the chain of command, law enforcement resources and emergency services.

The seminar will take place from 9am to 12pm September 10th 

at The Range Pistol Club, 5151 N. Gates in Fresno.

The course will cover different types of potential attack weapons, including chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive, as well as the manners in which they could be delivered. The greatest threats to the valley, Knowles said, are chemical and biological.

In light of Sundays recent tragedy involving the accidental firearm related death of a child, The Range in Fresno will be offering a free class teaching your children how to be safe in the presence of firearms.

The class is unique in several aspects.  First parents attend with their children.  Firearm safety requires everyone in the household to take part.

Second, the class allows children to witness the actually firing of a handgun on the range.  Many children have been conditioned from toys, video games, TV and movies to take for granted the potential danger of firearms.  Carefully supervised, children are allowed on the range to not only see an actual pistol fire, but hear and feel the energy.  The combination of sound, muzzle flash and shock waves is not intended to scare the child but allow him or her to appreciate the serious power these firearms possess.

The course is free as a community service and is held the first Monday of every month at 6pm starting June 6th.  Free gun locks will also be made available.  The Range is located at 5151 N. Gates Avenue just off west Shaw next to the CHP division headquarters.

The course is free, sponsored by a grant from 5.11 Tactical Series Apparel.

Executive Vice President Bob Denny shows off a 5.11 tactical vest during the soft opening of the 5.11 Tactical Signature Store at The Range Pistol Club in Fresno on Monday ERIC PAUL ZAMORA / THE FRESNO BEE

At The Range, the 5.11 Tactical Signature Store’s 3,300-square-foot showroom sells all 7,000 products in the 5.11 catalog, including the trademark pants used by law-enforcement professionals.

The company has sold its clothing and gear locally and worldwide for years, but this is the first full store devoted to only 5.11 Tactical products, said 5.11 CEO and Fresno native Dan Costa. The Modesto company does not run the store, which is operated through a partnership with Sawl.

The company has its roots in Royal Robbins, an outdoor travel clothing store that once had a location in Fresno. Costa bought Royal Robbins in 2000, developed rock-climbing pants into 5.11′s trademark pants now used by law enforcement, and later sold off the travel portion of the company.

The $49 pants 5.11 is known for feature reinforced belt loops that support the weight of a gun belt, a reinforced pocket designed to hold a knife, and large, easy-access pockets that can hold ammunition magazines.

Female gardeners and professionals like plumbers have started buying the pants, which have reinforced knees, Costa said.

“For the first time,” he said, “everything we have is in one place.

After the gun smoke clears, now what?

You have just survived the unimaginable. Your life was threatened, you should be dead, but your not. A combination of training and preparation has allowed you to go home to your family tonight. You have just used your concealed handgun to save your life. The criminal who tried to take your life is dead.

The police have investigated the incident and quickly determined that you acted properly. In response to a threat of death or serious bodily injury you used lethal force – your handgun.

Many months later your life is returning to normal. Your sleeping better, the nightmares have started to subside. There’s a knock at the door. A polite young man hand you a stack of papers and say: “you’ve been served.”

You have just received a Summons and Complaint accusing you of the wrongful death of your attacker. The suit is being brought by the orphaned children of the deceased criminal.

How can this happen? The police said it was a lawful use of deadly force. What happens now?

The fact is anyone can sue anybody for anything. All it takes is a small court filing fee. As a CCW permit holder you understand the need to be prepared. This is part of preparedness. You need to be insured against this type of claim.

Most permit holders will be completely covered by their home owners or renters insurance. That’s right, these general liability policies will cover you even if the shooting did not happen at the home. In fact, general liability covered by these types of policies will cover you anywhere in the world.

Review your policy. A few insurance carries incorporate exclusions for negligence committed with a firearm. Make sure your policy does not have this type of exclusion.

Also if your work requires you to carry (process server, bail bondsman, security or private investigator, to name a few) you may need professional liability insurance. Consult your insurance agent to see.

Insurance will not only cover you in the event of a judgement against you, it will also pay for your attorneys and experts. The good news is these suits are not common and rarely prevail against CCW permit holders.

On a related note, homeowners/renters insurance will not cover the theft of firearms and unless you have them specifically covered.

H. Ronald Sawl is a practicing trial lawyer specializing in civil litigation with the Sawl Law Group. Direct any legal question to hrs@hrsawl.com or www.SawlLaw.com

By Claudia Cowan

Across the country, lawmakers are debating whether universities should let students and faculty with permits carry their concealed weapon on campus. Those who want to put an end to such gun-free zones have found an unlikely hero in a petite, soft spoken, young woman who wonders why colleges protect most Constitutional rights, but not the one that matters most when staring into the face of a violent criminal.

Amanda Collins, 25, is a wife and new mom, and a concealed weapon permit holder for years. At her father’s law office in Reno, she showed us the 9-mm Glock she carries for her safety.

“It’s got a pretty standard magazine,” she said, “and night sights so you can see in the dark when you’re aiming.”

However, Collins couldn’t aim her gun at the serial rapist who attacked her at the University of Nevada at Reno, where she was a student. That’s because, like most public colleges outside of Utah and Colorado, UNR is a “gun free” zone. The rule required her to leave her gun at home, leaving her defenseless the one time she needed its protection most.

In October of 2007, while walking to her car after a night class, Collins was grabbed from behind in a university parking garage less than 300 yards from a campus police office. The school’s “gun-free” designation meant nothing to James Biela, a serial rapist with a gun of his own, who saw Collins as an easy target. “He put a firearm to my temple,” she recounted, “clocked off the safety, and told me not to say anything, before he raped me.”

The university has since installed more emergency call boxes and lights in the parking structure, but Collins says that won’t stop an attacker who knows the campus is a gun-free zone, a policy she believes invites crime, and may have even emboldened the man who raped her.

Police say 2 men entered the store wearing masks, pointed a gun at the clerks face, shouting “this is a holdup”.

During the robbery, an off duty officer was inside the store with his wife and 2 children. Police say he got his gun and told the suspects to get down on the ground. One suspect ran away, the other was shot in the leg.

The suspect was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The off-duty officer is not with the police but works as a federal security guard and has a concealed weapons permit.

Police say the officer tried to stop the robbery without firing his weapon but the suspects were uncooperative.

Police say the other suspect is still on the run and took off in a red car.

This was the second shooting on Thursday involving an armed robbery. A suspect was shot and killed while robbing a check cashing store at Bullard and Fresno Thursday morning.

Witnesses at the store near Delano and North Watkins say the attacker picked the wrong victim.

“He got what he deserved,” says one woman. “It’s as simple as that.”

Police say a man with a knife raced through the parking lot just after 3:00 p.m.. Witnesses say the man chased a delivery driver and others, but was killed when he tried to lunge his knife at one driver leaving the parking lot. The driver pulled a gun and killed his attacker on the spot.

“I just seen him shoot down. I thought he was just shooting in the ground. Obviously, he was shooting the gentleman with the knife,” says Byron Cook who watched the ordeal from start to finish, along with his three year-old grandson.

Witnesses say two little girls were inside the car when the attacker lunged at the driver.

“He had his two step-daughters in the car with him. So, he really was trying to look out for them when he shot him,” says Brandon Jones, who says the girls appeared to be younger than ten. “Yeah, they saw everything that happened. One of them was real shaken.”

Jones heard roughly six shots, then saw the man on the ground with the butcher knife still in hand. Witnesses can’t make sense of the attacker’s motive, but they’re certain the shooting was self-defense.

“He did the right thing by taking care of his business,” says Jones. “The girls are safe.”

“You’ve got to protect yourself,” says Cook. “He had his two kids in the car and they were terrified.”

“Self defense,” says one woman. “That’s what I would have done, the same thing.”

Witnesses say the shooter was stabbed, but appeared to be okay. Police have not released the name of the attacker.

During a typical state-mandated defensive firearms class there comes an hour – usually during that sleepy time after lunch – where the instructor gives some obligatory advice on what to do should you ever be forced to use the skills you’re learning.

Generally the advice comes down to two points:

• Call 911
• Don’t Say Anything

The reason you call 911 is to demonstrate your human concern and compassion for the dirtbag whose chest you just ventilated as he threatened you or your family with death or grievous injury, and so that you can get police officers on-site to investigate a homicide or physical assault – an act that you just carried out.

So as a potential felony defendant, you are now expected (if not strictly legally required) to call the police and speak into the police recorder, ever keeping in your adrenalin-charged mind that “anything you say will be used against you.”

Alan Korwin, principle author of the indispensable Gun Owner’s Guide series of books, has earned a reputation as a guy who thinks creatively and speaks his mind. In his latest project, After You Shoot, he tackles the issue of how, after defending yourself with lethal force against a criminal attack, you need to be prepared to defend yourself against the criminal justice system, starting with how you notify the authorities. According to Korwin’s sources, about half of the convictions arising out of self- defense incidents stem from unwise statements made in a frantic 911 call. With sometimes startling insight, and a sharp sense of the ironic, Korwin explores different paths through the treacherous legal terrain that can face anyone who uses deadly force in self-defense.

Just as there is no single, universally correct combination of the “right” gun, caliber, and carry rig to guarantee a successful defensive outcome, neither is there a single set of “right” after-action procedures or magic words to say that guarantee you won’t be arrested and face a trial. After You Shoot explores possible options, some of them controversial. Korwin is not shy of controversy, and proves it in his book by airing a broad variety of knowledgeable viewpoints, a few of which hold that some of Korwin’s approaches are all wet. As with other “holy wars” in the field – 9mm vs. .45 ACP, revolver vs. automatic, shoulder holster vs. belt holster – this debate is unlikely to ever be completely wrapped up. But there are important points to be raised, points that a defensive shooter needs to keep in mind. The book is, in many ways the overdue opening round of what could be a long conversation.

The conversation starts with fundamental rights, focusing on what Korwin calls the Adnarim Statement. Word game buffs will notice that Adnarim is Miranda spelled backwards. The crux of the Miranda warning is that “anything you say will be used against you” (Korwin always italicizes that last, very important bit). The Adnarim statement literally turns the Miranda warning around. It is an assertion of Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights saying, in effect, “I have a right to remain silent and not to be searched, and I choose to exercise those rights.”

The mindset of the Adnarim statement is in sharp contrast to the Miranda warning, which amounts to permission from the investigators to be silent. Korwin cites lawyers who have printed the warning on the back of their business card for their clients to use if arrested. The idea is to cause police to back off and not try to lead the defensive shooter to say something incriminating.

But the Adnarim statement isn’t unanimously accepted by experienced firearms lawyers as a good idea. A defensive shooter who presents the card to an investigating officer and clams up, says the contrary view, is likely to antagonize on-scene cops, and a possible red flag for a prosecutor who would rather see a civilian dead than using deadly force in self-defense.

Korwin’s out-of-the-box thinking only begins with the Adnarim statement. Needing an example of how to professionally handle the aftermath of a shooting, he looks at the policies developed by police, a very straightforward process that protects the shooting officer from the press, open microphones, and his own very human urge to talk that may come along with such a traumatic event . He offers a solution that, combined with the Adnarim statement, could be practical, but, like a home defense plan, it needs to be put in place well in advance of a defensive encounter.

As a defensive planning guide, After You Shoot fills an important gap in any gun owner’s library. Korwin flags specific risks that face the defensive shooter, and suggests strategies to mitigate or avoid those risks. Just as there is no single ideal gun for every situation, neither is there a single legal approach that is right for every person or situation. Like any good defensive book, After You Shoot lays out the problems to be solved in clear, common-sense language. If you keep or carry a gun for self-defense, you need this book.

After You Shoot: Your gun’s hot. The perp’s not, Now What? By Alan Korwin Publisher: Bloomfield Press ISBN: 978-1-889632-26-1 List Price: $14.95 Format: 160 pages.

…One of the places where we need to be especially aware of our surroundings is whenever we are entering and exiting our motor vehicle…

BY BRUCE N. EIMER, PHD

EDITED BY H. R. SAWL, J.D

Be aware of your surroundings. One of the places where we need to be especially aware of our surroundings is whenever we are entering and exiting our motor vehicle.

Opportunistic criminals lie in wait in parking lots, and stake out people’s driveways. This means that you need to think about the act of entering and exiting your vehicle as a potential danger situation. Don’t allow yourself to get car jacked; the results are not pretty. Carjack victims have a greater than one in two chance of ending up dead or missing!

An apparent attempted carjacking on Monday morning, April 7, 2008, ended with the shooting death of the victim who was being car-jacked. The incident unfolded in the parking lot. The suspect escaped a police manhunt.The driver of a white Land Rover, who was the apparent target of the attempted carjacking, was taken to the hospital, where he later died.

Have your personal defense tool or tools at the ready.

1. Stay Alert. In law enforcement it is referred to as: “Condition Yellow”—aware and alert. In this way, you are mentally and physically prepared to be approached, but not surprised. You know beforehand what you are going to do if you are in fact approached. This means having your verbal tape loops and automatic psychomotor routines ready to roll. You must have a plan.

Whenever you leave your vehicle make a mental note of its condition. Please be sure to always lock your doors! When you return to the vehicle, note whether there has been any change in its condition.

Whenever you approach your parked vehicle, whether it is in your own driveway or a parking lot, make sure it’s in the same condition in which you left it. If it is not, proceed with extreme caution and do not enter! If something doesn’t look right, don’t ignore your perceptions. Try to figure out what it is that is not right, or just move away from your vehicle immediately and get help.

Carry small loads—even if you have to make multiple trips to your vehicle—keeping at least one arm free for movement. Carry your keys at the ready. As you approach your vehicle, observe it. Check its 360: Look around and under the vehicle. Look into the front and back seats before unlocking the door. When you open your door, keep scanning your 360 degree environment. This is a carjacker’s favorite time to rush you. So, make certain that no one is approaching before you begin to get into your vehicle. You must be prepared to deal with a situation. While you are partially compromised as you are getting into your vehicle, you could be rushed by an attacker. Stay alert and keep your attention focused on the area around your vehicle and inside your vehicle as you get in.

As soon as you are safely in your vehicle, lock the doors. Once you are in and the doors are locked, do not dawdle! This is not the time to clean, look for things, or to become distracted talking on your cell phone. Be deliberate. Remember, parking lots and driveways are dangerous places. Violent crimes occur in these places every day.

If you are with a companion do not let yourself become distracted. Someone (probably you) should be the designated bodyguard. Let everyone enter the vehicle while you stand by the open door and scan your surroundings for threats. When everyone is safely seated inside the vehicle, promptly get in and lock the doors. The point is to be your own bodyguard. Unless we are rich enough to hire professional bodyguards (and even then we shouldn’t let down our guard), we have to take full responsibility for our personal safety.

2. Carry a Light. Try to park in lighted areas. However, if you cannot, have a powerful flashlight, such as the SureFire. If it is dark outside, use your flashlight to check out the interior and underside of your vehicle. Such a bright light can serve several useful functions: It can help you locate the presence of an intruder, identify an intruder, and blind the intruder. The particular light shown in the photo can also serve to deliver a sharp knock to the intruder’s noggin and buy you time to get away. It can also help you find your keys!

3. Carry Pepper Spray. Pepper Spray can be carried openly on your key ring. This means you have instant access to it. Think about how long it would take you to draw and fire your handgun. 3, 5, 8 seconds or more? Pepper spray is critical to dealing with intermediate threats or to buy you the time you need to get to your weapon. The Spitfire pepper spray can serve to ruin any intruder’s day! Again, pepper spray is a less than lethal force option that can buy you needed time to make your exit from the situation. Spitfire has the unique advantage of having a dispenser that facilitates “point shooting” or “point spraying”. In other words, you do not have to cock your wrist in an awkward position. You can point and shoot in any direction. Just point your thumb to aim, and dispense into said bad guy’s evil face. Now that’s easy. At 2 million Scoville Heat Units (SHUs) it is guaranteed to give an attacker a really bad day!

4. Walk with confidence. Opportunistic criminals and violent criminal actors (as opposed to the criminally insane) look for easy prey. They select “victims” and not “victors”. As such, they search for people who appear weak and vulnerable, and those who are not paying attention. So don’t be a victim. As noted defensive firearms trainer and author, John Farnam, likes to say, “Own your magnificence. Walk with confidence. Be deliberate. Do not dawdle. Don’t be tentative. Look like you know what you are doing and know where you are going.”

5. Keep your valuables out of sight. Valuables are “dirt magnets”. Don’t attract opportunistic criminals. Keep your valuables out of sight and locked up if possible.

Be your own bodyguard.

The author, Tim Schmidt suggests that you print a card and simply give it to the responding officer. The card advises that other than pointing out witness, you will not make any further statements. Good advice or an invitation to a criminal prosecution? Here is the suggested wording for the card:

“Dear Officer: If I have given this to you, I have unfortunately had to do what was necessary to defend innocent life. I am willing to sign a criminal complaint against the perpetrators(s). I will point out witnesses and evidence.

As you may have experienced yourself, this is a stressful and traumatic experience for me. Therefore, I wish to make no further statements until I have contacted an attorney and composed myself. I also do not consent to any searches. I will cooperate fully once I have consulted with an attorney and calmed down. As a lawfully armed citizen, I ask for the same courtesy that you would show a fellow officer who was involved in a similar situation.”

I have to admit that my training as both a law enforcement officer and attorney conflict when it comes to answering this question. As a law enforcement officer the common belief is that if a subject refuses to make a statement or requests a lawyer he or she must be hiding something. Not true, but the negative implication of “lawyering up” is pervasive in the law enforcement community.

Ironically, this is not the view when it is the law enforcement officer involved in a critical incident such as a self defense shooting. The advised practice is to not to make any statement until you have had a period of time to compose yourself, and to make no statements until the union representative has arrived. California law requires polices officers to provide a statement, They do not have the legal option of remaining silent. However, they do not have to make a statement right away. Why?

It has been determined in a number of scientific studies that profound physiological changes happen after a lethal threat encounter, such as a gunfight. Elevated heart rate, blood pressure and adrenaline levels are common. There is a reduction of both auditory and visual acuity.You may be in a physical state of shock even if you have not been physically injured. Obviously this is not the best time to give an accurate account of your shooting incident.

My advice is to request a minimum of 20 minutes to compose yourself. The exception to this would be to relay critical information to the officers regarding witnesses, weapons and other information which is time sensitive. Remember, the responding officer needs to at least some information to determine what happened. Provide your identification and state your willingness to cooperate fully. Just make sure they understand you need 20 minutes to calm down, reflect and compose yourself. During this time consider if you need the advice of an attorney.

Good criminal law firms will respond 24 hours a day to emergency calls and will send an attorney out to the scene to assist you. It is a good idea to know the name and number of a good criminal defense attorney and have that number in your wallet or cell phone directory.