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Surveillance Video: Concealed Carry Stops Milwaukee Robbery
On Jan. 30, 2012, Dierre Cotton allegedly attempted to rob an Aldi grocery store in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with a sawed off rifle. A customer carrying a concealed handgun changed the outcome of events for the better — and stopped the robbery spree (it was reportedly Cotton's third robbery in so many days).
The suspect was stopped by Wisconsin concealed carry holder Nazir Al-Mujaahid. Interestingly, Al-Mujaahid was carrying his firearm inside the store despite the property being posted against CCW. The DA said it would be “inappropriate” to charge him. In response, Aldi wiped the egg off its face and has since reversed its anti-gun policy. Concealed carry is now allowed in the company's Wisconsin stores.
According to Al-Mujaahid:
LESSON Learned: Always carry fully loaded and ready to use in an instant! That night the firearm was carried without a round in the chamber and with the safety on which were the longest milliseconds of my life.
Careful analysis shows at 1:22/2:28 the robber was engaged by customer while thug was pointing his rifle at someone AFTER having the money! He didn't simply leave. At 1:47 you'll see the thug point at customer while making his exit.
Following the failed robbery attempt, both suspects involved were arrested.
One thing that struck me about the video is the contrast between how the concealed carry practitioner reacts versus those who are unarmed. The CCW citizen has war-gamed out this very scenario, planned for it, mentally accepted it as a possibility and is prepared to take some action. He or she has options. The others don't.
The drama further deepened when the Milwaukee PD confiscated Al-Mujaahid's gun and refused to return it. As pressure began to mount following outcry by the Wisconsin gun rights community and many legal threats by the gun's owner, it was finally returned to him. It's a good reminder that even if you survive a gunfight and the DA doesn't maliciously prosecute you, expect many months of headaches and hassle for doing the right thing.
Do the right thing anyway, but don't expect a hero's welcome by our upside-down society and courts.
My recommended resources for concealed carry:
The Gun Digest Book of Combat Handgunnery
Armed: The Essential Guide to Concealed Carry
Find more resources at gundigeststore.com/tactical
