Scott White has vast of experience training law enforcement, military, and religious organizations in countering active shooters via reality-based programs.
The holiday season is in full swing and most of us experience a host of welcome distractions.
Shopping, family gatherings, and meeting our friends at our favorite spot to watch football are southern rituals. With these gatherings some unwanted distractions can also arise.
While statistics indicate most violent crimes occur in the summer months, someone will inevitably state violence increases during the holidays. Politicians, the NRA and many other second amendment supporters often subscribe to the view that “all it takes is a good guy with a gun” to solve any violent encounter be it during summer or Christmas. A more realistic view is the effectiveness of any defensive device is largely dependent on circumstance and skill of the user.
There are 3,851,715 adults over the age of 21 in South Carolina, and 324,923 of these adults are Concealed Weapon Permit holders. Add the number of armed active duty police officers, retired police officers, and other legal firearms carriers and the number of armed good guys you encounter, can easily exceed ten percent of our adult population.
If you are in a populated venue in South Carolina, you can bet that someone near you is legally armed with a handgun. These numbers represent a double-edged sword as they can provide a great deal of safety, or they can be the most dangerous.
During recent events, several good guys with guns have been shot and killed by other good guys with guns. When I was in law enforcement and in the military, we referred to this as “blue on blue” or “friendly fire.” In police circles, we most often discuss blue on blue in the context of off duty or plain clothes work.
Most experienced armed professionals acknowledge introducing a weapon in any venue carries a risk of being engaged from other armed persons. Simply put, being a good guy with a gun cannot protect you if a good guy with a gun mistakes you as the threat.
We are strong proponents of highly trained armed personnel in most environments. We are also acutely aware that carrying a firearm comes with a host of risks that are assumed by the carrier.
During this busy holiday season, regardless of who you are or what the circumstance is, introducing a firearm when in a crowd can be a perilous endeavor.
Stay safe and train.
• Scott White is the owner of Carolina Barrel and Blade, a training business with two locations in upstate South Carolina. Scott has vast of experience training law enforcement, military, and religious organizations in countering active shooters via reality-based programs. Scott can be reached at 864.655.7651 or [email protected].