Surviving a Mass-Shooting

In my defensive shooting courses, I recommend that my students start following news on shootings and other circumstances where they might need a gun for self-protection, this is training for your mind.  An excellent way to do this is to sign-up for VCDL's VA-ALERT e-mail list.  Another way is to read good books on self-defense.  

I just finished reading "Surviving a Mass Killer Rampage" by Chris Bird and I highly recommend it.  The author describes in-detail many mass shootings, some that were stopped by citizens or law enforcement and some that were not.  Reading about these killings gave me a glimpse into what a situation like this might look like and some of the options when fighting back.  A majority of these shootings are over before law enforcement arrives and is able to confront the shooter.  His overall point is that allowing private citizens to carry guns and eliminating gun-free zones will significantly reduce the carnage that these killers can cause.   

In addition, the author attended several multi-day courses meant to train private citizens to stop mass shootings.  The book describes the content of these courses in detail.  This section includes lots of basic tactical information and some things concealed carriers could use to practice on the range.   For instance, one of the courses talked about the importance of scoring your first hit and had the students take their first shots each day at 50 feet.  That is well beyond the average distance of a gunfight but I see the wisdom of regular practice at longer distances and I plan to work that into my future sessions.