Attended the first all-women’s Glock match last weekend, certainly an historic moment for sport shooters.  Will report in more detail soon. If you’re interested for now I’ll refer you to the ongoing discussion threads devoted to the topic in the GSSF section at www.glocktalk.com.

The first degree murder conviction this past week of a pharmacist who killed a young robber in Oklahoma City has prompted some to email me and ask me to address it here. There is certainly much to discuss in that matter…more than may appear on the surface.

Still getting comments on the threads last month regarding police. Many have sent blog editorials alleging murder and cover-up in the SWAT shooting in Tucson. They seem oddly silent as to recent revelations, most notably a helmet-cam recording of the incident, that show many of the accusations against the officers involved to be false.

Will keep that promise to do a tutorial on “how to read” a videotape to get more than one side of the story. I thought it would take a feature length article to point that stuff out, and kicked that idea around with Dave Duffy. Dave made the excellent point that it would be better suited to an electronic medium than a print one for a number of reasons.  It will take a while for a Luddite like me to get “screen captures” to show what to look for on linked videos, but that’s in progress.  Most of my week is going to be taken up with other matters, but the above topics are definitely on my schedule.

I hope you find them as interesting and useful as I do.

 

1 COMMENT

  1. Mas,

    Have been following the Tuscon incident with interest, including watching the helmet-cam video you seem to be referencing. Would love to hear specific revelations and falsehoods proven by that video.

  2. Video preceded by: no recon, no planning, no realization that he worked the night shift and would hence be at home, and failure to understand that 4 year old kids don’t go to school.

    Video: Cops randomly milling around, followed by traffic jam in the fatal funnel, follwed by ND, followed by panic fire, followed by shield man falling on his ass in panic, followed by breacher running up and blindly emptying his gun in the general direction, followed by a long pause and a final shot at a down guy. (Umm doesn’t the law frown on police finishing off suspects with coup de grâce?)

    Post video: The ‘team’ leader spending the next 4 minutes tying to find the key to his rifle case because he didn’t bother to get it out prior to the shooting, and he would just look like a fool when his boss shows up and he doesn’t have a rifle. Who is running the team then, anyhow?

    Followed the victims wife coming to the door multiple times as the brave police officers saw the victim laying totally still, so they spent the next house waiting for him to completely expire while the summoned negotiators. Funny how the scene wasn’t too dangerous for a 4 year-old boy but was too dangerous for an armed SWAT team.

    Followed by announcement of how the victim opened fire on the cops, followed 4 day later by the sheriff having the warrants sealed before admitting that, um, no he didn’t.

    Clearly one of the most professional operations I’ve ever heard of, run by the most professional team I’ve ever heard of. I’ll bet they train together for at least 4 hours a week. If sitting in a bar drinking is classified as training.

    Like Obama, is the sheriff going to get his award for openness and transparancy in a secret unannounced ceremony?

  3. I will be happy to see the video tutorial. That sounds like a very informative and educational topic.

  4. Mas,
    Thanks for your dedication in the face of all these analysists who lack both training and experience. Please don’t allow them to discourage your work: Other workers appreciate you but don’t always say so because we are busy, uh, working.

  5. I’m curious about the video comment as well. The video I’ve seen from the helmetcam shows a lackadaisical officer in a police vehicle listening to music, a “stack” and breach that wouldn’t even be believable in a Hollywood comedy, and about fifteen seconds of terrifying panicfire, with officers shooting blindly over each other and sweeping muzzles across everything.

    If anything, the video is more incriminating in the sheer incompetence it shows than the initial allegations.

  6. You mean the video where it’s hard to hear them say anything prior to the shooting, but we can hear them yelling AFTER they murder Jose?

    The video isn’t helping their case sir.

    Or perhaps you’d feel comfortable with that sort of SWAT activity at your home?

  8. dsd, the New Mexico decision, as I understand it, only allows the officer to secure the gun for the duration of the “routine” traffic stop, thereupon returning it to the owner. Common practice in many states.

    FWIW, I agree with the dissenting jurists in the Indiana State Supreme Court case that the majority painted their decision with too broad a brush, and I don’t expect that decision to stand when reviewed by the higher courts.

    Some of the sources you link are in error on several details.

  9. I saw the New Mexico ruling as well and their wording seemed extremely vague. To the best of my knowledge CO has a clause similar to NM but much more limited, that an Officer has the option of disarming you during a traffic stop but has to return your firearm after the stop unless the Officer finds out you’re a felon etc.

    While I don’t fully agree with it, I can understand the rationale behind it. My only concern with it is safety. I’d much rather keep my hands in plain sight rather than have an Officer try to safely remove my CCW. Easiest solution though, don’t speed. So far it works. 🙂

    Definitely looking forward to the videotape read.

  11. Mas it appears several if not all the officers in the door had helmet cams. let’s see that footage.

  13. mas,

    i appreciate your comment about that post – i’d love to hear your comments about all the other details. it seems you will only ever comment in defense of “errors” but what about all of the correct facts that are against the people?

    on another topic – in relation to one of your earlier posts about a mumbai style attack – this was in the news today… certainly something to be aware of

    http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/al-qaeda-video-buy-automatic-weapons-start-shooting/story?id=13704264

  14. Looking forward to the video tutorial, Mas. And while I have many personal problems with some of our policies regarding SWAT, I have nothing but respect for the officers themselves. Thanks for the great blog.

  15. Mas,

    fyi, Jing, by Techsmith, is an excellent screen capture software tool. It is versitile, yet simple and intuitive to use. It can handle screen capture stills and short screen capture videos. I have been using their free version for years in my teaching.

    (I am not affiliated with Techsmith.)

    Mousegun Mike

    p.s. I shot my first IDPA match this morning.

  16. Anxiously awaiting your take on the OK pharmacist shooting. I suspect many in OK feel the same way. Have heard reports that the defendant’s cred was at issue.

  17. All women Glock shoot! WTHeck happened to equal rights? Where’s the all man Colt shoot? They’d have a p-fit. Well I guess they have to beat someone.

  18. Mousegun Mike, congrats on the shoot. I hope you enjoyed it. And thanks for the tip on Jing, I’ll take a look at it.