Illinois doesn’t have open carry (yet…).
However, in most states, open carry is legal in one fashion or another.
Just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s always prudent.
If one chooses to practice open carry, one must be at a heightened sense of situational awareness at all times. Even at 11:20 in the morning while shopping with your three young children.
Here’s why:
YAKIMA, Wash. (Yakima Herald) — A 32-year-old man who was shopping with at least three children at a Yakima Wal-Mart was the victim of an unprovoked assault when a stranger picked up a metal tee-ball bat and struck him, according to Yakima police.
The victim was not injured, but he did have a concealed weapons permit, which he immediately put to use, police said.
A store security officer reported hearing a man in the sporting goods department yelling “Get on the ground!” and found one man pointing a pistol at another, who was lying on the floor.
Police arrived a short time later and arrested the 30-year-old suspect, who remains in Yakima County jail in lieu of $30,000 bail set Monday.
The incident took place about 11:20 a.m. Saturday at the east Yakima Wal-Mart.
As usual, the newspaper got significant aspects of the incident wrong. The comments told “the rest of the story”:
The attacker swung full force for his head.
The gun was carried “open Carry”
It was a 357 sig We think this person was trying to get the handgun by knockout hitting him in the head with a aluminum bat.
He side stepped the blow and took the impact in the neck and shoulder he is receiving Dr.s treatment.
He thanks god that no one else was hurt and that he did not have to use lethal force.
I was in law enforcement and during my academy training my son helped me study he knew how to safely defend himself and his family lawfully.
Hopefully this attacker will not be released to hurt other people.