Here’s a Police Activity video chock full of things to unpack. That’s the thing about these bodycam videos that are very valuable for gun owners in general and CCW holders in particular. They record a whole lot of data packed with valuable lessons.
Take this incident from Florida. A sovereign citizen living in a really nice house had a warrant for his arrest. He refused to play nice and deputies kept escalating to serve the warrant and take the man, Elroy Clarke, into custody.
The situation escalated and deputies repeatedly tased Clarke with little to no effect. At that point, he threatened the deputies saying something very prophetic. He said the deputies were “gonna see something they didn’t want to see” if they persisted.
Well, after popping him with three beanbags, Clarke charged one of the deputies.
He soaked up approximately 14 rounds before he went down, nearly catching the deputy about half-way through the string of fire.
That deputy was very lucky he didn’t trip and fall. He would have had a very big, very strong and highly agitated man trying to wrest control of his gun away.
Imagine if that was you, as a solo CCW holder, squaring off with someone you crossed in your daily life – be it a road rage incident, a dispute in a store, or whatever.
Still feel warm and fuzzy about a 6-shot Keltec P3AT or a 5-shot snubbie revolver?
What’s more, the cop was EASILY over 21 feet from the man when it all went down – closer to 30 probably. Yet he still almost ended up with an attacker on top of him after delivering four or six likely hits.
Yes, it’s age restricted. Yes, it’s worth logging into YT to see it.
Then at the tail end of the video, you see the officer who was the focus of Clarke’s charge and who did the majority of the shooting suffered an emotional breakdown.
Stuff like that happens in the real world. Only if you’re a CCW holder, nobody’s gonna be there to hold your hand – certainly not responding cops.
Charlotte County, Florida — On Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at 12:15 p.m., Charlotte County Sheriff’s dispatch received a call regarding a disturbance in the 2200 block of sandy pine drive in unincorporated Punta Gorda. The owner of the property, 42-year-old Elroy Clarke, called to report a tenant on his property was acting erratically. Two deputies arrived at the property and made contact with Clarke. He told deputies that his tenant was disturbing the peace. At this point, the deputies had not identified Clarke by name. Deputy #1 spoke with the tenant and others on the property. During the course of these conversations, deputy #1 obtained information that Clarke possibly had a warrant for his arrest. Deputy #1 asked deputy #2 to contact dispatch and inquire about the possible warrant. Deputies were able to confirm Clarke’s identity by his photo and that he had an active warrant for his arrest. Deputy #1 requested that additional deputies respond to the scene in anticipation of detaining Clarke. When deputy #1 approached Clarke, he denied being Elroy Clarke and provided a false name. When advised he had a warrant, Clarke became agitated. Deputies gave Clarke multiple commands to put his hands behind his back, but he did not comply. Despite showing signs of agitation, Clarke said he was calm but that “It was not about to be.” Deputy #1 advised Clarke that he would be tased if he failed to comply. After multiple warnings, deputy #1 deployed his taser but it had little effect.
Deputy #1 then deployed pepper spray which also proved ineffective. Deputy #1 attempted to take Clarke to the ground, but Clarke remained on his feet and warned deputies that if they touched him “They were going to see something they don’t want to see.” over the next five minutes, deputies continued to give Clarke commands to get on the ground and put his hands behind his back. He did not comply. Clarke demanded that deputy #1 hit him with his baton and to shoot him so that “They could see.” both deputies continued attempts to speak with Clarke and convince him to peacefully surrender. Deputy #3 arrived on the scene and exited his patrol vehicle. As deputy #3 approached, deputy #1 advised him that Clarke had been “Tased twice and been sprayed.” deputy #3 deployed his taser, but Clarke remained standing. Deputy #1 pushed Clarke onto the ground. Deputy #3 used the taser in direct contact with Clarke in an effort to gain compliance so deputies could place him in handcuffs.
Despite the use of a taser and baton, Clarke was able to break free of the three deputies and get back on his feet. Deputies continued to give him commands to get on the ground. Over the next eight minutes, deputies continued to give Clarke commands to get on the ground but he failed to comply. Deputy #1 retrieved a less lethal device that deploys bean bag rounds. Deputy #1 advised Clarke about the device and warned him that it would be used if he did not get on the ground. Deputy #1 deployed multiple bean bag rounds that struck Clarke, but it had little effect. After Clarke was struck with the final bean bag round, he charged at and made contact with deputy #3. Deputy #3 was holding his service weapon. Deputy #3 and deputy #1 discharged their service weapons, striking Clarke. Before the final bean bag deployment, deputy #3 drew his service weapon. Deputies provided medical aid, including the use of cpr, until the arrival of charlotte county fire paramedics. Clarke was pronounced deceased at the scene. One deputy suffered a head injury during the altercation with Clarke. He was treated and released from the hospital. No uninvolved people were injured in this incident.