Watch security guard outdraw thieves (MELBOURNE, FL)

[Wendell]

Watch security guard outdraw thieves (http://www.cnn.com/video/?%2Fvideo%2Fbestoftv%2F2012%2F08%2F31%2Fpkg-security-guard-shoots-thieves-internet-cafe.wesh#/video/bestoftv/2012/08/31/pkg-security-guard-shoots-thieves-internet-cafe.wesh)
WESH (http://www.wesh.com/)|Added on August 31, 2012
Police released video showing three masked intruders' encounter with a quick-drawing security guard at an Internet cafe.
<http://www.cnn.com/video/?%2Fvideo%2Fbestoftv%2F2012%2F08%2F31%2Fpkg-security-guard-shoots-thieves-internet-cafe.wesh#/video/bestoftv/2012/08/31/pkg-security-guard-shoots-thieves-internet-cafe.wesh>
(http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/police-suspect-shot-during-attempted-armed-robbery/nQCT8/)
Security guard shoots alleged would-be robber; 2 others on the run (http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/police-suspect-shot-during-attempted-armed-robbery/nQCT8/)
<http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/police-suspect-shot-during-attempted-armed-robbery/nQCT8/>

[JHC]

Great job. Quick to the gun, keep moving (right-left); two handed and either sighted or at least weapon index fire. Pretty solid.

What? Is there a lot of money at empty internet cafes?

[LOKNLOD]

What? Is there a lot of money at empty internet cafes?

Wasn't the other recent video of an older fellow shooting (at) some robbers at an internet cafe? Perhaps there was a reference to that, because the article says this was a strip-mall casino (wtf kind of strip mall has a casino?). Those look like gaming machines on the camera, not net boxes.

[Al T.]

JHC, it's a gambling place. Patrons can get cashed out for their winnings or bring cash to play. And they are open 24 hours apparently.

That security officer did a lot of things right and quickly. I think he has spent some time thinking about that scenario and was on the "DA" end of the "OODA" loop PDQ.

In fact, it reminded me strongly of the shooting drill Tom Givins has as his capstone exercise. :D

[Jason F]

Wow indeed. Straight to the gun, no hesitation, and getting hits on target pretty quickly - while he's moving AND the bad guys are moving (read: hauling ass backwards now that it's a two-way range!)

Bravo Mr. Security who was actually ready and willing when his moment arrived. Well done indeed.

[TCinVA]

I watch a video like that and I'm curious as to how much of an impact the sort of movement the robbers made played into alerting the guard. Certain types of movement tend to arrest our attention even if on the periphery of our vision...like a couple of guys trying to run through the door. You see the same sort of thing in the video of the police officer who was writing a ticked when Umbrella Man tried to stab him.

The movement draws the attention, the attention leads to recognition, the recognition leads to (obviously) rehearsed reaction.

More subtle movements on the part of the bad guys may have changed the equation somewhat.

[Josh Runkle]

He was prepared for the scenario that he was prepared for, er, I'll explain:

He worked a single entrance post and as anyone in his position would have probably also done, had mentally prepared himself to deal with armed threats directly through that entry way. The fact that they wore masks probably played right into the scenario he was prepared for.

How would this have looked if they weren't wearing masks and making a commotion running in? What if they calmly walked up, drew and shot him? What if they entered in hats, avoided cameras, then went to the restroom to don masks and approached him from behind? What if they had someone on the inside pull the fire alarm, wait till he rushed off, and then ambushed? They could have entered through a window, back door, broken out an air conditioning unit, etc, the possibilities are endless.

He was extremely well prepared for the singular scenario that happened (as anyone working that post would be), and he got lucky that the inept bad-guys chose to challenge the one scenario for which most security guards are prepared.

I saw a good (positive) willingness to deal with the scenario, good recognition of the scenario which he was mentally prepared for (which required ZERO problem solving) a willingness to fight and stand his ground, but I also saw issues drawing from what appears to be a SERPA or similar (or something holding up his draw stroke), slow shots, poor hits and a HUGE AMOUNT OF LUCK.

While it's great to see the good triumph over evil, we also have the opportunity to learn something here.

[Sparks2112]

Anyone moving towards our front door quickly has my IMMEDIATE attention. I had my firing grip established on one occasion. And there's been several times when sitting behind our cash register I've gotten a grip on the shotgun we keep mounted underneath it. If I ever turn strong arm robber I'm walking in nice and slow.

[Josh Runkle]

Anyone moving towards our front door quickly has my IMMEDIATE attention. I had my firing grip established on one occasion. And there's been several times when sitting behind our cash register I've gotten a grip on the shotgun we keep mounted underneath it. If I ever turn strong arm robber I'm walking in nice and slow.

Hopefully you're equally prepared to deal with the person who talks to you for two minutes then decides to shoot.

[Sparks2112]

Hopefully you're equally prepared to deal with the person who talks to you for two minutes then decides to shoot.

Yeah but most people don't notice me constantly moving in such a way to not have my boss/patrons as a back stop. Though I did have one urban gentleman who was giving me serious bad vibes one day make a comment about me "pacing". When I told him I was just making sure of my backstop he decided it was time to go.

Protip: getting prison ink on your face does not garner positive reactions from those who recognize what it is.

[MDS]

He was extremely well prepared for the singular scenario that happened (as anyone working that post would be), and he got lucky that the inept bad-guys chose to challenge the one scenario for which most security guards are prepared.

I watched the video a couple of times, and I didn't see any evidence that the guard was only prepared for a single scenario. To my untrained eye, the video doesn't betray anything about how the guard would have reacted, e.g., "if they calmly walked up, drew and shot him." If you have some inside info about the guard, his training, his mindset, or his preparedness for a given situation, I'd sure find it valuable to hear. I'm always looking for lessons learned from a scenario like this, and (again, to my untrained eye) I see many things here I'd like to emulate if I were ever in a similar situation, and few things I'd do differently on purpose.

[Josh Runkle]

If you have some inside info about the guard, his training, his mindset, or his preparedness for a given situation, I'd sure find it valuable to hear.

I mean: it can be reasonably well assumed that the average person working that post would MENTALLY be prepared for a scenario of bad guys in masks barging in. As an "unexpected" or "unconventional" attack did not occur, it cannot be judged how he would react.

We are judging him based upon the scenario that the average person working that post has probably dreamed up in their head, and preplanned for, if they had sat at that post more than 5 minutes. We cannot see how he would respond if he was attacked "unconventionally" as he was attacked in possibly the most conventional way possible.

Being that he was attacked in the most conventional way possible, I feel that, while he reacted better than the "average" officer/guard may have, that doesn't make it "the best possible", and I feel there are a lot of areas where we can learn from his mistakes, not just his successes.

I'm by no means trying to attack the guy, I'm just saying that the bad guys were so inept and conventional that this could've been a bigger win. The reason he didn't lose may have less to do with his "skills" and more to do with poor planning and execution on behalf of the bad guys.

[Josh Runkle]

I'm always looking for lessons learned from a scenario like this, and (again, to my untrained eye) I see many things here I'd like to emulate if I were ever in a similar situation, and few things I'd do differently on purpose.

What would you do similarly, and what would you do differently?

[Josh Runkle]

So what were his mistakes?

Well, the first thing that I notice is that his head is slightly down, and the reason he looks up seems to be the violent storm of noise and people running. While he may be watching a camera monitor or similar, there is either no notice of people on an outside camera running in, or he is not looking through the glass to the outside. His reaction begins with the noise and running...which is too late. He could have been shot before being able to draw.

Next, his desk is terribly placed, with his back to people already inside. The security (from the limited info we have from the video) is not set up to stand guard against customers and non-customers, but only against an "assault" or unwanted patron or solicitor. If it is set up that way, then having monitoring an outdoor camera should be part of the structure...His back is to 90% of the possible threats to start. I understand that he may have zero decision making power when it comes to where his desk is placed, but if my butt was on the line, I'd put a large mirror there at my own expense if my boss wouldn't pay for it.

While gunfights have notoriously low hit ratios to bullets fired, the majority of those involved in gunfights generally have pretty low training standards, be it your local hoodlum who has been to the range a few times, or your police officer who...has been to the range a few times...plus a few times...plus a few requals, but that's it. While he definitely beats out the "average"...who wants to be average? I count (I believe) five shots from him and one hit. That's pretty terrible for the distances involved. I understand that he's not only "on par", but "above par" for the "average" gunfight...again...who wants to be average.

I notice a poor draw stroke, a positive decision to distance from the desk, poor footing, which is saved by lots of open space, followed by good footing, and a positive "decision" (if it was a decision and not instinctual, who knows) to use the cover of what appears to be a hallway.

Please don't think I'm attacking the guy. I strive to learn, and have a drive to progressively be better.

[JHC]

I see your points josh, it doesn't accomplish much for lessons learned on a training oriented gun forum if questions aren't raised.

OTOH, while there are considerations to factor in lets say about his seated position - we cannot conclude he would not have moved to an alternate position if there were other customers in there; I didn't notice any on the tape. As he was pretty well prepared for what happened, I think it just as likely he was prepared for other scenarios as opposed to unprepared about anything more challenging.

But a list of things to factor in is good AAR.

Actual vid of gunfights never look like range kata anyway. ;)

[MDS]

I notice a poor draw stroke, a positive decision to distance from the desk, poor footing, which is saved by lots of open space, followed by good footing, and a positive "decision" (if it was a decision and not instinctual, who knows) to use the cover of what appears to be a hallway.

Please don't think I'm attacking the guy. I strive to learn, and have a drive to progressively be better.

Good points, josh. Thanks for the details, they're good food for thought. I'll add that he could have been in better shape, too.

what I really liked about this was how he kept his cool. It looks to me like the gunfight progressed from the guard being very instinctive and flustered, to progressively getting a better handle on things and correcting some of the tactical decisions he made early on. from the very start, though, he was fully engaged and didn't cower in the slightest at any time. at least it looks that way to me from the video, it's impossible to be inside anyone else's head...

Bottom line, if this was a video of me in my first gun fight, I'd be satisfied. I'd see a lot of things to work on, but in terms of a trial by fire, I'd call it an acceptable performance. (Well, I'd probably be disappointed with my accuracy...)