Recent headlines continue to serve as important reminders that when seconds count, a lawfully armed citizen is often there in the interval before law enforcement can be. By now, much of the nation has seen video from a mass stabbing attack at a Walmart in northern Michigan where an armed citizen, along with other brave good Samaritans, contained the attacker before he could continue his violent spree or escape.
Eleven people were injured in a terrifying random attack by the knife-wielding man at a busy Walmart on a summer Saturday. As law enforcement arrived in response to 911 calls, multiple citizens, including Derrick Perry, a retired U.S. Marine, were detaining the attacker in the parking lot. Perry drew his firearm on the man to restrain him from further stabbing innocent people and to prevent him from fleeing. The veteran’s quick actions forced the assailant to drop the knife and allowed bystanders to restrain him until law enforcement took over. Perry recounted the heroic efforts in a recent interview with ABC News. He mentioned his personal call of duty to protect but also his focus on using his firearm as a tool for defensive de-escalation during the emergency.
The use of firearms for defensive measures rarely makes the news and is likely significantly underreported. Quantifying defensive uses of firearms is difficult due to varying methods of reporting and categorizing in the states. Yet research studies done on the subject, including a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study, have estimates ranging from 500,000 to 3 million occurrences per year. As in the Michigan example, most of these situations resolve without the firearm being discharged. This should cement the notion that a proper understanding of the dynamics of firearms in America must account for the ways in which they save innocent lives and preserve public safety. For snapshots of these frequent armed citizen responses, visit NRA’s Armed Citizen News.
Quantifying defensive uses of firearms is only a part of this consequential story. With over 855,000 active Concealed Pistol Licenses in the state of Michigan, along with the legal ability to openly carry a firearm, potential first responders abound, likely influencing the decision-making of violent criminals. Violence is sudden and often unpredictable, so when a brave, level-headed armed citizen like Derrick Perry reacts in those critical early moments, potential disaster can often be averted.
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