A Brother is Murdered

[James Yeager]

A Brother is Murdered

One of our brothers, a student, is dead. We will call him Rob. Rob was murdered September 13th, 2003 about five miles from my home in Big Sandy Tennessee (population approximately 600). While some details are sketchy we do know a few things at this point. One of the things I know for sure is that Rob, who was a Carry Permit holder, was shot to death, while unarmed, with his four-year-old daughter standing near him.

We have had many students including men, women, police, military, civilian, American, foreign and every nationality you can imagine. I have had a school since 1996 and quite a few folks have one of my certificates hanging on a wall or lining their birdcage. My students are my extended family, and I tell them that, and they stay in my home quite often. I get a constant flow of e-mails and phone calls from them with a myriad of questions and comments about every imaginable topic. My students are my brothers.

Rob was a “gun guy”. He owned many guns, was a reloader, and has some suppressors for several of his guns. He apparently shot often although I had never met him before his class with me and hadn’t seen him since. We corresponded a few times via e-mail as he was applying for his Carry Permit but that was it.

This incident apparently happened because the murderer, a 70-year-old male, thought Rob had shot one of his dogs. This is a big deal in the southern United States. Many people let dogs run wild. Some are vicious, some tear up trash bags and some just walk aimlessly about. The fact is that many dogs run wild and many people don’t like it. Did Rob shoot one of his dogs? Who knows?

The incident essentially occurred like this: Rob went out on the lake with his daughter and two other adults, launching his boat from a public ramp. The murderer apparently waited all day at the rampfor Rob to return. The murderer approached, there was an altercation of sorts, and he fired two rounds from a .44 Magnum Ruger Redhawk and then walked in and did a contact shot to Rob’s head.

Rob, and a friend, took a Tactical Pistol course from us about two years ago. He took the course with a Stainless Para-Ordinance P-14. He was about to apply for his Carry Permit and wanted to get some training. I asked why he was shooting the P-14 instead of his “carry gun”. He said he was going to carry the P-14. I expressed my opinions to him that not only are Para pistols too big for daily carry they are not rugged enough (This is not a 1911 bash, it is my opinion that Para-Ordinance guns have terrible reliability.). He was content with his decision.

Like with all of our classes we talked about and did a lot of shooting. But our Tactical Pistol class goes into great details about Mindset and Tactics as well. If you Alumni will dig up your handout from my class you will see gunfight rule number one as being “Bring a gun.” Owning a gun doesn’t make you safe. Guns are not Talisman that will ward off evil spirits. To go about daily you must have a gun on your person and a serious attitude that you will be aware of what is going on in your environment.

As an Instructor I must, like all Instructors, unlock my students’ potential and in some cases even change the way they think. Many times the change is profound, even life altering, for some students. I have had students tell me after courses they have made serious life changes like making their personal connection with God, making a Will, buying life insurance and so on. They do this because I tell them you should not be encumbered by these thoughts while fighting for their life.

Firearms Instructors are not unlike motivational speakers. We must motivate and elevate our students to do things they may never do otherwise. One of them is getting them to actually carry their gun everyday. I know that sounds weird because these are students in firearms classes after all. It is true though that many shooters do not carry a gun everyday. There are certainly reasons not too, but I cannot think of one reason that is worth dieing over. Rob would have been carrying illegally. Was that why he wasn’t armed?

I know what the Warrior Spirit is. I know what people who have it look like. I cannot give it to you, you cannot buy it, and without it you are very likely to fail. Without it you are very likely to think carrying your gun is a burden, will get you in trouble, or won’t be needed.

What good is a fireman without water? All of that knowledge and skill goes to waste as the building burns in front of him. Guns are like fire extinguishers. You hope you never need one, but when you do you want the biggest damn fire extinguisher you can pick up.

I have lost sleep over this. I have cried over this. I have gotten angry over this. How do I reach people? How do I motivate them enough to save their own life? What can I do to unlock the Warrior that is locked deeply inside every man?

A good man is dead.

Be alert. Be armed.

[TGO David]

What a tragic waste of a human being's life. And in front of his children to boot!

Do you have any news on what became of his killer?

[James Yeager]

His killer is in prison.

Carry your gun.

[Guest Beefy]

Pitiful.... but I'm a bit confused... it reads like it just happened, but the date is in September of 03?

Was this in the news at all?

[Guest Loaded247]

Beefy, I think one reason it reads that way, is because it is a 'timeless' message. Even if it had happened 30 or 40 years ago, the information is still valid.

When I step outside of my home to go about my daily business, I ALWAYS carry.....ALWAYS. No, I don't mean I 'leave it in the car sometimes', or I 'take it off for this or that', I mean I ALWAYS carry. I carry a semi-auto pistol with a spare mag as a minimum. Now, when I go to the gym to workout, I carry my S&W Mod. 36 in the gym bag....and the bag stays with me 100% of the time I'm in the gym....and that is the only time I do 'off body carry'.

I don't believe in being unarmed, and this story gives an example of WHY having the means to defend yourself AT ALL TIMES is imperative.

[Guest JCE]

I don't believe in being unarmed, and this story gives an example of WHY having the means to defend yourself AT ALL TIMES is imperative.

If only our "enlightened" state legislators would see it that way.

They decided to "allow" us to carry (for $115 that is), but don't you dare try

to carry while in a restaurant that sells liquor or in a public park.

I'm just wondering if Rob was just trying to obey the law by not carrying at the lake, since I believe it's considered a "park"

I think I'll carry regardless, rather lose my CHL than my life

[TGO David]

I definitely don't intend this statement to be construed as any sort of official stance of TGO, but my mentality is that if a firearm is properly concealed, no one should be aware of it's existence no matter where you are.

Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6... that sort of thing.

[shaftbass]

I definitely don't intend this statement to be construed as any sort of official stance of TGO, but my mentality is that if a firearm is properly concealed, no one should be aware of it's existence no matter where you are.

In the winter that's not much of a problem for me, but that XD-45 is kinda hard to conceal when I'm in shorts and a t-shirt. I will be getting a scandium J frame .357 before summer.

[James Yeager]

The article is "old" but the message is timless.

Carry your gun.

[Guest bob-e]

I cannot carry alot of the time because I work in a Federal building. And I don't carry in the car on the way to and from work because I'm afraid my car will get broken into (again). If something happens to me during these times, well, that's just sucks for me. Whatcha gonna do?

[Falcon1]

I cannot carry alot of the time because I work in a Federal building. And I don't carry in the car on the way to and from work because I'm afraid my car will get broken into (again). If something happens to me during these times, well, that's just sucks for me. Whatcha gonna do?

Pretty much the same deal for me as a public-school educator. I carry where legal, but between school (not legal), Scouting (not allowed by the organization), and to and from, I can't carry as often as I would like.

[Guest DeeZee]

Stories like this are why I carry ALL the time. You never know whats around the corner.........Be prepared.

[Cannon Fodder]

I'm with Bob-E, I can't carry at work. Matter of fact I can't carry on to the property. What can we do, not a damn thing. There are to many stupid sheep who could care less if you are killed, as long as someone isn't offended or the down trodden get their way. In my case and Bob-e's case we wouldn't loose our CHL we would loose our freedom for life.

[James Yeager]

I wouldn't have a job where I couldn't carry a gun. I have passed up some good ones too.

[Cannon Fodder]

I would love to have another job, but at this point in time the market is flooded and there is no way in hell I can afford to take a pay cut. They were talking about changing the laws where you can carry in a federal park so maybe the buildings will be later.

[Guest bob-e]

I wouldn't have a job where I couldn't carry a gun. I have passed up some good ones too.

No way I could leave my job for that reason. I also go to drinking establishments, where I am not allowed to carry. You may call it living on the edge, but I just call it living. At least I have my guards at work to protect me (eek, scary)

[towerclimber37]

Sometimes I wish that I didn't have the kind of job I have.

I climb communications towers..as a result, I'm out of state more than I am IN state. Many of them don't have reciprocal agreements with the state of TN, so I have put off getting my cc license. My sis in law has hers, and said with the paperwork and such it took her about 8 months to get one...is that accurate? does it take THAT long to get one here?

I'm in the Kingsport/Churchill area btw.

[Guest Shay VanVlymen]

Sometimes I wish that I didn't have the kind of job I have.

I climb communications towers..as a result, I'm out of state more than I am IN state. Many of them don't have reciprocal agreements with the state of TN, so I have put off getting my cc license. My sis in law has hers, and said with the paperwork and such it took her about 8 months to get one...is that accurate? does it take THAT long to get one here?

I'm in the Kingsport/Churchill area btw.

Getting your permit doesn't mean you HAVE to carry. Many states do have reciprocity so even though you might not get every state you travel to some coverage is better than none.

[James Yeager]

I cannot afford to be killed. If I am dead my job wouldn't matter too much.

[Guest DeeZee]

Heck James, I'm with you on the importance of 24/7 carry.......but I'm just a CNC operator (punch press/Break press) and 99.9% of factories would laugh me straight into the unemployment line if I asked them if I could carry in a factory environment. I believe the only way I could carry at work would to be to do it WITHOUT their knowledge and risk being fired and sued for breaking company policy. I know, I know, I CHOOSE to work in the industry I'm in.......but at my age, financial situation, and responsibilities it just isn't feasible to learn a new trade. I really wished I had the opportunity to carry legally 24/7.

[shaftbass]

Well it's easy to say you wouldn't work somewhere you can't carry when you already work someplace where you can carry: A firearms training center.

Let's list jobs where you can carry 24/7:

-Law enforcement

-Gun store

-Firearms training center

-Your own business

-Handful of small companies where the owner is pro-gun and would allow someone to carry.

I'm sure I missed a few.

It's unrealistic for most people to expect to be able to carry at work. That's not saying you can't. That's what Kel Tecs and S&W scandium J-frame revolvers are for

[TGO David]

It's unrealistic for most people to expect to be able to carry at work. That's not saying you can't. That's what Kel Tecs and S&W scandium J-frame revolvers are for

I think too that there has to be a knowledge of when to be vigilant and when you can stand down. Being hyper-vigilant all the time, even in safe areas, could eventually make a person paranoid or worse ... in my very unprofessional opinion.

Watching the National Geographic: Explorer segment on the civilian security contractors in Iraq the other night, I was struck by the fact that those men who are consummate professionals, when in their safe area, do stand down at least a few notches. Granted, the guy playing games on his laptop still had his weapons near his side but he was allowing himself the time to rest a little easier it seemed.

I don't carry in my own house, I don't carry when I am walking around at work, and I don't carry to places where I know good and well I'd be found out and arrested for it (schools, Federal buildings, getting on a plane, places with metal detectors, etc.)

I realize that's beyond the scope of this thread's intent so maybe this is a discussion best moved to another thread...

Regardless, I intend to one day soon take Yeager's fighting pistol class and am anxious to learn more about the mindset of staying vigilant, staying armed, and how you can accommodate circumstances where being armed is prohibited.

[Guest Shay VanVlymen]

After you take Fighting Pistol you should take "The Fight" which is our Force on Force Scenarios class. Run some scenarios without a gun and it might give you a heightened appreciation for being armed 24/7.

A gun only becomes important when you need one RIGHT NOW. At home in my safe or in the glove box of my car is useless to me in a fight for my life.

The bottom line for me is my job is not worth my life or the life of my wife or son. Period.

[TGO David]

After you take Fighting Pistol you should take "The Fight" which is our Force on Force Scenarios class. Run some scenarios without a gun and it might give you a heightened appreciation for being armed 24/7.

I guess my question operates under the assumption that one would have time to arm themselves when in their home or other 'safe area' ... and I will concede that assumptions generally aren't foolproof and that time is not always on our sides.

Interesting. I'll look forward to one day taking that class as well.

[RandyC]

James, thanks for posting this. From time to time we all need to be reminded not only why we carry but also the importance of being armed in every possible instance.

Do not burden yourself unduly over this. He was far better off having met you. It was his decision, for whatever reason, not to arm himself and the blame should rest on the man who is sitting in prison.