Sarah
had been afraid of the serial killer, and she had bought a gun for self-protection
only three days ago. She was fortunate enough to live in a gun-friendly
state with no waiting period for anyone who passed the instant background
check. She had asked the gun store owner to show her how to handle the
weapon safely, and a friend who knew how to shoot had taken her out to
a range where she learned to fire it. She had made sure to buy the proper
hearing protection along with the gun, so her experience on the pistol
range was a safe and enjoyable one.
Sarah pressed the ammunition clip into the .45 caliber pistol as the serial killer forced his way through her bedroom door. He heard a sharp click as his prospective victim pulled the bolt back to chamber the first round and cock the weapon. "Stop or I'll shoot!" she ordered sharply.
Based on statistics* provided by Masaad Ayoob's The
Truth About Self-Protection, the story ends as follows:
| 96 percent |
A man suspected of eleven killings chose the wrong victim
when he broke into Sarah's apartment. The young woman, who had recently
purchased a handgun, aimed it at him and ordered him to surrender. He dropped
his knife and complied with her orders. The police arrived fifteen minutes
later and took him into custody.
or A man suspected of eleven killings chose the wrong victim when he broke into Sarah's apartment. The young woman, who had recently purchased a handgun, aimed it at him and ordered him to surrender. He turned and fled. Although he was not captured, police believe that the victim's ready access to a firearm almost certainly saved her life. |
| 3 percent |
A man suspected of eleven killings chose the wrong victim
when he broke into Sarah's apartment. The young woman, who had recently
purchased a handgun, aimed it at him and ordered him to surrender. He snarled,
"You don't scare me, b***h, I'm gonna rape you and then cut you up real
good." As he stepped forward and raised his knife, the woman squeezed the
trigger. Police arrived fifteen minutes later. The suspect was taken to
the hospital in serious condition, where police charged him with burglary
and assault with a deadly weapon.
|
| 1 percent |
A man suspected of eleven killings chose the wrong victim
when he broke into Sarah's apartment. The young woman, who had recently
purchased a handgun, aimed it at him and ordered him to surrender. He snarled,
"You don't scare me, b***h, I'm gonna rape you and then cut you up real
good." As he stepped forward and raised his knife, the woman squeezed the
trigger. Police arrived fifteen minutes later. The suspect was taken
to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
|
*From police instructor Massad Ayoob's, The Truth About Self Protection, page 327. "For every one shooting thirteen to fifteen criminals are deterred or driven off just by the sight of the gun, and this fully accomplishes what the homeowner bought the gun for in the first place. When you also consider the fact that only about one out of four people who are shot actually dies, you realize that for every home intruder shot dead by the resident, there are ninety-nine others who don't get killed, but who give up their assaults."
