Second time this week: Ohio CHL-holder defends against robbery

For the second time in three days, an Ohio Concealed Handgun License-holder has been able to defend their own lives and wound an assailant when targeted for robbery.

On early Wednesday morning, in Cincinnati, a CHL-holder was ambushed, shot three times, and still managed to return fire and injure one of his attackers. The grandmother of the man's girlfriend, who called police after the attack, told the Cincinnati news media that his choice to obtain a CHL was the difference between life and death. "It saved his life, I think. I think it saved him. I think so," she said.

Forty-eight hours later, on Friday, the Dayton Daily News reports that a Dayton CHL-holder also defended his life against armed robbers.

From the story:

Two men carrying guns approached a 40-year-old man at Riverview Avenue and Catalpa Drive early Friday. Their victim bent over with outstretched hands.

Then things changed swiftly.

The targeted man pulled out a Glock 23 handgun — he has a concealed-carry permit — and fired several shots, hitting one of the gunmen, police said.

According to the DDN, police responded to numerous calls of shots fired, and found the 40-year-old male victim (the CHL-holder) at his Dayton residence. Again, from the story:

He told them that he was walking west on Riverview when he was approached by two males in dark clothing coming from Catalpa. One shoved the victim, the victim turned around and both men in dark clothes flashed handguns, police said.

The victim then "began to back away in a bent-over position with his hands outstretched," according to a police report. Then he pulled out a Glock 23, a .40-caliber handgun, striking one gunman several times, police said.

The two ran off, but police said they caught up with possible suspects at Good Samaritan Hospital.

The victim has both a Dayton Firearms Owner's Identification Card and Montgomery County Concealed Carry Card, police said.

And of course, it is all but certain the criminals did not have any legal means for carrying, or perhaps even possessing, the firearms they used to attempt their robbery. One report already indicates all three suspects were juveniles, which would mean they were prohibited from even possessing guns.

When Ohio newspapers wrote their OhioCCW first anniversary stories, some attempted to make the case that claims of both pro-self-defense and anti-self-defense advocates were proven false, because while road rage shootings did not occur, neither were there many publicized instances of CHL-holders protecting themselves from attack.

While most instances of self-defense with a firearm do not involve shootings and will never make the newspaper, it stands to reason that as time passes, and as more CHLs are issued, more instances like the two this week will occur.

Let the potential armed robber beware - the next time you chose a target in Ohio, you can no longer count on her to be defenseless. This reality is what will, over time, drive more Ohio criminals to attempt property crimes instead of violent crimes against people, and is what illustrates how concealed carry laws benefit all Ohioans, not just the ones who chose to obtain CHLs.

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Click on the "Read More..." link below for additional commentary from OFCC Senate District 10 Coordinator Larry S. Moore.

Commentary from OFCC Senate District 10 Coordinator Larry S. Moore:

In addition to the WDTN and WHIO television reports, WHIO AM-1290 Radio reported on the 1:00 PM news that the intended victim is a concealed handgun license holder. WHIO AM-1290 also quoted sources at the Dayton Police Department saying that the man clearly acted in self defense and that the man was clearly within the right.

After months of high-profile violent crimes in Dayton, with gangs and teenagers ruling the streets, citizens victimized, innocent store owners killed, various groups holding marches and prayer vigils to end the crime and killing, one law-abiding CHL-licensed citizen exercised his right to self-defense. This is why Ohio's concealed carry law was passed!

Criminals in Dayton can now be put on notice that there are law abiding citizens refusing to become a victim - refusing to turn over their streets and their neighborhoods to gangs. We applaud this man who stood his ground and acted appropriately when attacked. We are also thankful he was not harmed.

Perhaps those who want the names of CHL-holders made public will now reflect on their concerns that some CHL-holder "will shoot them dead", or that they can "know who is around them with a gun" just because a list was published. CHL-holders understand self-defense and prey upon no one. Criminals prefer unarmed victims and prey upon anyone they can. The criminals are now on notice that there are CHL holders willing to defend their lives.