A gunman linked to three shootings was fatally shot by an off-duty LEO getting a haircut when the assailant unexpectedly came in and shot the barber.

Off-duty officer fatally shoots gunman who shot, killed barber inside Baltimore barbershop - YouTube: Video 1 / Video 2 / Video 3

The goal of writing Tactical Takeaway articles on DEA Watch is to stimulate discussion as how we can improve performance in life threatening encounters. The most vexing problem the Street Fighter faces is how to train for the unexpected? Our core premise must be to concentrate on the basics.

Effective and efficient Chiefs and Sheriffs possess the leadership to manage, motivate, educate, control, challenge and criticize subordinates to accomplish their missions and the tasks and objectives they have set forth. Their LEOs spend personal time on professional development: study, physical fitness, marksmanship and martial arts.

Instructors in their department demonstrate mastery in areas of expertise and possess real world experience. They push their trainees to do the task over and over until they get it right. They know the particular strengths and weaknesses of each trainee and hold them accountable for blunders. They conduct challenging tests and those who fail are recycled. What sets these instructors apart from others? They motivate their trainees to do their own sustainment practices to maintain skills learned in the classroom, on the mats and on the square range.

The firehose approach without real-world context taught by most police agencies transfers very little long- term memory that can be used in a gun battle. Remember performance in class without sustainment is perishable because it becomes unusable a few weeks after qualification.

The lifesaving question Street Fighters ask themselves is what would be one tip that will improve their chances to prevail in a gun battle? A tip that will not cost one penny and take up just a few minutes of time.

Safeguarding oneself with a blaster is a multifold problem calling for a variety of skill sets that must be practiced. Clearly putting rapid, accurate bullets into your attacker is a necessity; however, the Street Fighter must first master the ability to get his blaster out of the holster before he puts lead into meat,

The Street Fighter must first draw his blaster swiftly and effortlessly so that he can begin to align his sights and press the trigger. Seems obvious, but the presentation is the most bobbled part of the draw stroke.

Under stress and the attendant need for speed while drawing from concealment is when foul-ups happen. The problem is more pronounced while either drawing from a cover garment or from a retention holster.

While going about his daily routine the Street Fighter can practice the first part of his draw stroke without pulling his blaster from the holster. Clear your cover garment and get a positive grip on your blaster. Reposition clothing and continue getting reps. This way you practice your presentations with the different garments you wear every day.

This in no way is meant to replace a full session of dry firing. When dry firing your strong hand squeezes front to back while the support hand squeezes side to side creating a 360 compression on your blaster, aiding in recoil control. Middle finger in contact with the bottom of the trigger guard, web of your strong hand high on the grip as possible.

With the firing grip set bring your elbow straight up as you clear holster, muzzle pointed at the deck. Now drop your elbow pivoting the muzzle toward the threat. When your muzzle reaches the same plane as your vision transfer focus from the threat to the front sight, break the shot.

The Wyatt Protocall is named for Lyle Wyatt who answered the question as to how gun battles differ from marksmanship. Wyatt explained in a gun battle we fight then we determine if we have to fight anymore. Street Fighters must discipline themselves to see if there is another attacker or does the original attacker need to be anchored to the ground with follow-up shots? Wyatt codified the Protocall as FAST: Fight, Access, Scan, Top Off, Take Cover, Talk and Treat Injuries to include medical self-assessment.

"To expect bad people not to injure others is crazy. It is to ask the impossible. And to let them behave like that to other people, but expect them to exempt you is arrogance." -- Marcus Aurelius

Semper Fi
Frank White