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Ohio CHL-holders acting in self-defenseThere was a good deal of acrimony over the need for Ohio's Concealed Handgun Licensure law, and the General Assembly was accused of knuckling under to a vocal micro-minority. As the establishment media and the gun ban crowd told it, no one needed/wanted this law. We will defer to the anti-gun industry to produce their examples of someone obtaining a license to go on a crime spree, or committing a crime of passion due to having a firearm readily at hand, as they predicted, and instead concentrate on the known examples of a CHL-holder acting in self-defense. (Disclaimer: these are just the examples we know of and can independently document - there are likely many others. For a list of many other examples of Ohioans using firearms for self-defenses in the past three years, but whom were not specifically identified in news accounts as CHL-holders, click here.) It is not our intent to re-open old wounds or to gain from these tragedies. However, it is critical that the public understand how well this law is working. The following accounts are based upon media accounts, public records and/ or the permission of those involved. Greater Cincinnati area C.P. obtained his CHL due to previously being robbed. According to reports, C.P. was returning home when three masked gunmen, without warning, pulled up to his car and shot him three times. C.P. was able to return fire, hitting one of his attackers and causing the gunmen to flee. Published accounts credit his being able to return fire with saving his life. C.P. recovered from his injuries and was not charged.
Around 6 a.m., B.H., 61, went outside to warm up his car before leaving for work and then went back into his house. B.H. noticed someone driving his car towards the end of the street. He grabbed his gun, went outside and waived his arms in an attempt to stop the car. B.H., with the car headed directly towards him, shot into the car killing the driver. Hamilton County prosecutor Joe Deters did not file charges, saying "You know, Florida had had concealed carry well before Ohio and the horror stories that were supposed to happen involving gun fights on the expressway never happened. This man could have been killed by this [driver]. He wasn't. It was a shame that the [car thief] died in this incident. I feel badly for his family, but he was embarking in behavior that ultimately led to his death."
Cincinnati police said two men tried to rob the driver of a lunch wagon, and that during the attempted robbery, one suspect fired shots. The lunch wagon driver then pulled out a .45-caliber handgun, for which he held a license to carry concealed, and shot one suspect in the leg, then held the suspect at gun point until police arrived. A warrant was issued for the robber's accomplice. A neighbor speculated the robbers targeted the driver because he cashes checks on Fridays and is known to carry a lot of money.
When three men tried to rob someone with a concealed handgun license, the would-be victim fought back, shooting one of his attackers in the abdomen. The robber, who had stolen a cellular phone from the license-holder, ran more than six blocks from the shooting scene, dropping the cellular phone somewhere along the way. He finally dropped to the ground and was found suffering from a gunshot wound. The suspect was taken to the hospital, and he and his two accomplices have been charged with aggravated robbery.
Police said M.C. stopped on Boal Street just before midnight, apparently to ask for directions from another man outside the car, when an armed man tried to rob M.C. and his passenger. M.C., an Iraq war veteran, has a license to carry a concealed handgun and was also armed. He exchanged gunfire with the robber, who was shot twice in the stomach and was admitted to the hospital in critical condition. M.C. was shot once in the forearm, and was treated and released from a local hospital. His passenger was grazed by a bullet. Witnesses said three assailants fled toward the Pendleton area. Two guns were also recovered from the scene.
Greater Cleveland area Another pillar of the community, B.S. was a small business owner in the city of Cleveland, and was licensed to carry a concealed handgun. Five days after the Cleveland Plain Dealer identified him as a licensee by publishing the lists of CHL-holders as a "public service", he was subjected to a very rare "ambush-style" robbery at his place of business. According to accounts, the bad guys began the robbery by simply opening fire on B.S. without warning. B.S. managed to return fire, killing one of his attackers, who had a lengthy criminal record.
When an armed criminal entered his store and began robbing patrons of taking cash, jewelry, and other valuables, barber R.W. was prepared. The store owner, who has a concealed handgun license, pulled out his handgun shooting at the robber. The suspect dropped his weapon and fled after being struck in the elbow. Police took him into custody a short time later.
Convenience store owner M.D. and his son shot and killed a man who was robbing their store at gunpoint last night. Police say the man walked into the store with his face covered. The man demanded money from the owner and opened fire, hitting the owner's 19-year old son in the forehead. As the owner got the money, he grabbed his own gun and shot the suspect. The suspect ran away, but made it only about a block before he died. The son's injuries were not life-threatening.
CHL-holder D.W. had his gun on him when a pair of teenage thieves approached him on his own front porch. When one of the youths pulled a loaded gun, D.W. drew his and shot one of the attackers at least twice, police said. The criminal died after stumbling away and collapsing on a sidewalk.
Convenience store owner M.A. was at the counter writing out the winning lottery numbers when a man walked in and pulled a gun on him. "He said, 'I'm gonna shoot you. Hurry up. Where's the money?' He knocked me down. I don't know how I got away. I was so afraid he was going to shoot me any moment," M.A. said. The store owner did manage to get away, pull out his own gun and fire, hitting the robber in the head. He ran a short distance and collapsed. Police said the would-be robber is Roddy Prophet, of Maple Heights, a 27-year-old with a 10-year history of robbery, assault and identity theft. M.A. is angry about what happened. "Of course I'm angry. I work hard to make a living. They want easy money. Not in this store. I do whatever I can to defend myself and my customers," he said, adding that he will never forget that silver gun being pointed at him, a gun police now say was a toy gun. When he recovers from his injuries, Prophet will be charged with aggravated robbery.
A Metroparks visitor carrying a concealed gun fatally shot a rottweiler that attacked his leashed dog at Tyler Field off Valley Parkway on Saturday afternoon. The armed man was walking his Labrador on a leash when the leashed rottweiler broke free from its owner and attacked. The two dog owners tried to separate the dogs. When pulling and kicking failed, the Labrador owner shot the rottweiler dead. Rangers said the man with the guy was carrying it legally. Concealed carry is allowed in the Metroparks. The Labrador is recovering from its injuries.
Surveillance cameras were rolling as the owner of a carry-out in Elyria faced a life and death struggle, when a would-be robber tried to force his way into the store. The man eventually succeeded in getting through the door in the drive-thru, but the owner had a surprise for him, a gun she carries in her hip pocket. She told reports "I reacted as fast as I could, trying to put a barrier between him and I saw him breaking through that door and I shot him." Once the tables had been turned on the bandit, he ran away. Investigators believe the man was wounded. The owner says she decided to get a permit to carry the gun after the murder of a clerk at a gas station in her city. In that case, the clerk was killed, even though she complied with all of the robber's demands.
Greater Columbus area Ohio wrestled with the arguments against concealed carry reform for over a decade before finally passing HB12. Criminals murdered a pillar of the community just one month prior to licenses finally becoming available in Ohio. When criminals attempted to rob a gun store in Clintonville, 78 year-old owner Z.W., a longtime proponent of firearm rights and a military veteran, managed to untie himself, grab a gun and return fire, wounding one of his assailants. The criminal's motivation for the robbery was to obtain firearms. No concealed carry proponent was surprised that the criminals had not waited the extra month to obtain a CHL when the licenses became available, nor that the criminals did not want to bother with a background check or training. Sometimes things can be debated to death.
Talk show host and business owner C.M. obtained a CHL, in part, due to his running a security company. In that capacity, C.M. found himself in a "mob situation" as ten men surrounded him and began to attack. He drew his gun and fired, wounding two of the attackers. The remaining men fled into nearby apartments. C.M., with 23 years in the security business, said of his attackers, "It is a new breed. They don't need a reason." He was not charged.
Perhaps emboldened by a rash of quick and easy motel robberies in the Columbus area, one armed robber made the mistake of his life when he walked into the Super 8 motel where CHL-holder R. was working. When the robber showed his gun and demanded money, R. drew his handgun and fired multiple shots into the bad guy. Police made an easy arrest of the repeat criminal, who later added a conviction of armed robbery to his record out of this incident, due to the fact that he never made it out of the lobby of the hotel. Franklin County prosecutors referred to the case as a "textbook" self-defense shooting and R. was not charged.
Central Ohio Crime Stoppers President K.M. had to draw his handgun to stop a man from beating him with a baseball bat on Sunday. K.M. said he was walking Archie on Sunday morning in Victorian Village when a car pulled up to him in an alley. "Before I knew it, he was out of the car and he was hitting me." He tried to block the bat with his arm, then was struck in the leg and went down. The attacker also hit the dog before K.M. pointed the gun at him. The attacker said something to K.M. and left, he said. K.M. has a concealed handgun license.
Unfortunately, not all stories are positive examples. Take the Al Rosa bar shooting in which Nathan Gale stormed a concert stage and began to shoot at unarmed, innocent civilians. Thanks to Ohio's law prohibiting carrying in a bar, R.C., a CHL-holder and military veteran, had to stand 5 feet away and watch people get slaughtered while powerless to do anything. His handgun, which would have stopped this rampage of death promptly, was at home due to Ohio law. To add insult to injury, several victims have filed suit against the Al Rosa for having insufficient security. Due to Ohio law, R.C. would be unable to bring a similar suit, since business owners are given immunity for claims from a CHL who is disarmed on their property.
A drive-thru convenience store owner investigating why his security alarm went off after locking the door a half-hour after closing time was surprised by an intruder that had been hiding inside. The store owner attempted to hold the intruder at gun point, despite his reluctance to follow commands. It took more than six minutes from the time the store owner called 911 for law enforcement to arrive, but by then the intruder took advantage of a distracted store owner and escaped.
A 70 year-old great grandmother who had cracked her hotel room door to stay within earshot of two teens in the next room has been credited by police for potentially saving the lives of her friends and family. When a man with a gun burst into the room and announced a robbery, the woman responded by drawing her own gun, which she was licenced to carry, and shooting the armed robber. The criminal exited the hotel room and was found by police lying dead in the parking lot.
A retired law enforcement officer who started out taking his dog for a walk in Grove City ended up shooting a would-be robber. 75 year-old R.M. was walking his dog behind Wendy's on Broadway when a young man approached him to ask about the breed of the dog. After engaging in conversation, police said the 18 year-old pulled a gun and demanded money. After turning over his wallet, R.M. drew his own gun, which he was licensed to carry. When the armed robber pointed his gun at R.M., the 75 year-old responded by drawing his gun and firing four shots, one of which struck the armed robber in the leg. The armed robber ran to a friend's house where he collapsed in the yard, police said. The armed robber is expected to recover from his wound, which police labeled as "significant." Police said R.M. is not expected to face charges.
Reports say L.S. agreed to meet at a house and purchase two television sets and a Play Station. But once he arrived at the agreed-upon location, four men, including the homeowner and purported seller of the electronics, jumped L.S. and attempted to steal money. L.S. is a concealed handgun license-holder, and had his personal weapon with him. He was able to draw his weapon and fire a single shot, striking two of his attackers. The suspects fled the scene and L.S. called police. One 23 year-old suspect was transported to the hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. A second suspect, 21, was transported in stable condition with a gunshot wound to the hip. Police also arrested the 22 year-old homeowner, and another 23 year-old in connection with the robbery.
A simple stop at an ATM ended when man pulled a gun on a would-be robber. E.T. said he was sitting in his SUV with the window down around 1 a.m. at the Fifth Third bank, when the suspect walked up and told him to hand over all of his money. E.T., a concealed carry weapons permit holder of three months, reached for his gun. The suspect ran. "I have never had to pull my gun, ever," said E.T. He credits his security guard training for not shooting the man. He said the suspect did not appear to have a weapon. "I did not see anything that looked like a knife or looked like a gun it was just an instant reaction and I pulled my weapon," said E.T. Police do not have any suspects.
Greater Dayton area Having been robbed in the past, M.H. made the decision to obtain a CHL to protect himself. Facing two armed teenage attackers, M.H., a parent himself, agonized over the need to employ force against the young men. Eventually making the decision that any CHL dreads having to make, M.H. exchanged gunfire with his attackers, wounding one of them. The two teens were arrested leaving the hospital after receiving treatment for their wounds. M.H. was not charged, and according to published reports, he still agonizes over the being forced to decide between using force against some else's children and not returning home to his own child.
A suspected thief was hospitalized Friday after he tried to rob a local sandwich shop, according to police. The crime happened at the Subway shop on East Third Street near Monmouth in Dayton. Police said the suspect walked into the business, jumped the counter, and pulled out a gun. Investigators said before the alleged thief could say anything, the owner pulled out a gun and shot the robber in the arm. Officers arrived on the scene and took the suspect into custody. They also called medics who took the suspect to a local hospital, where he was treated for a non-life-threatening injury. Police said the owner of the store obtained a concealed handgun license after repeated robberies. The owner will not be charged in the shooting because he was defending himself and his business.
R.B. said he had no time to consider the risks to himself when he confronted two ski-mask-wearing gunmen headed down his street Tuesday afternoon. The 24-year-old Ohio Air National Guardsman went into his house and came out with his personal 9mm Beretta semi-automatic handgun and headed into the street soon after he heard gunfire and screaming. Police said the gunfire had come from inside the Covault Market and Coin Laundry, where the owner and one of his employees had been shot and killed. Bragg said he heard gunshots at about 1:30 p.m. and got a bad feeling. Moments later, he saw two men carrying handguns headed his way. He told his mother to dial 911. "I just knew I had to stop them," recalled Bragg, who holds a concealed carry permit. He walked across the street with his handgun at the ready. When the two moved into range, Bragg identified himself as a military policeman and told both to stop, to drop their weapons and hit the ground. "They were both stunned," R.B. said. One lowered his gun. For an instant, the other began to raise his gun as if to take aim. "I think he thought about it," R.B. recalled. "And once he realized I was going to shoot him before he could shoot me, he just took off on foot." The suspect who lowered his gun hit the ground and dropped the gun and his ski mask. Police arrived soon thereafter and took the gunman into custody. The suspect that fled was captured by police.
A 24-year-old man who allegedly got out of his car and tried to rob an elderly man at gunpoint was shot by the would-be victim, who was licensed to carry a concealed weapon and fired to defend himself, police said. The robber was shot twice by the would-be victim, and was taken to Miami Valley Hospital, where Dayton police kept him under guard. The would-be victim, who in his 70s, was not injured. "Apparently he was trying to rob the older gentleman of something," Dayton police Sgt. Damon Castor said of the robber. "He picked on the wrong person." No charges had been filed.
Greater Toledo area A mere three days after receiving his CHL, H.H. was working in his family-run business when an armed robber entered the store, demanding money and a 12 pack of beer. H.H. managed to pull his handgun and fire 4 shots. The wounded attacker was later apprehended. H.H. was not charged.
A small business owner in Toledo, D.E. felt it was prudent to obtain a CHL due to long, lonely hours. When a robber entered the store and threatened to shoot his clerk, D.E. didn't hesitate to act. The bad guy fled after D.E. fired two rounds into the getaway car's front tire. Jumping into his own car with another patron, D.E. followed the bad guy with a cell phone, leading police to the suspect, who was arrested. The Sheriff's Deputy commented D.E. handled the situation "extremely well." He was not charged.
A 21-year-old central Toledo man was fatally shot Sunday night by the victim of an apparent robbery attempt, police said. The robber died at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center about 30 minutes after being shot. R.J., 21, was sitting in an older model, custom-painted orange car on Norwood when three males approached on foot and pointed a gun at him. R.J., who has a license to carry a concealed handgun, was armed with a 40-caliber pistol. R.J. told police the suspects approached him, pointed a gun at his face, and he began shooting. Multiple shots were exchanged and the armed robber was shot twice. When police arrived, the robber was lying face down in the street. A pistol was found underneath him. Police said it appears R.J. acted in self-defense and no charges have been filed against him.
R.P., a 68-year-old cancer survivor, says she was taking a nap Thursday around noon when a man broke into her home. Her dogs woke her up. "It was scary because it was real dark and all I could see was his shadow." So she reached for the .38 Smith and Wesson her husband bought her before he died in January. "As I turned to go get the gun he had already cleared the window. If I could've got him, I would've got him right in the rear." The would-be victim chased the man out into her driveway and fired five rounds into the grill of the man's van as he was backing out of her driveway, before calling 911. "I'm not harmed. I'm fine. I don't think the guy will be back. If he does, I have another gun waiting on him and I'm not afraid to use it." R.P. has a concealed handgun license. She urges all women who live alone to purchase a gun. "Don't piss off Grandma!" she concluded.
A few minutes after a man entered the store asking about getting a job, he returned a few minutes later and held a gun to the clerk's head. As the suspect led the clerk to a back room, the clerk called out "I need help" and a co-owner, E.B., appeared with a gun, which he is licensed to carry. The attacker reportedly fired first, but missed. E.B. returned fire, striking the armed robber twice. The criminal then fled the store and ran across the road, where he collapsed. Police said he was transported to the University of Toledo Medical Center, formerly the Medical College of Ohio Hospital, where he was listed in serious condition.
Around Ohio CHL-holder R.O. was approached by four teens, one of whom was armed with a handgun. The armed gang demanded his cell phone and other property, police said. After giving up his cell phone, R.O. attempted to retreat from the situation, but the robber grabbed his arm. The CHL-holder broke free, pulled his gun and fired one shot, missing the teens, who took off running. The victim then ran to a pay phone, but before he could call for help, the teens approached him again. When a gun was leveled at him a second time, R.O. fired again, scaring off the armed robbers for good.
J.H. was behind the counter when 20-year-old Patrick Finney, wearing an orange ski mask, walked in and pointed a sawed-off shotgun at his head just before 8 p.m. A customer, an older woman from the neighborhood, was seated at the counter. "He said, 'Give me the [expletive] money. This is an [expletive] robbery," J.H. said. He cooperated, giving the robber a stack of $10 bills. But he said the robber wanted more and pointed the shotgun within inches of Hayes' head. "As soon as I gave him the money, I pulled my gun out from my hip, pointed it and fired four shots," J.H. said. Finney fell to the floor, then stood back up. J.H. fired three more shots from his Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol. Finney staggered outside, dropped the cash and collapsed across the street. He was taken to Akron General Medical Center, and died within the hour. An autopsy showed he was shot multiple times in the torso. "People don't care. They take $100 and don't give a [expletive]. They don't want to be identified and so they kill you," J.H. said. "I'm not going to be killed for $100."
CHL-holder and doctor J.M. found himself staring out his driver's window at an irate driver in a road rage encounter. The other driver involved had left his own vehicle and approached J.M.'s vehicle, threatening him with bodily harm. J.M. drew his gun and difused the situation long enough for the police to respond to the scene. No shots were fired, and J.M. was not placed on trial after the prosecutor completed an investigation.
N.Z. was meeting an individual to purchase a contruction equipment on a Tuesday afternoon. As he approached the supposed buyer, a second, wearing a black ski mask, approached from N.Z.'s left and told him to get down while pointing a black handgun at him. N.Z., who was carrying $7,000 cash, dropped to the ground and pulled his .38 caliber handgun and shot six times at the male in the ski mask. The man in the ski mask fired three shots at N.Z. in the exchange. N.Z., who has an Ohio Concealed Handgun License and was also carrying a back-up gun, was not injured in the incident. The police report did not specify whether the man in the ski mask, who fled the scene in a black vehicle, was injured in the exchange.
A.B. was standing in a grassy area near the parking lot of a Lima hotel when his wife, who was at the hotel with another man, tried to run him down with a car. A.B., who has a concealed handgun license, said he acted in self-defense by firing a handgun at the approaching car. The wife was wounded in the leg. A.B. was prosecuted, but was acquitted of criminal charges by a jury of his peers.
A small business owner and CHL-holder, E.M. found himself facing four masked assailants while on a pizza delivery. The assailants held E.M. in an abandoned house at knifepoint and beat him while demanding money. E.M. drew his handgun and fired three shots, ending the attack and allowing him to call police. The police found the body of a 16 year old near by, apparently one of the attackers. E.M. was not charged.
Warren City councilman B.D., D-at large, said he was getting ready to go to a party Saturday night when he noticed someone near the shed in his back yard at 11:43 p.m. Thinking it might be connected to the rash of shed break-ins in the city, the councilman said he grabbed his gun, for which he has a conceal handgun license, "and told him in graphic language to get on the ground. He laid down spread eagle, which told me two things one, he'd done it before, and two, the communication between me and him was pretty good." B.D. said he had to hold the gun on the man for several minutes until police officers arrived.
A 55-year-old man thwarted a carjacking after exchanging gunfire with the would-be thief. M.B. told police he had pulled his vehicle into his driveway about 12:45 a.m. when one of three men who was walking past his home started shooting at him. The victim, who police reported has a concealed handgun license, returned fire. M.B. suffered a cut hand, but police say he wounded his assailant, who is in a Warren hospital pending filing of charges.
To repeat, the above examples are just the ones we are aware of. Five years and counting under the new law, more than 150,000 licenses have been issued, and the list will continue to grow. The following is clear: The proponent predictions are accurate. The law is working to protect law-abiding citizens, but the poison-pill provisions continue to needlessly expose the law-abiding, and only the law-abiding, to criminal prosecutions. The proponent case is proven, the opponent predictions ring hollow, and it is time to make Ohio's law more rational by stripping out every last poison-pill provision the opponents insisted upon. CLICK HERE to make a donation and help us fight for your rights.
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