Alphecca

You know, some of the time I leave the range, I'm spent (ammo wise). I tend to burn through whatever PD rounds I have in my magazine to "keep them fresh", and don't reload in the car.

That stops today!

However, once someone has the draw on you there isn't much you can do if they're beyond arms reach. I carry kidney / 4:00 which is above my wallet so if asked for that I have access to my gun, but with one pointing at me from a distance I'm not sure I'd take that chance.

Oh and I'm betting the range is Shoot Straight. They're opening one up another one not to far from my house which is good as the nearest decent range is 45 minutes from my house.

I was approached by a thug several years ago as I left a range in New Jersey. It was located in a somewhat dicey neighborhood in a city with a high crime rate (deliberately trying to be vague here.) I was parked about a half block from the store front; it was about 8 PM. Carry permits are impossible to obtain in New Jersey. I had locked my guns in their cases and put them in the backpack I use as a range bag. As I approached the car to open the trunk (Must transport in the trunk in NJ, even if the guns are in locked cases), this guy appeared out of nowhere. Since this was after a regular class, I now think that he had probably been watching me prior weeks and had learned where I parked, what time I left, etc., and had figured out that the backpack contained my gun(s). I think he was probably crouched down near my car. If he'd grabbed my handbag, I would simply have let him take it. But I felt obligated to try to keep him from getting the guns. I didn't see a weapon. In NJ, I always carried a tactical flashlight in a holster behind my right hip, and I've had "kubaton" training, so I reached for that, hoping to fend him off. As soon as I reached behind my hip, though, he turned and ran away. I then realized that he figured I was carrying another gun. In the darkness, retrieving something black in my hand from that position was enough to drive him off. I never went back to that range, and I've sinced moved out of New Jersey. But I never carry guns in a range bag now unless I've got one on my hip, too.

we've had 2 murders at one of the public unsupervised ranges here. One involving a car theft and one that was for the guys guns.

Good reminder about the need for constant situational awareness.

The range was, indeed, Shoot Straight on South Orange Blossom Trail a few miles south of Apopka (about 12 miles north of Orlando; OBT runs through Orlando, down to Kissimmee, and changes N/S distinctions based on what city is closest). Shoot Straight is the largest gun dealer in the area, and has two indoor ranges (one for pistol, one for rifle).

Shoot Straight, like many gun stores, has a door sign prohibited loaded forearms on the premises. I suspect a lot more people will now reload in the parking lot.

Shooting in any rural area, whether a formal club setting or an informal range, means you have to stay alert. You're focused downrange, wearing muffs. It's easy to have someone approach you without you noticing. It has always seemed practical to pay attention everywhere; something like this confirms it.

In this case, the city of Oviedo is about 20 miles from the range, so this wasn't a crime of opportunity - it was planned, meaning it will be committed again, if not by these guys, by someone else who finds the technique useful.

The victims were obviously in Condition White, given that they were followed for 20 miles and didn't notice. Reports indicate that one of the suspects was on his cell phone when they drove away, perhaps indicating that one car was following and a second car farther back took over for the actual crime when the lead car uncovered the destination address.

Not to be paranoid, but sometimes it makes sense to drive the square - circle a block - to see if a familiar car is still back there after 4 turns.

Most of the ranges around here require firearms to be unloaded upon entering. There are no "open spaces" or non-commercial public ranges to use around here of which I'm aware.

I do, however, unload my carry gun just before entering the premisis and reload just after leaving. I would say, however, that the practice is rare by my observation. It wouldn't surprise me if the bad guys in this case intentionally selected targets that left with their guns cased and with no obvious carry weapons.

However, even with a loaded carry weapon, by the story, it appears that it happened so fast that the victims may have never had a chance to defend themselves in any case.

It just goes to show: Be aware of your whos around you and alert for suspicious activity. Be prepared and armed at all times.

I suppose by today's standards I am paranoid. I can't imagine they didn't think of this before, nor notice being followed for twenty miles.

they're lucky, they sure aren't surviving because they're smart. Oh well, as a friend of mine used to say "If you got luck,S*** will do for brains."

here's an idea. Call someone while driving, say the cops, arrange to have them waiting at the place you will arrive (hidden) and proceed as all was normal. Allow them to stake out the house you will be arriving at with appropriate force. Or perhaps setup a video camera pointed at where you will be getting out of the car.

Alternate scenarios are up to you.

The only people who won't show, are the cops.

Well, no surprise that the perps repeated what worked for them. In this case, the distance from the range to the city of Leesburg is about 30 miles, so they're obviously selecting suitable targets.

Shoot Straight is a few miles south of Apopka in NW Orange County, the first robbery was in Oviedo, which is in eastern Seminole County, and this one was in Leesburg, which is south-central Lake County. Obviously they don't mind driving a distance, and may be choosing targets not only by the act of putting guns in the trunk, but by county ID - standard Florida tags carry the county of issuance - to involve other counties, since communication between different LE agencies is quite a bit less than perfect, especially across county lines.

In the city of Apopka the numbered streets are a hotbed of drug activity, as is the area around Orange Blossom Trail 10-12 miles south in Orlando, so there's no shortage of readily available suspects.

I suspect the owner of Shoot Straight will deal with this because it'll start affecting his business. It wouldn't surprise me to see the video surveillance system get expanded pretty soon.

What I'm waiting for is for this technique to surface in other areas around the country since it's so successful here.

It has been successful twice. Expect it to continue until these thugs are caught.

Also, we can now begin to expect copycats in other areas. This may become a standard MO for gang bangers to obtain firearms if it is successful consistently enough.

Probably the only thing that will stop it now is prepared gun owners putting a couple of perps in the ground. If they are selective enough of their targets, that simply won't happen. Too many gun owners simply don't feel the need, don't want to deal with the hassle/fees or don't want to become "registered" and, therefore, never get permits to carry.