Malachi McCoy
Inactive
Hi all. On 06-07-08 I was involved in a use of deadly force incident. A Google alert notified me of the discussion on this forum of the incident. Due to the on-going investigation I was not able to join in.
I am not trying to open up a new caliber war.The thread was closed on 06-30-08. (Why not carry the .22 and .25acp as a primary defense gun?)
I would like to point out a few facts and give some insight to the incident, and a first hand account. The following quote is from the original post.
If you don't know the background of this story, the bad guy was fleeing the scene after murdering his wife, a female friend, and an off-duty fire-rescue captain. I spotted the truck leaving the neighborhood and conducted a felony stop along with the following deputies.
As far as who was carrying what...
Bad guy= .45 Ithaca 1911, Remington and Winchester ball ammo
Deputy Malachi McCoy= .357sig Glock 31, Speer gold dot hollow point
Deputy Art Lence= 9mm Sig Sauer 226, Speer gold dot hollow point
Deputy Ray Wilson= 9mm Ruger P85, Speer gold dot hollow point
Deputy Melvin Jones= .40 Glock 23, Speer gold dot hollow point and Bushmaster AR-15 .223, Federal ammo
The News accounts were overly simplified of what had occurred. First let me say that the entire fire-fight lasted 1 minute 28 seconds, from the first shot to the bad guy being killed. The average police shooting lasts 2.5 seconds.
The bad guy did not shoot all at once. He would pop-up and shoot a few shots and then take cover in the cab of his truck, a 1988 Ford F-150.
Two of my rounds (.357sig) penetrated the rear tailgate, the forward bed, into the cab and into 4 inches of seat padding. Theses rounds stopped just short of exiting the seat. None of the 9mm went past the tailgate.
Deputy Jones was the only deputy positioned in front of the bad guys vehicle. He transitioned to his AR-15 but was unable to penetrate the engine block.
The bad guy was only hit by my rounds after he exited the truck. By then two deputies were already hit and down. I engaged him while I was advancing forward (walk-and-shoot). I shot him two times before he attacked Deputy Wilson, one in the stomach and one in lower shoulder. These had no effect. After he was on top of Deputy Wilson I shot him again, striking his shoulder first and then the back of his head, killing him instantly. When the final shot was fired the muzzle was approximately 2-3 feet from his head.
TV police shootouts are as far from reality as I can express.
I did not sneak-up or just run up and shoot him in the head. This was an active engagement and we were all there for the entire incident.
This was not suicide-by-cop. If it was, all he needed to do is point a gun in my direction. He was actively trying to kill as many people as he could.
I was not "just doing my job". I was trying to save my life and the lives of my partners.
I am not "trigger happy".
I began shooting when I was 15 years old as a member of the Sheriff's Explorer scouts. I have received many firearms awards and several Match Winners over the years. I was "Top Gun" in my academy and I have qualified as pistol master every year. Unfortunately many law enforcement officers do not train on their own and the training they receive is often sub-par.
That said, it is a different animal when your target is shooting back. What more can I say but that it is terrifying knowing that your life may end at any second. I do feel more confident now and think I can react better in the future after this.
I fired 29 rounds with 2 magazine reloads.
Lence = 27 rounds with two reloads.
Wilson = 9 rounds.
Jones = 6 rounds .40 and 6 rounds .223
I would encourage everyone who like to get some insight on the psychology of taking a human life to read 'On Combat' and 'On Killing' by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman. I had read these books before and after this incident and he spot-on.
If you are carrying a weapon, these are a must-read.
Best regards,
Deputy Malachi McCoy
I am not trying to open up a new caliber war.The thread was closed on 06-30-08. (Why not carry the .22 and .25acp as a primary defense gun?)
I would like to point out a few facts and give some insight to the incident, and a first hand account. The following quote is from the original post.
Three deputies ordered Bello out of his truck, but he opened a sliding rear window and fired at a deputy's cruiser, sheriff's spokesman J.D. Callaway said.
The deputies fired back, and Bello opened his passenger door and continued firing. Deputy Arturo "Art" Lence, 53, was hit in the lower torso. The bullet exited through his back, and he fell to the ground.
Deputy Raymond Wilson, 56, was hit in the left forearm and crawled to a ditch on the west side of the road for safety. Bello walked over to Wilson and tried to wrestle the deputy's firearm from him, Callaway said.
That's when Deputy Malachi McCoy ran up and shot the gunman in the head, killing him, Callaway said.
When the bullets were counted, investigators said deputies had fired more than 50 rounds. They think Bello was hit multiple times before McCoy fired the fatal shot.
Deputies believe Bello fired at least 13 shots, Callaway said.
If you don't know the background of this story, the bad guy was fleeing the scene after murdering his wife, a female friend, and an off-duty fire-rescue captain. I spotted the truck leaving the neighborhood and conducted a felony stop along with the following deputies.
As far as who was carrying what...
Bad guy= .45 Ithaca 1911, Remington and Winchester ball ammo
Deputy Malachi McCoy= .357sig Glock 31, Speer gold dot hollow point
Deputy Art Lence= 9mm Sig Sauer 226, Speer gold dot hollow point
Deputy Ray Wilson= 9mm Ruger P85, Speer gold dot hollow point
Deputy Melvin Jones= .40 Glock 23, Speer gold dot hollow point and Bushmaster AR-15 .223, Federal ammo
The News accounts were overly simplified of what had occurred. First let me say that the entire fire-fight lasted 1 minute 28 seconds, from the first shot to the bad guy being killed. The average police shooting lasts 2.5 seconds.
The bad guy did not shoot all at once. He would pop-up and shoot a few shots and then take cover in the cab of his truck, a 1988 Ford F-150.
Two of my rounds (.357sig) penetrated the rear tailgate, the forward bed, into the cab and into 4 inches of seat padding. Theses rounds stopped just short of exiting the seat. None of the 9mm went past the tailgate.
Deputy Jones was the only deputy positioned in front of the bad guys vehicle. He transitioned to his AR-15 but was unable to penetrate the engine block.
The bad guy was only hit by my rounds after he exited the truck. By then two deputies were already hit and down. I engaged him while I was advancing forward (walk-and-shoot). I shot him two times before he attacked Deputy Wilson, one in the stomach and one in lower shoulder. These had no effect. After he was on top of Deputy Wilson I shot him again, striking his shoulder first and then the back of his head, killing him instantly. When the final shot was fired the muzzle was approximately 2-3 feet from his head.
TV police shootouts are as far from reality as I can express.
I did not sneak-up or just run up and shoot him in the head. This was an active engagement and we were all there for the entire incident.
This was not suicide-by-cop. If it was, all he needed to do is point a gun in my direction. He was actively trying to kill as many people as he could.
I was not "just doing my job". I was trying to save my life and the lives of my partners.
I am not "trigger happy".
I began shooting when I was 15 years old as a member of the Sheriff's Explorer scouts. I have received many firearms awards and several Match Winners over the years. I was "Top Gun" in my academy and I have qualified as pistol master every year. Unfortunately many law enforcement officers do not train on their own and the training they receive is often sub-par.
That said, it is a different animal when your target is shooting back. What more can I say but that it is terrifying knowing that your life may end at any second. I do feel more confident now and think I can react better in the future after this.
I fired 29 rounds with 2 magazine reloads.
Lence = 27 rounds with two reloads.
Wilson = 9 rounds.
Jones = 6 rounds .40 and 6 rounds .223
I would encourage everyone who like to get some insight on the psychology of taking a human life to read 'On Combat' and 'On Killing' by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman. I had read these books before and after this incident and he spot-on.
If you are carrying a weapon, these are a must-read.
Best regards,
Deputy Malachi McCoy