Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion

This past Sunday, September 1, saw the release of a remarkable bit of security footage from a Marionville, MO liquor store. In it, store clerk (and military veteran) Jon Alexander is behind the counter when he is approached by a would-be robber -- a robber who came very close to winning the Darwin Award.

The Defensive Use of Force, as Captured on Video

The robber had initially set off Alexander’s “alarm” when he had to be told to take his cigarette out of the “no smoking” establishment. The security footage later shows the robber step up to the counter with his right-hand held close to and just behind his hip. He seems to hesitate a moment in bringing the gun up, then raises it towards Alexander. Alexander would later testify that the man demanded, “You need to give me all your money.” [caption id="attachment_64286" align="alignnone" width="500"] Veteran Jon Alexander confronts would-be robber with licensed handgun[/caption] The muzzle may or may not have been raised sufficiently to cover Alexander’s body exposed above the counter, the video angle makes this difficult to determine, but in any case, a round fired at that angle into the counter would almost certainly have ricocheted up to strike Alexander. Alexander extends his left hand and places it above the robber’s gun, in a position to depress it downwards. The robber momentarily lowers the gun back to his side, but maintains his aggressive, forward-leaning stance in Alexander’s face. [caption id="attachment_64287" align="alignnone" width="500"] Veteran Jon Alexander confronts would-be robber with licensed handgun[/caption] The tables turn decisively as Alexander simultaneously reaches behind his right hip and draws his own 9mm pistol from what appears to be a Blackhawk Serpa holster (a common US military issue holster, and an unsurprising choice for a veteran). Alexander directs his muzzle roughly at the robber’s larynx from a distance of only inches, while maintaining his left hand in a position to deflect an attempt by the robber to raise his own handgun. Alexander says he followed this action by informing the robber that “you need to get out of here before I blow your head off.”