July 8th Incident:

The self-defense incident happened on July 8th in the Utah home of Margo (75) and Charles (78) Evans. According to reports, the knife-wielding grandson Wade (28) lived in the house with his grandparents for several years.

Investigators have not released information on what made the grandson attack his grandparents with a knife. However, at some point, Wade armed himself with a knife and began stabbing his grandfather. After stabbing his grandfather several times, he focused his knife attack on his grandmother, stabbing her repeatedly.

While Wade attacked Margo, Charles was able to retrieve a .38 special revolver from inside the home. Charles shot his grandson “multiple times” in defense of himself and his wife. Wade’s body didn’t take too well to the bullets tearing through it. So he stopped the attack on the now severely injured couple.

The grandparents fled the home in their vehicle and went to the neighbor’s house. The neighbors did what they could to control the bleeding and stabilize the couple until medical personnel could arrive.

According to reports, both Charles and Margo suffered multiple stabs and defensive wounds. The couple was transported to the hospital and is in critical but stable condition.

Deputies contacted Wade, who was still inside the grandparents’ home “covered in blood” and still holding a knife in his hand. Wade complied with deputies orders to drop the knife, and they took him into custody. EMS took Wade to the hospital in serious but stable condition. He was later released and booked into the county jail, where he awaits a court date.

Takeaways From This Incident:

Access to the gun is essential:

Owning a handgun isn’t enough. You have to be able to get to it for it to be helpful. Had the attacker not changed his focus to Margo, Charles may not have been able to get to the firearm. For this reason, some would advocate carrying your handgun even while inside your home. The individual has to make this calculation.  However, the point is any attack, beginning inside or outside, may happen so quickly that we cannot get to the gun.

Proper Storage of the Handgun is equally essential:

The second takeaway, which ties into the first, is securing the gun appropriately. I am speculating here, but the 28-year-old grandson may have a mental health or substance abuse issue based on his behavior. That fact didn’t preclude the grandparents from keeping a firearm for self-defense. They seemed to have had it secured in a method where they had access, but their grandson did not. Perhaps he didn’t know about the gun, but if he had, and it was accessible, I imagine he would have selected it over a knife.

The gun must be accessible to those who should have access but restrict access to those who should not.

Don’t give up the fight:

We also should never give up even if we are severely injured. For example, we may have thought that two people in their mid-to-upper 70’s would not survive their severe injuries and blood loss. However, not only did they survive, they fought back and drove themselves to a safe location where they had a chance to receive immediate intervention. Their resolve likely saved their lives.

Trauma Aid:

Let’s shift focus to the unnamed neighbors who provided some emergency trauma aid until EMS arrived. The report doesn’t say what the neighbors did to help control the bleeding precisely,  but we know it must have been at least somewhat effective because of the severity of the injuries they suffered. Would you be able to provide even a basic level of trauma intervention if you were the neighbor? How about if you needed to provide immediate assistance to yourself or a family member after stopping an attacker in your own home?

If you haven’t taken a class beyond a first-aid or CPR course, or your training was “several years ago in the military,” you likely do not have the skills or up-to-date best practices for trauma intervention. Therefore, I can’t emphasize enough this Emergency Trauma Response Course. It is a fantastic course that instructs on the foundational principles of effectively providing essential emergency medicine.

Individual Skills and Ability:

Finally, seek some training with the firearm. Recognize this is not a gun you occasionally take out of the safe for target practice. If it is a gun used for self-defense in the home, make sure all family members who will have access understand their abilities with the gun. If they have never used the gun outside of a couple of times at the range, the likelihood that they will respond appropriately decreases. They may also overestimate their abilities and, as we sometimes see in similar cases, injure their loved ones because they take shots well beyond what their skillset would safely allow.

We are grateful that the couple was willing and able to defend themselves and pray that they heal physically and emotionally.

The post Utah Man Stabs His Grandparents, Gets Shot By Grandfather first appeared on Utah Concealed Carry.

Stories You May Not Hear About Elsewhere:

You may not have heard about this incident. Incidents involving the justified, life-saving use of firearms rarely gain attention in the media. I, for one, believe the media’s singular focus on portraying guns themselves as evil has hindered the advancement of focus on the root cause of violence. So, because of that, I want to share news stories involving gun owners who, by their actions, save lives.

Armed Teacher Intervienes:

This week, a KSL News in Ogden, Utah, reported on an incident at an elementary school. A man confronted children who were outside playing on the playground during recess. The man grabbed one of the children, an 11-year old by the arm. The child did not know the man, and it appears that the man randomly selected the child.

A school teacher watching the children noticed the man grab the child, and it appeared he was trying to take the child against her will. The teacher confronted the man, pulled the child from his grasp, and told him to leave the school grounds. The teacher instructed all the children back inside the school.

The suspect, however, did not leave. The maniac began punching the windows in an attempt to break them and gain access to the school. The armed teacher had a concealed handgun. Only after displaying the handgun to the suspect did he stop trying to get into the school. At the same time, the teacher called 911, and officers arrived to take the lunatic into custody.

Police stated that:

He took it upon himself, to protect, and be a hero frankly, for the children on scene…

The Armed Teacher and Utah Law:

The fact that this incident occurred in Utah is noteworthy. Utah was the first state in the country to specifically allow an armed teacher to carry a concealed handgun on school grounds. The armed teacher concept has always been controversial for politicians. However, since 2003, when Utah began allowing armed teachers in the classroom, there has been precisely one instance of negligence. It occurred in 2014 when a teacher accidentally discharged her firearm in the bathroom. She has the only one injured when the bullet struck the toilet. Here is a link to that incident.

No other state has given us more data on the effectiveness of allowing responsibly armed teachers on school grounds. On the contrary, we have seen the tragic results of schools where the only person armed is the criminal psychopath.

Protect What is Most Valuable?

It does not take any particular degree to recognize that armed personnel is a necessary part of securing anything of extreme importance. Think of all the people and things that armed persons protect. Politicians, movie stars, athletes, money, jewelry, artwork are all protected by people that have firearms. Why should we not provide that same level of protection to children?

Consider checking out the number one ranked Concealed Carry Podcast. We talk about legal issues, training, gear, and news related to concealed carry and the gun world.

The post Kidnapping at Elementary School Stopped by Armed Teacher first appeared on Utah Concealed Carry.

Governor Spencer Cox signed several different bills into law last week. One bill was the Constitutional Carry bill, HB 60.

Constitutional Carry…

also known as permitless carry, will make it so that anyone who legally meets the requirements can lawfully carry a concealed gun without a permit. The criteria to meet are that the person is over 21 years of age and can legally have a firearm in his or her possession.

This new law will apply both to residents and non-residents of Utah who meet those requirements. Also, to clarify, this law allows one to carry concealed LOADED without a permit.

The idea behind Constitutional Carry is simple to understand. The thought is that the Second Amendment protects American citizens and their right to KEEP and BEAR arms. What do those two 4-letter words, keep and bear, actually mean?

To keep and bear means to own and carry.

Because that right also says that keeping and bearing arms shall not be infringed, more and more states are entering the permitless carry fray.

As the new law goes into effect on May 5, 2021, Utah will be recognized as the 17th state to enact this type of law. Below is a map of the others:

The green states on that map are the ones that have some form of Constitutional Carry already passed. The blue states are the ones that are shall issue. And the red ones are the bad gun states.

Of course, this legislation has gotten some criticism from the anti-gun groups like the Utah Gun Violence Prevention Center, who had this to say in a Tweet:

After enacting permit less carry in 2010, the state of Arizona experienced a 44% increase in aggravated assaults committed with a firearm. That figure represents 1,519 more gun-related aggravated assaults committed in 2016 as compared to 2010 #VETOHB60 @SpencerJCox @utahsenate

— Utah Gun Violence Prevention Center (@UtahGVPC) February 6, 2021

And of course, we’d like to point out that the above statistic doesn’t mean much when you consider three of the safest states in the union–Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine–also have Constitutional Carry and seem to be doing fine.

Another notable piece of information in the bill is that a portion of the unused funds from the Concealed Weapons Account will be transferred to a different fund. The money will be used to help fight suicide at the end of the fiscal year.

Conclusion:

Utah’s Constitutional Carry law won’t go into effect until May 5, 2021, but it is coming! As of right now, you CANNOT carry a concealed gun in Utah without a permit.

If you want to know which states will accept your concealed carry license, consider our Legal Boundaries by State Book. Not only does it show reciprocity agreements, but all the pertinent gun laws of the states you travel to. It is available in digital or physical copy. The digital copy is updated continually, so you will always have the most up-to-date information to go on.

The post Utah Governor Signs Constitutional Carry Bill Into Law first appeared on Utah Concealed Carry.

Dave Kaylor has over 10 years of experience as an NRA certified instructor in Rifle, Pistol, & Shotgun and as a certified Utah Concealed Firearms Permit instructor.

He’s able to provide unique insights and perspectives as a civilian who’s already been down the road new class attendees intend to travel. As a former gun store owner and range operator he’s an excellent source for advice on choosing and finding the right firearm for the job, so be sure to tap into his encyclopedic firearms mind before the day is done.

And no boring 4 hour lecture here. He’s also a business leadership coach and keynote speaker during the day, so staying engaged is easy. Who says you can’t learn and laugh at the same time!

What Do Dave’s Students Say About His Class?

[woothemes_testimonials limit=”2″ size=”100″ order=”random” category=”598″]

The post Dave Kaylor – Profile first appeared on Utah Concealed Carry.

Tooele County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) reports deputies were dispatched to calls of shots fired at the Anytime Fitness in Stansbury Park at around 4:40 a.m. When they arrived, officers came into contact with an off-duty deputy who had apprehended the suspect.

Investigators were told by gym patrons they had heard multiple gunshots outside the gym, then pounding at one of the rear doors. When one of the patrons opened the door to see what was going on, 34-year-old Lance Colby Milner pointed a 9mm Ruger handgun at him. According to TCSO, “The victim grabbed the handgun from Lance and ordered him to the ground.”

The off-duty deputy who had just arrived at the gym to work out was quickly on hand to arrest Milner. Searching the area revealed three spent casings, bullet damage to the back fence, one live round, and a fully loaded magazine.

According to the TCSO report,

“Lance was in possession of the 9 mm Ruger handgun, two knives and a was wearing a tactical AR-15 sling around his chest. Lance was unable to sit still and was talking about unrealistic things. He stated a female popped up in the back seat of his vehicle while he was driving. She was chasing him around and that is who he was shooting at. He admitted he may have taken some bad methamphetamine.”

Law enforcement was reluctant to believe Milner’s story about being chased by a woman as a search of his car showed the suspect appeared to be living in it with the back seat so full of items deputies didn’t think a person would have fit.

Milner was charged with carrying a weapon under the influence, possession of a deadly weapon with intent to assault, aggravated assault, disorderly conduct, illegal discharge of a firearm, and two counts of criminal mischief.

Carrying concealed at the gym might not be for everyone. But you never know where you might need a weapon. Read here for an article about concealed carry at the gym and some options which might help.

The post Bad Meth Leads to Shots Fired first appeared on Utah Concealed Carry.

One of the most common questions asked about CCW in the state of Utah is where you can and cannot legally carry a concealed firearm. Since your CCW permit does not grant you permission to carry anywhere you choose, there are some key places to avoid if you have your gun on you.

According to the Utah.gov website, anyone with a concealed firearm permit is allowed to carry into public schools so dropping your kids off or picking them up from school isn’t a problem when legally armed.

However, you are not allowed to carry:

“… into federal or state restricted areas i.e. any airport secured area, federal facilities, courts, correctional & mental health facilities, law enforcement secured areas, a house of worship or private residence where notice given and/or posted, any secured area in which firearms are prohibited and notice posted, or otherwise prohibited by state of federal law.”

No Guns Allowed Signs

Suppose the coffee shop you like to hit before work puts up a sign saying all guns, legal or not, are banned from their property. Does that sign carry the weight of the law?

The short answer is yes, if you see such a sign you can assume that you can get in legal trouble if you ignore it. I was unable to find any documentation discussing what laws you are violating and what sort of punishments one could expect to incur. But the most common way of dealing with this situation is to charge the offender with criminal trespass, which is usually a misdemeanor offense.

The Utah.gov site had this to say about it:

“Naturally, private property owners may apply whatever restrictions they want. Whether or not these restrictions violate one’s constitutional rights is for the civil courts to decide. But the only statutory restrictions on a permit holder are secured areas such as airports and federal buildings.”

However, there are no requirements for these signs in how they are to be worded, formatted, and displayed. In some states, like Texas, specific requirements are detailed in order for the sign to carry the weight of the law. Signs in Texas must meet a particular format and displayed in such a way as to be easily visible.

Utah has no such requirements, which means that paper towel taped at the bottom of the back-door counts. If it’s discovered that you are carrying in a prohibitive business and asked to leave and you comply immediately, police generally won’t pursue charges, but it depends, of course, on the situation and the officer’s discretion.

The best course of action is to simply avoid these establishments and cast your most valuable vote with your wallet.

Can You Carry Concealed in a Bar?

Yes. As long as you’re only drinking Shirley Temples and Virgin Daiquiris. According to the Utah.gov site:

“There is nothing in state statute that prohibits permit holders from being in a bar with a concealed firearm. However, it is illegal to be intoxicated and in possession of a firearm. The level of intoxication that is considered illegal is the same standard as when driving a car. (.05 B.A.C.)”

This also implies that not only are you not allowed to have a gun on you while drinking in a bar, you are also at risk for prosecution while drinking at deer camp. Many hunters keep a flask of whiskey waiting on them when they come down out of the mountains after long hikes chasing big bucks and bull elk. But know that if the game warden were to see that flask, they have legal power to take action.

Disclaimer:

I am not, nor do I ever intend to be, a lawyer. Do your own research and talk to actual law experts for verification. If you have any comment or evidence that helps to reform or clarify the topic, please feel free to leave it in a comment below for the benefit of everyone.

Check out our Concealed Carry Permit Reciprocity Map Builder to see what other states your CCW permit is valid in.

The post Utah: Where Your CCW Isn’t Valid first appeared on Utah Concealed Carry.

One of the more commonly asked questions about carrying a concealed weapon in the state of Utah is whether or not you are required by law to announce to a police officer you are in possession of a loaded firearm.

According to the Utah Department of Public Safety, there is no law that says you must do so. However, it is recommended.

“If an officer finds or sees a gun on your person during their contact with you, and you have not identified yourself as a permit holder in legal possession of a firearm, the officer may assume you are carrying the gun illegally and may take defensive action. For the safety of all involved, it is recommended to immediately identify yourself to the officer as a permit holder in possession of a handgun. This action gives the officer some assurance they are most likely dealing with a law-abiding citizen.”

When speaking with an officer of the law who comes to your window during a traffic stop and you decide to make this fact known, begin by telling the officer you have been issued a Utah State Concealed Carry license, then say you are also in possession of a loaded firearm. This may help prevent confusion, so the officer is not simply told you have a gun without the proper context.

Be aware that telling an officer about your weapon can create a sticky situation as the officer could decide it’s in the best interest of his or her safety that you are disarmed throughout the rest of the encounter and may place you in cuffs in order to disarm you with minimal risk.

Find out what states honor the Utah CCW permit by checking out our interactive reciprocity map. Read here for an article further exploring this topic of notifying law enforcement.

The post Utah CCW: Are You Required to Notify Police? first appeared on Utah Concealed Carry.

Salt Lake City, Utah – One man is in jail after robbing a father and his daughter during a cell phone purchase ambush.

According to Unified Police Sergeant Melody Gray, the daughter had found a posting online offering to sell an iPhone. After messaging the seller who identified himself as “Lil,” she arranged to meet him to pay $290 for the phone.

After agreeing to meet “Lil” in Salt Lake City later that day, the girl went with her father to the address. After pulling out the cash for the transaction, the father and his daughter approached the home at the address and knocked on the door. After a time with no answer, the pair returned to their vehicle when they were approached by two men who threatened them with a knife and gun.

The suspects demanded they turn over the money and relived them of a phone that was in the center console of the father’s car. With their stolen goods in hand, the pair of suspects fled the scene.

The father then pulled his gun and fired three shots at the men as they ran away, telling officers he did so because he, “was in fear for others’ lives, knowing they had a gun.”

No one was injured by the gunfire, but officers were able to find 20-year-old Buk Mawut Buk and his juvenile cousin who had helped him commit the crime because both matched the descriptions given to police by the victims.

On first contact with officers, Buk allegedly gave the officers the name of another cousin. When detectives contacted the mother of the juvenile suspect, she told them Buk had given them the name of one of her other sons who had been with her at the time of the crime.

Buk, who his aunt said she has raised like a son in her home, has a lengthy criminal record which includes, shoplifting, failure to appear in court, theft, interference with an officer and obstruction of justice and had several outstanding warrants for his arrest.

After questioning Buk, detectives learned the two suspects were cousins and it was Buk who’d made the post to lure the victims to the scene of the crime. Buk admitted to having the knife and a realistic BB gun on him when he ran from officers but threw them away.

Buk has been charged with two counts of aggravated robbery and intentionally giving a false name to police.

No charges have been filed against the father for shooting at the suspects as they fled the scene.

Shooting at someone who has robbed you can lead to significant legal fees even if it is determined you acted within your rights to defend yourself. Self-defense insurance helps to reduce the financial burden by the legal process, and CCW Safe offers some of the best.

The post Cell Phone Transaction Ambush first appeared on Utah Concealed Carry.

Recently out of jail, a father is headed back after threatening to kill a man and his wife who took in his children.

According to Police, 43-year-old Raul Rivera of Dickson, North Dakota, dropped off his children at a home in Hurricane, UT, sometime in December 2018.

“Investigators further found that Raul had brought his kids (to) live with (the homeowner) and his family and left them with a handwritten note giving custody of his kids,” court documents state.

Then, Raul was arrested on April 8^th for investigation of drug possession, adding to his already long rap sheet which included convictions for manslaughter and domestic violence.

While in jail for the drug charges, Raul immediately began making calls to the family who took in his children.

Search warrant documents report:

“Raul made threatening voice calls from the jail stating that he would get his ‘people’ to come up to Hurricane and kill them. It was also found that there were text messages sent to the (gunman’s) wife or daughter that are threatening in nature of bodily harm as well.”

Police detectives believe that after being released from jail, Raul drove from North Dakota where he was living all the way to Hurricane, arriving on April 27^th outside the home where his children had been living.

The homeowner and another unidentified man where returning to the home when they discovered Raul in the driveway. Raul threatened to shoot the men and reached into his vehicle, groping for something.

The homeowner, probably concerned that Raul was doing just as he said he would, drew his pistol from a concealed holster and shot Raul.

According to law enforcement officials:

“Raul fell to the ground next to the driver side door of his vehicle. A black handled screwdriver was found laying on the ground next to where Raul was.”

Raul Rivera was charged by Washington County’s 5^th District Court with two counts of aggravated assault (3^rd degree felony,) threat of violence (class A misdemeanor,) drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia (class B misdemeanors.) There are no reports of any charges being filed against the homeowner.

As many violent crimes do, this shooting happened near Raul’s car, and knowing how to use a car effectively in a gun fight is an important skill to learn. Read here for Vehicle Firearm Tactics Course – Online & DVD.

What do you think of this shooting? Leave a comment below to let me know.

The post Bad Father Shot Trying to Retrieve His Kids first appeared on Utah Concealed Carry.

According to Logan Police Department (LPD) Captain Tyson Budge, 23-year-old Jordan Oakden was staying at the home of her boyfriend and his mother, when her ex-boyfriend showed up at the house uninvited early Friday morning.

Captain Budge says 23-year-old Dylan Milian arrived at the home on Riverbend Road at around 6:30 a.m. after texting back and forth with Oakden earlier that morning.

Milian, who might be the father of two of Oakden’s children, became hostile and aggressive, making threats.

Oakden attempted to diffuse the situation by offering to take Milian to work. She went outside to start the car, giving Milian the opportunity to force his way inside.

He was met by Oakden’s new boyfriend 26-year-old Jeremy Boyle, who reportedly already had a contentious past with Milian.

Boyle shot Milian in the chest, who collapsed inside the residence.

Oakden and Boyle’s 53-year-old mother started CPR and continued until relieved by LPD officers and medics, but Milian was pronounced dead at the scene.

Boyle was taken into custody, questioned by investigators who reported he was cooperative, and released later that day.

Captain Budge said LPD detectives are awaiting the autopsy report from the State Medical Examiner’s Office due sometime this week.

Afterwards they will be handing over their findings on the investigation to the Cache County District Attorney’s Office.

“They’re going to have to make a decision if this was justifiable homicide or if this was a murder,” Budge said. “It’s sad, this is an unfortunate event, and we hope to try to prevent these kinds of things.”

Facing potential charges after an already traumatic event like shooting someone in self defense makes a bad situation even worse. Far worse.

Getting self-defense insurance will help to alleviate both financial and mental stress after a defense encounter. USCCA offers some of the best.

What do you think of this shooting? Leave a comment below to let me know.

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