Navy SEAL Lessons Learned From Aurora Colorado

[ckcollins2003]

Don't get me wrong, flashlights are useful, and I always carry a super bright little one. But it is more for finding and escape route. Definitely it could be useful to blind an attacker. But in the Aurora case, it just seems he would've trained his fire and sprayed wherever he saw the light coming from. Aiming a flashlight at his eyes while he was reloading would be safer, but it would probably just help him see his reload easier, because he wouldn't be looking directly into the light.

The only option I would consider in such a case is returning fire, and/or fleeing.

While I agree that returning fire is much more useful, the people in that theater didn't have a firearm. The point Mr. Webb is trying to make is that you will never be denied (anywhere) the right to carry a flashlight, which is very useful. While I don't own one, my cousin and uncle who do own one (TLR-1 I believe) have showed me first hand what it's like to be on the other side of it. Trust me, it will daze you and you cannot see where the light is coming from.

Imagine looking into a spotlight from 5 inches away. All you can see is light. Also, in a dark environment, having a light shined into your eyes takes away your bodies night vision for a few seconds. Any type of white light will do this, but these high lumens flashlights are remarkable at stunning right away. The first thing I did when it was shined in my face was cover my eyes. I couldn't see anything and when he strobed me, I just wanted it to stop.

If you're using your flashlight to find an escape route in a situation like Aurora, you're painting a target on yourself. If you're moving in the darkness, you're a hard target to spot and shoot at. If you're moving in the darkness with a light, you're giving away your position and drawing attention to yourself. If you're able to blind and disorient the attacker while moving to your exit point, you're likely to make it out alive. All of this is simple training. Don't use a flashlight to light up the room and show the attacker who is where and doing what.

 

[Sailor]

The strobe on my Quark is very orienteering.

 

[bwframe]

A solid move with the light is the same as with the gun. Shoot and move, don't stand around waiting for the return fire. That would be stupid and possibly fatal.

When someone's eyes slam shut, for whatever reason, a "snapshot" is taken. That is their complete reference until they see otherwise.

 

[thebishopp]

Dave Spaulding has a great story about shooting a SWAT warrior in the nuts while his magic force-field flashlight "blinded" Dave.

With respect to the author I fail to see how a flashlight will disable a lunatic's trigger finger, perhaps I am incorrect.



I'll bring Chompy along with me to the movies. Hope management and my fellow movier goers do not mind. Maybe I'll give him a squeaky mailman to play with.

Look, if we want to prevent Mad Man from going on shooting sprees, eliminate the no gun zones where they do their work. All this gaming the system and tactical shmatical stuff is only ignoring the real problem.

One of the reasons some schools of thought train to hold the flashlight out to your side rather than in line with your body (on the gun or immediately to the side of it). To many situations where the BG would just "aim for the light". Granted it made shooting a bit harder (one handed) but you wouldn't be providing a nice bright target.

Dog - claim it is a service dog. Get a little vest/jacket with "service dog" printed on it. If you happen to live in a state that does not require any type of certification (like here in Indiana) you do not have to prove your dog is a "service animal". Government buildings as well as most/some businesses have standing policies regarding "service animals".

 

[iChokePeople]

When someone's eyes slam shut, for whatever reason, a "snapshot" is taken. That is their complete reference until they see otherwise.

So... in the "Dave" and SWAT story, that would constitute proof that Dave was looking at the SWAT guy's balls when the guy flash(light)ed him.

 

[indyjoe]

Dog - claim it is a service dog. Get a little vest/jacket with "service dog" printed on it. If you happen to live in a state that does not require any type of certification (like here in Indiana) you do not have to prove your dog is a "service animal". Government buildings as well as most/some businesses have standing policies regarding "service animals".

I agree, that is probably the best way to go.

 

[thebishopp]

I agree, that is probably the best way to go.

LOL I am not a big fan of that guy's practices. I used to be a licensed bail recovery agent here in Indiana and used to get so many "dog" references. He is also a "no gun" advocate - convenient since he is also a convicted felon and can't own one.

 

[youngda9]

I agree, that is probably the best way to go.

I'll take my chances without one if that's the case.

 

[indyjoe]

I very happy to see this response to "Dog". About my feelings as well. But I couldn't resist making that after reading that paragraph.

Hope it is OK with you all, Bra.

 

[25mux]

I know I'm a bit late to the thread, but very well put argument. Wish more people thought like that.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

So... in the "Dave" and SWAT story, that would constitute proof that Dave was looking at the SWAT guy's balls when the guy flash(light)ed him.

I am so stealing this.

Magic flashlights and being shot in the nuts with a sim round, what a country.

 

[DarkRose]

Late to the game here, but I used to get a lot of comments from friends and such about always wanting to sit with my back against the wall and in view of the main entrance when going out to eat... I've always done that, just a habit. Seemed to get the comment "must just be a guy thing" a lot.

I don't think I'll be getting that many comments now...

 

[WJB63]

You ever had one of those pointed at you in a dark environment? They literally blind you. It's not a flashlight like you get at the hardware store. The light is very intense, and if it has a strobe feature, it almost gives you a headache. It's actually very good advice compared to telling someone to shoot towards you, especially if you want to live.

Having worked for a manufacturer of tactical lights (Insight Technology) in the past, I can definitely say that a high lumen light is a great non-lethal device. On more than one occasion I have been on the receiving end and it is not a pleasant experience.

In a low light environment not only will the target be temporarily blinded but whatever adjustment his eyes have made to low light will be gone for long enough to either fight or flight on your part.

 

[jamil]

Having worked for a manufacturer of tactical lights (Insight Technology) in the past, I can definitely say that a high lumen light is a great non-lethal device. On more than one occasion I have been on the receiving end and it is not a pleasant experience.

In a low light environment not only will the target be temporarily blinded but whatever adjustment his eyes have made to low light will be gone for long enough to either fight or flight on your part.

How effective would it be in a dark, smoke filled theater with a movie still running?

 

[indyjoe]

How effective would it be in a dark, smoke filled theater with a movie still running?

The smoke is the only thing I'm wondering about. Similar to high beams in fog. However, the movie theater and outside just before it is dark. If you hit the shooter in the face with a modern tactical light, it will take away his ability to see things in the theater for a few seconds. Smoke would have to be REALLY thick for that not to happen. If the smoke reflects a good bit, you will lose some vision too.

 

[Valvestate]

Well there were people within spent casing bouncing off the head range. Smoke was unlikely that thick at that range to make it ineffective.

 

[youngda9]

Smoke is a one in a million occurance it seems. Don't let the very slight possibility of smoke deter you from getting a good light.

 

[esrice]

Its certainly not a game-ender, but carrying a solid quality flashlight does give you a few more defensive options. I'm a big fan.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...se/201943-flashlight_as_a_defensive_tool.html

 

[WJB63]

How effective would it be in a dark, smoke filled theater with a movie still running?

A good quality tactical light has a focused beam to a certain extent. The smoke would have to be fairly dense for it not to function as mentioned.

In one test I did, I had a tac-light mounted to an M240B, my indoor range which is only 8 feet wide and 25 meters long, killed the lights and let off a full 200 round belt without coming off the trigger. Yes, the smoke was dense and there was some refraction but I could still see the bullet trap. I would not hesitate lighting up someone in a smoke filled room. Even if it didn't have the full effect with all the smoke being illuminated as well it would still leave you the option of fight or flight.

 

[Lex Concord]

There is a video at the the link but for the life of me I cannot figure out how to embed it into the OP.

I doubt this vid can be embedded here, unless you find a copy on YouTube, etc. that can imbed w/ a simple URL...it appears to be a FoxNews player widget that would require that you be able to drop HTML tags into a post to embed...this is disabled here.