Arizona -(Ammoland.com)- On Wednesday, 28 March, 2018, the West Maypole Avenue Church of Christ was having a Bible study that started at 7:30 p.m. At 8:09 p.m., the study was interrupted by 27-year-old Kenneth Baines, who announced an armed robbery. A 57-year-old armed church member was seated inside. The church member was legally armed and had a concealed carry permit.
It seems likely that he was a member of a voluntary church security team, as later reports refer to him as a “security guard”, but no report mentions that he had a security guard license, or that he was paid as a security guard. From suntimes.com on 29 March, 2018:
A 57-year-old man was sitting in a the church at 8:09 p.m. in the 4400 block of West Maypole when a 27-year-old man walked in and announced a robbery, according to Chicago Police.
Maypole Avenue Church of Christ is located at 4400 W. Maypole.
The two men then started shooting at each other, police said. The older man was struck in the left arm and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition. The robber was shot multiple times in the chest and was in critical condition at Stroger Hospital.
The 57-year-old legally owned his gun, police said.
From the Maypole Ave Church of Christ Facebook page:
“We solemnly pray for our brother in Christ and the perpetrator of this heinous deed.”
To be a paid and armed security guard in Chicago, a special permit is required, 40 additional hours of training to be armed, and they need to be employed by a by a company with special licensing and liability insurance.
It seems unlikely that a church would go to the expense of several hundreds of dollars of licensing fees and the liability insurance when it could use volunteers with concealed carry licenses at no cost or additional insurance.
This is particularly true for an evening Bible study in the middle of the week. Churches have numerous such events. They are seldom targets of robberies, for donations are not usually collected there. Paying a security company for a licensed security guard would be prohibitively expensive for most small churches. Few would be willing to spend the thousands of dollars necessary when most churches will have members who have police or military training, and who are familiar with firearms. Members who would be glad to serve the church at no cost.
That is the case at my church, where I am a member of the church security team.
The coverage of the gunfight in the Maypole Avenue Church of Christ, except for the earliest reports, call the church member who shot the armed robbery suspect a “security guard”. This gives the misleading impression that he was a paid and licensed professional, rather than a church volunteer.
This is important because of the ongoing debate about whether ordinary people are capable of acting in defense of themselves and others. Licensed security guards are heavily regulated and controlled by the State. Because of federal court cases about the Second Amendment, shall issue concealed carry permits are available to the vast majority of Illinois residents with much less effort.
Calling a church volunteer a “security guard” while ignoring their voluntary status, makes it seem that only professionals can be trusted with this duty. This was done in the case of Jeanne Assam, who stopped a mass killing at the New Life Church in Colorado Springs in 2007.
The name of the church volunteer has not been released. If any reader has personal knowledge of this case, please help us confirm the status of the 57-year-old defender.
©2018 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
About Dean Weingarten
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of constitutional carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and recently retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
As one that has died, faced Jesus, and been forced to return to this earth to prepare and do things not always blatantly obvious, let me say I have walked thru the flames of homes on fire, transported medical immediates, faced down drunks with knives trying to kill me, been shot at, had my body destroyed by a drunk driver, watched as my unborn baby crashed and flatlined three times, my wife crying, the joy of his birth, the sadness of the loss of a daughter’s twin. Our God wants us to prepare. He told me I had things left… Read more »
Some additional alleged information about the evil-doer:
https://chronicleillinois.com/news/cook-county-news/felon-charged-in-west-side-church-shooting/
Still not sure exactly what the facts are.
Thx for posting article. Read Nehemiah 4:13-23. Covers risk assessment, work while holding a sword, spear, bow, protecting family with God’s help, being armed even while getting water, and diligent even to the point of sleeping in clothes and armed. Ezekiel 33 – as God’s vigilant watchman Daniel & Goliath. Daniel took 5 stones because Goliath had 4 brothers. Daniel was trained in sling useage because he had already killed a lion and bear as a shepherd. More difficult targets (lion likely at night) than Goliath. Luke 22 – instructors to disciples to sell cloak and buy weapon (sword) if… Read more »
Wondering why my comment was not published? No foul language so why was it scrubbed before it ever made it to the board here?????
Bill,
Journalism tip:
Next time your write an article, state the time, date and place (city & state) of the incident in the first paragraph. The article never states the city.
GOD, GUNS AND GUTS MADE AMERICA.
Let’s keep all three!
I carry at my church, just as our colonial forefathers brought their arms to church, to guard against indian attacks etc. Today we might not deal with indians, but there are criminals, terrorists, and mentally deranged people out there who may attack a church like what recently happened in Texas. We should always carry wherever we go, JUST BECAUSE.
A Right that is not exercised is a Right that is lost!
If God is everything he is billed to be, why would any of his churches have a security team?
I commend this man for taking care of business. Fortunately living in Montana now after moving from the People’s Repubic of Kalifornia and working with the Sheriff’s Office there for a number of years, here in Montana no one truly needs a CCW as anyone who can legally own a gun can carry it openly. Although a number of my friends here do have CCWs I don’t, because I want the person I may come in contact with to know that I am armed and I don’t want a coat, jacket. shirt etc. to hinder my draw as seconds count… Read more »
Dean,
Looking for an update on the status of the defensive shooter, but there does not seem to be any additional details publicly available on him. The church’s publicly released statement only mentioned “security” in passing, without providing details.
However, my research did stumble onto this source for “gun violence” statistics:
https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/defensive-use
It looks like a pretty even-handed compiler of real statistics.
This church shooting is recorded as a ‘defensive use” and the defender is recorded as a “victim,” the robber as a “suspect.”
Never seen this before myself. Hope it’s useful.
All the best.
Kent
Perhaps this black-hearted thief will take advantage of his Road to Damascus encounterand realise the direction of his life was, until that point, a short road to death and perdition. Let us hope he is carefully weighing some serious matters as he is immobilised for a season. Sometimes facing something far bigger than one’s own selfish desires can awaken one to a larger perspective. He could easily have been killed instantly, then be face to face with his Maker. Fork in the road, perhaps?