Volunteer Church Member Stops Attacker in Church Gunfight

Volunteer Church Member Stops Attacker in Church Gunfight
Volunteer Church Member Stops Attacker in Church Gunfight

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.

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About Dean WeingartenDean 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.

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Jimbo66

Yeah, calling the guy a security guard or something like that is exactly what the left would do. I don’t understand why the church would put themselves in a position of liability when the only thing they did was allowed concealed carriers to carry in the church. A lot still don’t alow it to their future regret I’ll l bet. Nice story Dean. It’s nice to see the stories of a good guy with a gun saving people.

Jim Macklin

One thing is certain, street thugs and armed robbers are not the brightest bulb in Chicago. If this one survives he can get a job on the city council where robbery is more formalized.

durabo

In case of disruption during the Mass, my fellow parishioners will hit the deck, I will intercept the threat, and my Anglican priest will beck me up with his own handgun. This includes terminal action against anyone rushing in, yelling, “Allahu akhbar!” since no prosecutor would question the fact that parishioners would have been in fear for life and limb.

I am fortunate to reside in Arizona, where the 2A is a given.

Terry

Question the article mentions that with a Volunteer security team that there would be no need for the church to secure additional liability insurance. Our church here in Houston voiced another opinion that there was a great liability for the church for a CHL person acting on behave of themselves or others, whether as acting as an individual or as a volunteer security team.

Would any of the Readers have any legal references to this question?

Robert

Doing the Lords work!

Marc Disabled Vet

Dude got the Surprise of his Life ( if he lives)
Ya Don’t Mess in Gods House !
People have in the past and it Pissed
him Off .So Bad Guys Beware !
Apparently God Has Better AIM .

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