Self Defense Lessons from Robbery Murder in Cheaha State Park

Three key training points here:

First…

Simjee’s intuition was screaming at him that this was a bad situation. So much so that he actually verbalized it to his girlfriend. 

You should trust your intuition anyway, but if the feeling is so strong that it manifests as spoken words, you should consider that as confirmation of the feeling.

It’s sad that we live in times when we have to leave someone with car trouble to solve their own problems, but the risk is too great.

Almost everyone has a smartphone these days. They can call someone for help. Or you could call someone for help if necessary. But do not get out of your car just in case you need to escape quickly.

If you need to satisfy your moral conscience, go volunteer your time and/or money to a charity organization.

Second…

A lethal threat had been presented to Simjee and he was good enough to see the attacker’s attention drop long enough to create the opportunity to draw, but then he tried to negotiate. This was a mistake that cost him his life.

If he had fired immediately, there’s a good chance he would still be alive. And his action would likely have been legally and morally justified.

But also, when you present a firearm against a criminal, you are a threat to their life. If a criminal is willing to present a deadly threat to an innocent person, chances are they are more than willing to kill you to protect their own life.

I’m curious as to how much professional firearms training Simjee had taken, if any. 

Get professional training. Plinking a bullseye at the local range once in a while is not defensive firearms training.

Finally…

You have got to integrate what Carl Jung called the shadow, the dark side, of your personality.

Simjee’s shadow was integrated enough that his intuition recognized the beginnings of an evil plan, but not enough to say no to entering into that plan. And not enough to pull the trigger at the most optimal moment to stop the threat and save his life.

You may have the physical skills to defend yourself, but if you don’t have the psychological or spiritual fortitude to execute those skills against a malevolent person when necessary, you may find yourself in a world of hurt.

In the South, men are taught to never hit a woman…for any reason whatsoever. I wonder if this soundbyte philosophy played a role in Simjee’s hesitation to fire.

Could you shoot a woman? Even when she is a lethal threat?

For context, you can read the news report here: ‘He is my hero’: Florida student died protecting heartbroken girlfriend in robbery near Cheaha State Park