Michigan CCW Holder Foils Bank Robbery

A Michigan concealed carry permit holder stops a bank robber who was in the progress of robbing the bank. Nabil Fawzi, a regular bank customer, was at a teller window when the would-be robber reportedly tried to rob the adjacent teller:

[Permit holder Nabil Fawzi] said the robber at the adjacent teller station kept one hand behind his back at all times until the teller began doling out dollar bills. The robber demanded a stack of larger bills instead and moved both hands to the window to collect the cash.

Within seconds, Fawzi drew his handgun, racked a round in the chamber and told the man that he wasn't robbing the bank. "But I have a bomb," the robber told Fawzi.

"I don't care," Fawzi replied. "You are not robbing this bank today." Fawzi said he searched Webster and found no bomb or any other weapons. Webster sat in a chair at gunpoint until police arrived.

Webster, 53, was arraigned on single counts of bank robbery, armed robbery and third offense habitual offender due to prior convictions for a sex offense and robbery. He was jailed on $100,000 bond, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 27.

After the incident, Fawzi showed police his concealed weapons permit and was released.

Canton Police Detective Sgt. Rick Pomorski credited the customer for his quick actions - but noted that police prefer citizens to serve as witnesses instead of taking matters into their own hands in dangerous situations.

"We never condone that civilians take action when there's a propensity for violence and what could happen," Pomorski said. "We prefer they maintain their distance. That said, we're thankful for the way it turned out. He did a wonderful job securing the scene until we got there."

Here's an interview with the permit holder on FoxNews - video here.

Good job, Mr. Fawzi!

From the article and the video we learn that Mr. Fawzi kept his gun in his briefcase, and with an empty chamber. I personally am not a big fan of off-body carry (such as in a briefcase, purse, etc.) due to both the typically slower access to the weapon and the lower level of control over the gun (from disarms and takeaways, or simple theft, for example) versus a gun that's on your person.

Also, note that keeping a pistol with an empty chamber for defensive use not only slows down its employment due to the need to rack the slide and chamber a round, but such chambering is best done with both hands, and both hands may not be available due to injury, the need to fend off the assailant, the other arm holding, say, your two year old child, etc. Yes, you can chamber a pistol one handed, and you should know how to do (and practice doing) this, but this is not the optimal way to chamber a round, and most people don't routinely practice doing so. Thus, under stress, effectively employing one-handed slide racking skills may prove difficult.

Something to think about when you select your carry mode.