Elderly Security Guard Attacked

[UtahProtectionForce]

An 83-year-old security guard fought back after an attacker stole his gun and pulled the trigger early Saturday, San Antonio Police told News 4 WOAI.
Michael Riojas, 83, was patrolling city hall downtown when a man hit him and stole his gun, officials said. Riojas struggled with the man, but was overpowered.

Riojas told News 4 WOAI the man then forced his way into city hall.

"The man then pointed the gun at the security officer then pulled the trigger a couple of times,” Lt. Matthew Podwika with San Antonio Police said. “The gun did not go off."

Riojas was able to run outside, but his attacker followed. Riojas managed to grab the gun and hit the attacker in the head with it, officials said.

The attacker, 51-year-old Jay Swob, took off, police said, but he was caught a short time later. Officers searched the building with the K-9 unit and located Swob on the second floor in the city clerk’s office inside of a closet. He was taken into custody.

Swob was facing assault charges Saturday.

The guard was back on the job Saturday.

http://www.woai.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=a4d40045-d658-4d9d-a30b-aab3ff7a88e7

[Just_Some_Guy]

83 and armed? With apparently a non-functioning gun (guessing either the safety was on...or the gun was unloaded and for show only)?

[N. A. Corbier]

Guarding a government contract, no less.

I have not seen this man, so he may be quite capable of handling himself. (Its been known to happen.) But it doesn't look good on paper.

[Chucky]

He as many do may not have had a round in the chamber. The Knuckle head that took his gun may not have realized that or even knew how to use a gun except for what he saw on TV.

[UtahProtectionForce]

my company teachs you to shoot unloaded :P meaning no round in chamber
and go into a round in the chamber while drawing, easier then it sounds...

[Just_Some_Guy]

Just realized the guy is only facing assault charges and not attempted murder. Wow.

[BadBoynMD]

my company teachs you to shoot unloaded :P meaning no round in chamber
and go into a round in the chamber while drawing, easier then it sounds...

Umm, maybe i'm out of the loop, but that's the craziest thing i've ever heard of. There are sooo many scenarios, that I, could think of where that would be just ridiculous. Then again, sounds like a liability thing for "accidental discharges" that your company has.

[Chucky]

Not really that crazy. The DEA instructor that shot himself in the foot while teaching a class on gun handling and the lady cop that was giving cover to another cop cuffing a perp fired accidentally. Both were using Glocks with the safety on the trigger. My work gun is a Glock and I never chamber a round unless I really need it.

[SecTrainer]

On checking further:

1. The security guard (Allied Barton) was 73, not 83.

2. The perp was 57, not 51.

3. The gun didn't fire because the clip had fallen out during the struggle for the gun.

4. The perp is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, not simple assault.

5. It seems that the perp might be loony based on stuff he said when captured.

[N. A. Corbier]

On checking further:

1. The security guard (Allied Barton) was 73, not 83.

2. The perp was 57, not 51.

3. The gun didn't fire because the clip had fallen out during the struggle for the gun.

4. The perp is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, not simple assault.

5. It seems that the perp might be loony based on stuff he said when captured.

Magazine disconnect for the win.

Like I said before, the 73 year old man may be able to preform his duties. For a company like AlliedBarton, his duties would rarely include taking people into custody or fighting people. They would include using deadly force to stop a deadly attack, or fleeing the scene to call 911.

To be blunt, a lot of armed security functions can be done by the elderly, so long as the client understands that the guard is there to do two things: Observe and report non-deadly incidents, and to use lethal force to terminate a deadly attack.

You don't have to be physically strong to pull a trigger.

[Lawson]

You don't have to be physically strong to pull a trigger.

You do to be able to defend that gun.

When I am on duty as an LEO I keep a round chambered because I know I can trust my level II retention holster to hold onto my gun enough for me to defend it. When I work armed plainclothed security, I do not chamber around as my holster has no retention other than gravity and a little bit of pressure from the holster against the gun. Anyone could easily grab the gun out of that holster. The time it takes them to realize they need to rack a round would be the time it would take for me to go into rasslin mode.

[N. A. Corbier]

Defending the weapon doesn't enter into the mind of the branch or account manager. Most of them are salesman, not security or police officers, and don't think about things like that.

[BadBoynMD]

Not really that crazy. The DEA instructor that shot himself in the foot while teaching a class on gun handling and the lady cop that was giving cover to another cop cuffing a perp fired accidentally. Both were using Glocks with the safety on the trigger. My work gun is a Glock and I never chamber a round unless I really need it.

I can't comment on the DEA agent, as I haven't seen the video. However, unless you're speaking of the DEA agent that was doing a class with kids? Cause I did see a video where his firearm went off.

As for the lady cop, you're speaking of the officers of the Las Vegas Metro..PD. That's a HUGE lesson, and why it's drilled into you to NEVER put your finger on the trigger, unless you've decided to shoot.

I just couldn't imagine, having to draw, chamber a round and then fire. I think, that the safety on the trigger is about the dumbest thing. I carry a Sig, which has no safety.

[Steve354]

Just realized the guy is only facing assault charges and not attempted murder. Wow.

This really does suck to high heaven when someone does what he did and gets a smack on the wrist. So much for justices.

It's been said more then once that the laws are not there to protect you and I but protect criminals.


I'm sorry if I have upset anyone, I just my back up when things like this happen.

[LPGuy]

If you are working armed, you should be carrying in at least a level II retention holster, and your pistol should have a round chambered. There's a reason that in serious pistol training (such as in the police academy), you are trained to shoot scenarios such as drawing and firing 5 rounds center mass in 3 seconds. The time in takes for you to draw and chamber a round could equal your life. Finally, if you do not have the ability or strength to defend against your pistol being taken away from you... you shouldn't be carrying it.

Accidental discharges will never occur if you follow the universal firearm safety rules, to include keeping your finger indexed until you are on target and ready to shoot.