“The Ultimate Sacrifice”
I just finished reading Jim Wilsons article in
Shooting Times about carry rigs. This one hit my hot button! Sheriff
Wilson agreed in his article that the ankle holster for your primary
gun is not a good idea. Not only do I agree it’s not a good idea it can
get you killed!
Back in 1980 at approx. 12:14 AM my very good friend
( he was also in my rookie school class years before) and now Detective at the time of the shooting
Noel Don McGuire of the Little Rock Police Department was parked on a
closed gas station parking lot in an unmarked car. A pickup pulled onto
the lot a short distance away. The passenger approached Don and asked
for directions not knowing he was an on duty officer. Don was I’m sure
curious since the truck had out of state license plates from several
states away. The occupants were both pretty young at 15 and 16 years
old.
Don identified himself and told them to wait and asked for ID.
Don was very trusting which I for one was always worried about. Don ran
the ID’s and both came back as runaways from Ohio and the truck they
were driving was stolen. What Don didn’t know was the 16 year old told
the 15 year old that if the cop made a move to arrest them they should
take him. Both boys were armed with stolen handguns. Both were 22’s if
I remember correctly.
Don approached the boys and told them they
were under arrest. The suspects ran a few steps back to the truck and
grabbed the guns. Don, in the meanwhile, is reaching for his S&W
model 36 in his ankle holster. The two suspects were able to get their
guns and start firing on Don before he could even begin to get his gun
out of that damned ankle holster. Don was able to get out a radio call
before passing out.
When we all arrived the suspects were gone and
Don was lying across the front seat of his car with the radio mike in
hand. He was gone——– at 24 years old. I had lost the first of five
friends killed in the line of duty at Little Rock PD. It was never
determined if he got his gun out of it’s holster since no shots had
been fired by him.
The suspects were caught a short time later
attempting to rob a convenience store at the edge of town. As far as I
know they are still in prison. The ankle holster may have been used
after that by other detectives but certainly not for the primary weapon. If you use an ankle
holster you might as well leave your gun at home.
If you would like to see Dons information here is the link to the Police
Memorial
http://www.nleomf.org/TheMemorial/osearch.cgi
Gunner's Journal 
