BULLETS BOTH WAYS names Evan M. Todd Communications Director

Evan is a Columbine survivor, advocate, speaker and entrepreneur.

June 3, 2019 Denver, CO – Bullets Both Ways – an American brand mission focused on helping to increase security and protection measures in our schools and houses of worship is excited to welcome Columbine survivor Evan M. Todd to the team in the role of Communications Director. Since the Columbine massacre Evan has been a vocal advocate for preserving and protecting life. His mission is to help communities recognize threats, take precautions to avoid the worst case scenarios and as a last resort to equip individuals so that they are ready if or when the unthinkable happens. To accomplish these goals, Evan will develop business relationships and overall communications for Bullets Both Ways helping increase resources that can be directed to communities across the nation. Evan has extensive background in leadership, sales, marketing, public relations, as well as operations and entrepreneurism.

“I am really excited to join an organization that is a trailblazer. People want to keep their schools and churches safe. Bullets Both Ways is building a community of those people and helping provide the tools and resources that people need to accomplish those goals,” Evan says. “It is an honor to be apart of Bullets Both Ways. I cannot wait to help grow this community.”

Evan brings almost 20 years of advocacy and awareness. Evan has worked with countless churches, schools, businesses, police departments, local governments and other organizations worldwide to help increase safety and security. Evan has helped develop programs that work to identify and intervene with at risk individuals. He has also helped found and develop several small businesses. His experience will help Bullets Both Ways grow its brand awareness and community involvement.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to have Evan join us.  With his past experience, skill set and heart for protecting our schools and churches – he is going to be an excellent asset and overall ambassador for our team. We are in the business of helping to save lives and Evan will only strengthen our capabilities,” says Aaron Boyd, Founder and CEO.

Bullets Both Ways, established 2018, consists of a brand and a nonprofit arm Bullets Both Ways Foundation/ Angel Shield a 501(c)(3) public charity specifically created to support and provide protection and mental health resources in our nation’s schools,

If you would like more information about this topic contact: churches and communities.

Evan M.Todd- Phone: (303) 789-1009 or evan@BulletsBothWays.com

 


Protecting Your Kids in School

It’s a scary time to be a parent of children attending public schools in America. Between the drug culture, social media bullying and yes, mass shootings, parents spend a considerable amount of time worrying about the safety of their kids when they are in school.

Over the years, various strategies have been employed to enhance school safety. They include:

  • The Gun Free School Zones Act of 1990 (co-sponsored by presidential candidate Joe Biden),
  • Ever increasing and more restrictive gun control laws including (in Colorado) “universal” background checks, magazine capacity restrictions, age limits to purchase or possess firearms, and others,
  • Placing School Resource Officers (SROs), licensed and trained police officers, at some (but not all) schools,
  • Safe2Tell hotlines.

Despite these measures, school shootings, while still rare, do occur, and are amplified by the mainstream media who are, after all, seeking ratings and sales.

Even though many schools employ multi-layered strategies to enhance the safety of their students, there is one strategy that has proven to be effective both as a deterrent and as a countermeasure to school shootings, and that is on-site armed defenders.

Many times, these armed defenders are SROs. But even this has proven to be a strategy with less than 100% effectiveness. Columbine High School had an SRO. Margery Stoneman Douglas High School had an SRO. The recent STEM School in Highlands Ranch, CO did not have an SRO but did have private security. In all of these examples, the SRO failed to prevent the school shooting from occurring.

The individuals who perpetrate these crimes generally want to kill as many of their fellow human beings as they can. They are essentially cowards and will not commit their crimes in front of an armed and uniformed person. Yet as we saw at Arapahoe High School and the STEM school, despite the presence of armed officers in each case, one life was still lost.

There clearly needs to be another layer of defense, but what should that be?

In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting in December 2012, a group of concerned citizens in Ohio banded together and created the Faculty/Administrator Safety Training and Emergency Response (FASTER) program. This program is a three-day intensive training program for school staff members who are already legally qualified to carry concealed weapons and who have answered the call of their school districts to carry while at work to protect the young lives in their care.

Now in Ohio, over 2,500 teachers and other school staff from dozens of school districts have been through the FASTER training. Because most school districts in Ohio now have armed staff, potential armed aggressors know that they are likely to meet armed resistance from unknown persons, and school shootings in Ohio have become very rare since 2012 compared to other states.

Colorado now has its own FASTER training program, and in the past few years, over a hundred school administrators and others have been through the intensive three-day program. Others have taken refresher and annual qualification courses. Thirty school districts in Colorado allow staff to carry concealed, and so far, there have been zero shootings at these schools. In fact, a recent study by crime researcher John R. Lott, Jr. found that in the years since 2000, there have been ZERO shootings in schools where teachers carry guns. In short, the kids in these schools are safer than their counterparts in large metro school districts.

In response to this fact pattern, students and parents are becoming aware that the best way to prevent the next tragedy is to have armed staff on hand. Sadly, many large urban and suburban school boards do not allow their staff to be armed defenders, clinging to a naïve belief in the efficacy of designating their facilities as “gun-free zones” and/or relying on the presence of SROs or private security.

I know many parents with children in public school districts are very concerned about their children’s safety. The question is: What can parents do about this? How can they effect change in their district?

The laws governing armed teachers are different in each state. In some states, this would have to be enabled by act of law. In others (like Colorado), it is already legal with the approval of the district’s school board, or in the case of a charter school, the charter school board.

The first step is to let your school board know that you are in favor of armed, trained school staff being present to defend your children. Here are several ways that you can make your concerns and wishes known:

  • Attend a school board meeting and speak during the public comment portion of the meeting. Most boards limit public comment by an to individual to 2-3 minutes slices of time, which means it’s best to show up prepared to make a 2-minute speech. This will become part of the public record.
  • Write emails to your school board members. Be polite, respectful and fact-based while making your concerns and wishes known to them.
  • Call your school board members. Again, be polite, respectful and fact-based.
  • Engage your community and your school board on social media – Facebook and Twitter. Social media advocacy is much more effective when it is polite, factual and stays on the issues and away from personal attacks, profanity and snark.

The second area of activism involves meeting with other parents in your neighborhood and working together to do the above activities. There is strength in numbers, and large numbers of voices together are more effective at being heard and effecting change.

Third, engage with your local sheriff and police departments to let them know you are in favor of armed staff in schools to protect your children. Sometimes, law enforcement views this as an infringement on their turf when they should be concerned about public safety instead. Demand that they put the safety of your children before all other considerations.

Fourth, engage with your elected officials at the state level. Let your state representative and senator know how you feel about all avenues being employed in protecting the kids that are attending public schools.

If at any level, you meet resistance, ask yourself: “Are those who represent me adequately concerned about the safety of my children?” If the answer is at any time “No,” consider supporting candidates in the next election who will be more responsive to your wishes regarding school safety.

Last, if you have the means and ability, consider placing your child in a private school that supports all appropriate security measures, including armed staff.

We’ve already seen that teachers and even other students are willing to put themselves between a bullet and your child. It’s time to give the teachers at least a fighting chance.

 

By Richard D. Turnquist

Photo credit: Creede Newton/Amarillo Globe-News via AP

 

To learn more about FASTER training, click this link

Bullets Both Ways supports armed defenders in schools by providing scholarships for teachers to attend the Colorado FASTER training program. Proceeds from our merchandise sales go to support this mission.

Bullets Both Ways Foundation is our Public Charity (501c3) organization:

  • The Foundation’s primary purpose is to raise funds to support mental health resources in our schools along with equipping school and church facilities with updated safety, security, and increased protection measures.

Through our two organizations, we plan to do all we can to help make a difference in our communities and culture.  Donate today and send a check to Bullets Both Ways Foundation at 16 Inverness Place East Bldg D-200 Englewood, CO 80112.


The Sheepdog and the Armed Defender

“Get down!” Stewart yelled, according to his wife and others who were at the scene. “You motherf**ker! I’m going to kill you!” Rachel Stoltzfoos, Staff Writer for The Daily Caller

On a high holy day in a California synagogue, another hate-filled evildoer attempted to become the latest mass shooter. Thanks to a veteran and an off-duty border patrol officer, this tragedy was prevented from being much, much worse.

There are a couple of points to be made here: First, this shooting happened in the state of California in spite of the very strict gun control laws that state has. Without detailing all of the “gun safety” laws that failed to prevent this shooting, the most glaring fact is this: the 19-year old shooter used a possibly illegal “AR style” rifle. It is already illegal for anyone to purchase a rifle in the state of California unless they have reached 21 years of age. Secondly, the heroism of an ordinary woman, an unarmed military veteran and another armed defender both ensured that this tragedy wasn’t even worse.

By all accounts, the shooter entered the back of the synagogue and opened fire, killing congregant Lori Gilbert Kaye and injuring three others including Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who confronted the shooter and was shot in his hands. Ms. Kaye was the first hero of the day, considering that many news accounts state that she put herself between the attacker and the rabbi, thus saving his life.

While the attack was in progress, a United States Army veteran, Oscar Stewart, heard the shots, and while everybody else was running away, he ran toward the gunshots. Yelling at the gunman in a fierce voice, Stewart apparently spooked the gunman who fled to his car at this point.

Other news accounts state that the rifle jammed after the rabbi was shot and that is the reason the shooter fled the scene. Everyone agrees that another man, an armed off-duty border patrol agent, Jonathan Morales, ran outside and shot at the suspect’s car, attempting to disable it. The suspect was able to drive away and later turned himself in to police.

Agent Morales had started to attend the synagogue to explore his Jewish roots, and upon learning that he was a border patrol agent, Rabbi Goldstein asked him to come to services armed.

This tragedy illustrates that people with the “sheepdog” mentality – Lori Kaye, Oscar Stewart and Jonathan Morales – will engage an active threat to save lives whether they are armed or not. It also illustrates that while Stewart was prepared to engage the threat, it was another armed man – Morales – who would have been able to neutralize the threat if the shooter had not fled the scene as he did. It was truly a “bullets both ways” situation.

This incident also reinforces and validates our mission at Bullets Both Ways: to support the armed defender who is Willing and Able to be a sheepdog; and to enable church and school personnel to receive life-saving training in advanced first aid and combat techniques.

In a world with evil perpetrators, self-defense will always be necessary. We stand ready.

By Richard D. Turnquist

Photo credit: KGTV San Diego

 

 

 


Bullets Both Ways Wristbands

The Equipment Challenge

In the last couple of posts, we’ve covered HOW to become an armed defender and the importance of training. Today we’ll take a look at the third leg of the armed defense tripod: equipment.

The importance of good equipment cannot be understated, and it’s more than just the firearm you choose to carry. Caliber, size, stopping power, concealment method, ease of use and comfort are all factors that must be considered and weighed in making equipment choices.

The first consideration is what you are going to carry and where you will carry it. There are trade-offs to consider. A tiny .380 pocket pistol is easily concealed in a pocket or purse, but is limited in the number of rounds it can hold and has less stopping power. Stepping up to a larger 9 MM Luger or 45 ACP gives you better stopping power but can be more challenging to conceal on your person.

This author recommends no less than a 9 MM Luger for your primary carry gun. There are models on the market that are smaller and more easily concealable but hold fewer rounds. My primary carry guns are a Glock 19 Gen 4 or a Glock 43. The latter is more easily concealed and more comfortable to wear. A .380 is fine as a back-up gun in a pocket or an ankle holster and certainly is better than nothing.

The next consideration is platform. When I first started carrying, I had a Smith & Wesson .45 caliber semiautomatic 1911 style pistol. It carried 7+1 rounds and was easy to conceal. However, the choice of how to carry soon presented itself. In order to chamber a round with a 1911-style pistol, the user pulls the slide back, which cocks the hammer. The model I had did not have a “de-cocking” lever, and there was no way to safely de-cock the gun. I was not comfortable carrying with the hammer back even with the safety on. But, in a combat situation when your fine motor control is compromised you don’t want to have to remember to thumb off the safety or chamber a round, so I decided against the 1911 as an everyday carry gun.

I chose the Glock 19/43 because it’s safe to carry chambered, there’s no safety to remember (the safety on the Glock is on the trigger) and it’s easy and reliable.

For on-person carry, there are several choices. Inside the waistband (IWB), outside the waistband (OWB), abdomen, small of back, pocket, and ankle. Using an OWB holster with a light jacket or other cover garment is perfectly fine and is actually the most comfortable method of carrying.  IWB with an untucked shirt or other cover garment is fine too. There are people who say you can carry IWB under a tucked in dress shirt without “printing” (printing is when the gun is visible in outline through your clothes), but I’ve never been successful at that.

Many concealed carriers choose to carry off-body in a backpack or purse. Advantages of this method of carry include comfort, easy access in some cases. Disadvantages include possibly losing your firearm or having it stolen, risks of leaving the backpack or purse unattended, and possible difficulty in accessing the firearm quickly. The ease or difficulty of access depends on where the firearm is. Do you have a “rip and grip” system in your backpack/purse or do you have to unzip multiple zippers before you can reach your firearm?

As a man, I am not tuned in to the considerations that women face in carrying a concealed weapon. For this reason, I recommend checking out the Well Armed Woman website, and faliaphotography.com has great videos about gear and apparel for women.

Another consideration is destination. If you are going to a location that prohibits firearms and/or is secured with metal detectors, you will have to either leave your firearm behind or plan to securely store it while you are in the prohibited location.

My recommendation is to try various things until you find what works best for you, and one method may not work all the time. I personally have a drawer full of holsters that I have purchased, tried and discarded. When I carry my Glock 19 it is often in an OWB holster with a cover garment. For IWB, I use a Comp-Tac Minotaur or a Vedder holster. In extreme concealment circumstances, a Colt .380 Mustang in a pocket holster fits the bill.

Whatever carry method you decide upon, make sure you use a holster or at the very least a trigger guard. Practice drawing the weapon (unloaded and with all ammunition in another room), remembering the 4 laws of gun safety. When you are out in the world, maintain Condition Yellow and remain aware of your surroundings at all times. Remember a threat can be behind you. If you use earphones, don’t have them so loud you can’t hear what is going on around you.

Another consideration is alcohol consumption. Many states have laws that concealed carriers may not consume alcohol or carry in businesses that serve alcohol. Be aware of the laws of your state to ensure you remain in compliance.

Carrying a gun is an awesome responsibility and those who are Willing and Able to do so should invest the time and money in training and equipment to make it a safe and enjoyable experience.

By Richard D. Turnquist