Never Bring a Knife to a GunFight, by C.M.

We all have heard the saying ” Never bring a Knife to a GunFight ” maybe a better saying would be, Never bring ONLY a Knife to a GunFight! Here is why I think that is a better rule to live by…
In 1995 I found myself transplanted from the gun unfriendly state of New Jersey to the Great Wild West of New Mexico. Almost immediately, I applied and was accepted to work for the state and went to the state’s law enforcement academy in Santa Fe.
On one of the last Fridays during the academy, a fellow cadet named Marquis, asked if I could take him to Kirkland AFB in Albuquerque on my way home. Marquis was in the National Guard and his drill was at 0600 Saturday, so he wanted to stay in the bases lodging overnight to ovoid the early morning hour-long commute.
Being new to Albuquerque, I didn’t know that the area around the base was not a very good one. This area is frequently mentioned during the news due to the high violent crime occurring there.
After dropping off Marquis, I pulled out of the base and onto the main road to get back home. Unfortunately, before I hit the main road I had to stop for a red light. Not exactly paying attention to anything except the light I was waiting on, I did not notice the man coming up from behind my vehicle. He came up the side and hit me in the head with a brick through my open drivers window. I blacked out for maybe one or two seconds and came to finding myself in the middle of the intersection with blood in my eyes. As I’m trying to figure out what just happened, I start to get pulled by 3 men out of my window. I instantly tried to get to my pistol, a Glock 27 that I kept in my vehicle’s center console. But as hard as I was being pulled, I could not reach it! Then one of the men tried to open my car door to get me out. As he started to try to work my door open, I grabbed my Benchmade AFCK out of my pocket and slashed his arm. This gave me the opportunity to finally be able to grab my gun. I fired three shots at the men, and as I did, one of them slunk down. Instantly, all the aggression stopped and their main concern was to get themselves out of there! The two others half dragged the other guy back across the street to their car and took off! It was over! I called both 911 and my father who lives about 20 minutes away. Wouldn’t you know it, my father made it to me first and after looking at me, decided to take me to the hospital and have the police meet me there.
I recovered from a concussion and later learned that none of the men involved were ever apprehended! Just a lifelong lesson learned, to always be vigilant, pay attention to your surroundings, and ALWAYS carry a gun and a knife!