ALPINE TOWNSHIP, Mich. — The man who pulled a gun on the suspect in the Traverse City stabbing, one of many bystanders who helped stop the attack before police arrived on scene, is being praised for his composure by a Grand Rapids area gun instructor.
"How he was trained, his management of emotions and stress in the moment was extremely important," said Josh Bare, a US Navy veteran who, for the past year and half, has helped Michiganders earn their concealed pistol license (CPL).
To this end, the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) mandates five hours of class time and three hours of range time. While Bare offers both through his small business, BPF Solutions, it's still up to the state whether to deem a person worthy of a CPL.
For more on Michigan's CPL requirements, click here.
"They need to mentally be preparing themselves, when they are carrying legally, to be aware that they might have to use the firearm," Bare said.
"If I draw it, I do not have to fire. If I draw it, there may come a time where I will have to fire," he said.
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While the identity of the bystander who drew his gun in the parking lot of the Traverse City Walmart has not officially been released and his certifications are not known, Bare says a hand that was fast to draw and slow to pull the trigger may have saved lives that day.
"For him to show that sort of composure in the moment, in a life or death situation, is great," he said.
READ MORE: How bystanders cornered the suspect in the Michigan Walmart stabbing
