What was supposed to be an ordinary Memorial Day weekend getaway for Bryan Whittle, turned into a day he’ll never forget.
Whittle was one of the men who helped stop a shooter before he killed anyone.
“When I pulled in the parking lot right here, I stopped right here, and I got out and there was an individual here that was telling me that people were shot,” recalls Whittle.
On May 24, police say a mentally ill man opened fire at a crowded Louie’s Grill and Bar in Oklahoma City. Whittle, who has 19 years of military experience, grabbed his loaded pistole from his truck.
“When I got here and started yelling at him, he turned to face me, and when he faced me I was trying to get him to put it down,” says Whittle. “And when I waved at him that's when he raised up to fire at me.”
Whittle says the gunman fired two shots in his direction. Another armed civilian came to assist Whittle, and they took down the gunman.
“In this situation, I didn't really have time to think; I just reacted,” explains Whittle.
The suspect was killed.
Under the self-defense statute, Whittle was cleared of criminal charges. The story earned him the title of “Good Guy with a Gun,” and his story is one he wants people to hear.
“I don't think there should be any road blocks that impede your Second Amendment,” says Whittle.
Whittle believes no one should be able to take away anyone’s ability to defend and protect themselves.
“Because you'll end up in situation similar to this and not be able to do anything but hide a cower behind a car,” Whittle says. “It's just like any other tool. If you have the right tool, you can fix anything. I just happened to have the right tool for the problem.”
