BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — Barber on Buffalo's east side has left his business out of fear after he was shot a couple weeks ago. As 7 Eyewitness News senior reporter Eileen Buckley tells us, the defense training he received actually prevented a more tragic outcome.
54-year-old Anthony Clark inside his ManKave barber shop on Genesee Street and Montana Avenue. But he has put his 40-years of cutting hair on hold after he was robbed at gunpoint.
“He’s very emotionally shell shocked from the situation. He doesn’t really want to work at that location or be local here in Buffalo at the present,” said Justin Leigher, long-time friend.
Leigher is president of Final Stop Security in Buffalo. It’s a training center for security guards and citizens.
Leigher and Clark are also members of the Buffalo Special Police, a community policing volunteer organization.
Clark was shot October 18th as three men, caught in surveillance pictures put out by Crimes Stoppers,walked into his shop while he was finishing up with clients.
“And he said it was the end of the night. Three gentlemen actually came in, but they were masked, no face, hiding their identifies and tried to rob the establishment while the women were there,” explained Leigher.
But Leigher says fortunately he trained Clark in self-defense, including gun tactical takeaway. He’s convinced that training prevented tragedy.
Leigher and his vice president of the security company, James Mazurowski, showed us what to do when confronted with a gun.
They say it's all about protecting your heart and eyes.
“I’d rather loss a finger, shoot a ceiling, then hit my heart or hit my face,” Leigher demonstrated.
Mazurowski says this is “topnotch” training and we now live in a world where violence and gun violence is part of the new normal.
“It can happen at any time any situation. You have to be vigilant you have to know what’s going on in your surroundings. And I see people walking around with their headphones and they don’t know what’s going on.”
In Clark's struggle he took a bullet to the t leg, but he has recovered.
“He said it saved him, even though he took a shot, he felt it was a life-threatening situation and also his patrons,” Leigher remarked.
Men, women and even the elderly are training at Final Stop. Security guard supervisor Andrea Monroe says remember everyday items, like your car keys, can be used against you as a weapon, so be ready.
“Don’t scream for help - scream fire - no one comes when you scream help…scream fire, it gets everyone’s attention and they’re more likely to help you,” declared Monroe.
Clark left Buffalo this week friends say to recover mentally from what happened.
Buffalo Police are still searching for the suspects.
