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In his nonfiction debut, Rangel, a Los Angeles-area police veteran, shines light on the many factors that go into a cop's use of deadly force. What's it like to have to shoot someone to defend oneself or others? The author combines his own firsthand experience with testimonies of other colleagues who found themselves embroiled in gun battles. While on duty in an unmarked car in the early 1990s, Rangel became the victim of an attempted carjacking as gang members opened fire on him and his partner. A shootout followed and Rangel was shot; he was later taken to the hospital in the same ambulance as his assailant. The incident made the author interested to hear about similar experiences from fellow members of the titular Red Dot Club of wounded officers. He relates the tale of Frank, a cop who had an off-duty encounter with some gangsters who shot him and his infant son in retaliation for a prior drug arrest Frank had made. In another story, Stacy Lim, a clean-cut Asian-American cop, had a gun battle with a young man after arriving in her own driveway; she managed to kill the shooter before passing out from her injuries. Another story tells of a robbery-in-progress in which perpetrators used assault rifles and hand grenades; eight deputies and highway patrolmen were wounded. Rangel's voice is engaging and his discussion of physiological responses to life-threatening situations is fascinating... A vivid, gripping account of police fight or flight that highlights genuine heroism but fails to effectively address murkier issues.--Kirkus Reviews

Author Information

Robert is a native of Los Angeles. He had his own business at eighteen. Seeking adventure, and a strong desire to help his fellow man, he sold his business at twenty-five and joined the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. Thirteen years later, after numerous on-duty injuries (mostly bullets), he medically retired as a detective. He then traveled the world protecting princes and princesses originating from three different countries. The Royals stopped traveling, and Robert found himself in a new career outside of banks with the sole purpose of stopping armed bank robberies (more bullets). He is currently a civilian investigator for a major police department conducting pre-hire peace officer background investigations (not so many bullets). Married twice, he is now womanless but has three sons. He still resides in Los Angeles but loves the forest. He'd like you to buy a couple of his books so he can move there... watch, with his luck you'll buy the books, he'll move to the forest and get shot by a hunter (stray bullets).

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