We lost Keith Jones on January 21.
Keith Jones experienced heavy combat in Vietnam, and came home to a law enforcement career in a major Midwestern city. In the course of his decades there, Keith prevailed decisively in five shootings – one knife attack, the rest gunmen – always shooting down his homicidal opponents before they could shoot or stab him.
His experiences, and his extensive research, made him a wonderful resource for others in law enforcement, and for law-abiding armed citizens wise enough to pick his brain. He always had time to share his knowledge with good people to help them stay alive.
An inveterate Gun Guy and experimenter, Keith had a wicked low-key sense of humor. Like so many genuinely strong people, he was kind and gentle. He contributed advice and accumulated experience to me, to Evan Marshall and Ed Sanow, and to many other researchers in the officer survival training field.
Keith also, over the years, survived cancer more times than anyone I’ve ever known. In the end, heart and kidney failure did what cancer, enemy soldiers, and worst-of-worst bad guys could not. He was 75.
. Standing vigil when he passed was armed citizen and mutual friend Zach Rogers. Many thanks, Zach.
When he saw the end coming, Keith said he was eager to see his wife Kathy whom he tragically lost a few years ago, and old friends like Denny Reichard
I sincerely hope they are all together now.
You can find my interview with Keith from a few years ago for the Pro-Arms Podcast, here:
It will show you why all who knew him valued his wisdom.
R.I.P., Brother.
Rest in peace.
My condolences on the loss of your friend, Mas. We are all diminished by his passing.
God speed sir
Keith Jones is amazing! Here’s a guy with combat experience in both war and law enforcement. I suspect that such varied experience is not common among men in First World countries. I’m glad he was here for 75 years to teach us.
So sorry for the loss of your friend.
May he rest in Eternal Peace…..
May he rest in Eternal Peace.
He earned his flags. Vaya con Dios.
Til Valhalla.
Keith was a friend and mentor for 30 years. We had many a discussion about guns and gear over the years and his experience was vast. I was fortunate to meet Keith at the beginning of my Law Enforcement career and his advice has helped me countless times. I will miss my friend.
I knew Keith for a dozen years, or thought I did. He took a couple of classes from me, then stayed in touch, he was always telling me I was one of the best instructors he knew, but I truly never knew how wide a loop he had thrown, he will be missed. And yes Keith, I’ll continue to give it my best.
He now sits at the Table of Heroes.
May he Rest in His Everlasting Peace.
Mas, thank you for this expert account of what actually happens due to differences in kinds of ammo used in defensive shootings. It explains in part why I often carry two compact, relatively light handguns, one a .357 magnum, and the other a semi-auto 9nm Parabellum. Throw in the fact that I am frequently dealing with possible encounters with javelina, coyotes, wild dogs, and various wildcats, all animals that can occasionally prove to be unwell, with diseases such as distemper and even hydrophobia. Taken individually, attacks on people are rare, true, but are all the more proven somewhere often that the infrequent exceptions actually happen too frequently, just not in one same location, even with wild dogs, coyotes, and Lynx Rufus, as I have experienced in back yards, open or block-walled. Let me add that practicing tactical reloads is a good way to verify that your semi-auto ammo is of the most optimal length.