Jim Cirillo and Bill Allard

From Den

Tragic news.........

BROOKFIELD — A well-known gun expert and author was killed and another man injured in a tractor-trailer-car collision Thursday night, according to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.

James Cirillo, 76, of West Edmeston, was driving west on Welsh Road around 7 p.m. when his vehicle entered Route 8 into the path of an 18-wheel tractor-trailer driven by Christopher Madison, 36, of Richardson Avenue in Utica, deputies said.

The tractor-trailer struck Cirillo’s vehicle on the driver’s side, deputies said.

Cirillo died at the scene. Madison was treated for back injuries at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Utica, deputies said.

Cirillo taught numerous firearm classes and wrote several books, including “Guns, Bullets, and Gunfights: Lessons and Tales From a Modern-Day Gunfighter.” He also had several videos.

Violet Jimenez, Cirillo’s partner of nine years who lived with him in West Edmeston, said he was a renowned firearms instructor and a retired New York City police officer.

“If you check the Internet, you’ll find everything about him,” she said. “He was a very humorous man and loved his hunting and fishing. He was just a very vibrant person.”

According to Amazon.com, Cirillo spent many years with the New York City Police Stakeout Unit and participated in more than 250 armed encounters. He also spent years as a firearms instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.

Since retiring from law enforcement, Cirillo has conducted periodic firearms training courses, the site states.

Witnesses to the accident told deputies that Cirillo’s car appeared to enter Route 8 to possibly make a U-turn. He apparently did not realize the tractor-trailer was rounding a curve near the intersection, deputies said.---------------------------
I never met Mr Cirillo, but both Jeff Cooper and Mass Ayoob spoke very highly of him.
When I was at FLETC a former colleague of Mr Cirillo's told me how little of his tactical expertise was used by the centre. His ideas, based on his extensive and unparalled experience with the NYPD Stakeout Unit, were too radical for the FLETC management at the time.
His book
Guns, Bullets, And Gunfights: Lessons And Tales From A Modern-Day Gunfighter is essential reading for anyone interested in gunfigh realities, and contains details of several SOU shootouts, training, weapon/ammo selection, mindset etc.
Another warrior in Valhalla
Den
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www.CqbServices.com

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From JimC

RIP indeed!

One of Jim Cirillo's articles in Combat Handguns (about 1982) had a great impact on me with regards firearms training and I have learnt invaluable lessons from all his articles, books and Video.

It is sad indeed that he died under such tragic circumstances after surviving so many deadly confrontations.

Jim
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From Den

Quote :

Quote:
One of Jim Cirillo's articles in Combat Handguns (about 1982) had a great impact on me

Jim, he wrote a couple of great articles; one about selecting personnel for the SOU.
I also remember a piece he wrote about competing in an IPSC match. Cirillo used cover and shot "tactically", he, of course placed very low down the scoresheet beneath the boy-racers, who sprinted through the course, then stopped exposed to multiple targets while engaging. Yes, that article made a lot of sense.
Cheers,
Den
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www.CqbServices.com

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From JimC

Thats the one!
I think I still have the CH issues with them, I am in the middle of moving so may have a chance to dig them out.

Cheers

Jim

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From Den

I cleared out a lot of magazines. I still have copies og the issues with Marcus' stuff in. The ones he did on Mindseye Shooting and Living in Condition Yellow are classics
Cheers,
Den
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www.CqbServices.com

Jim was a wealth of knowledge in real world shootings, and his contributions were invaluable. He will be missed.

Sad news, Jim's former partner on the NYPD Stakeout Unit has passed away.
RIP Bill Allard, a true American gunfighter.