Drew My Gun Earlier This Evening

[jahwarrior72]

...about an hour ago. As I was coming out of Giant supermarket with a bag of dog food slung over my shoulder, I catch some guy looking in my mother-in-law's car, on the driver's side. There wasn't much in there, besides a bunch of loose change.

I walked by the car, because i'd honestly forgetten I'd parked there; I thought I'd parked further away. I stopped when I saw him, backed up, and asked if he was okay. He said, "Uh, yeah, just getting ready to leave," and he jingled a set of keys at me. Pretty clever. Most people would've just shrugged, and walked away.

I said, "Oh. You might need these, though." I jingled my own set of keys.

His face went from innocent to eff you. "What're you gonna do?"

"I dunno." I was carrying a 1911, but it was under my coat and sweatshirt. I had a Baby Browning .25 in my pocket, though, so slid my .25 out of my pocket. "What do you think I should do?"

I know, before anyone mentions it, it's "just" a .25ACP....would you want to get shot with one?

He stood there and said, "Be cool, man," raising his hands in front of him.

"I will be. Get the eff out of here. Now."

He walked backwards for about 20', then turned and took off.

 

[Turkules77]

I see the trolls haven't left while I was on vacation.

 

[radartech]

Did you call the cops at all?

 

[B2Tall]

No weapon and no threat. Are you elderly or disabled?? You're lucky he didn't call the cops on you.

Guns aren't meant to be used as a response to someone who looks at you the wrong way or takes a disagreeable tone of voice.

 

[KCD1974]

Trolling....Jeez the first response told you that...NOW DO NOT RESPOND any more to this post lol

 

[Bighouse Doc]

Idiot trolls are back!

-Doc

 

[jahwarrior72]

No, I didn't call the police. I'm a firm believer of not talking to the police unless I really have to. The guy left, I got in the car and left. No further action necessary. It would have been pointless to call the cops, unless I was in the mood to be stand in the freezing cold, questioned about the situation, have my gun secured so they could "run the numbers" (illegal in my state), and get berated for not calling them first.

I caught a guy looking into a car that was legally in my possession, casing it in all likelihood, and when I called his bluff, he got aggressive. In PA, if he'd made an aggressive move, I have legal standing to use deadly force. Note that I never pointed the gun at him, I only took it out of my pocket. There are also no "brandishing" laws in PA, if anyone's curious. Even if they managed to find this guy, and pick him up, he'd be on the street in a week. More waste of my tax dollars. It'll be cheaper if he attempts this again, or tries to rob someone, and gets shot for his troubles.

Trolling? I have to have 200 or more posts here to be taken seriously? That's cute. I guess, if I'm still here in a year, you can come back and read this again, and it won't be so trolly sounding.

 

[Bighouse Doc]

It's only the dramatic, idiotic material you posted that makes us certain you are a troll!

-Doc

 

[kjmill60]

Bravo! if you felt like you were being threatened then you had every right to protect yourself and property, even if you aren't elderly or handicapped. They aren't the only ones that have the right to protect and project alittle confidence and aggresiveness to protect themselves, and if he was planning on an illegal action, there's no way he's going to report you to any LEO. As long as you made it home safe and sound, you did the right thing. Don't let anyone tell you different.

 

[jahwarrior72]

It's only the dramatic, idiotic material you posted that makes us certain you are a troll!

-Doc

Right, because name calling is very mature.

 

[jahwarrior72]

Oh, and in case anyone's wondering why I don't like having to deal with police....

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I've had two other incidents in the past few years where a gun was brought into play, and both of those times I contacted police. The first time, my gun was confiscated for nearly an hour, and I was told that if I chose to press charges against the guy that attempted to attack me while I was sitting in my own van with my kids, he would likely charge me with harassment. In the second, I was walking my dog in my neighborhood, wehn some kid made a weak robery attempt. When I called 911, they instructed me to go home, and disarm before the police got there. Where the hell is the sense in that? No, I don't call the cops anymore. Their job is to investigate crimes after the fact, and to draw chalk outlines. You know, when they're not harassing armed citizens.

 

[Deserteagle]

I've had two other incidents in the past few years where a gun was brought into play, and both of those times I contacted police.

You seem to be really good at finding trouble. Based on your actions in the OP, I think you like bringing guns into situations that dont need guns. Just my opinion, hate me if you like. As for me, unless I am justified in using deadly force, Ill probably just keep my gun in my holster.

 

[macmanjim]

The problem is looking for bad guys in your soup all the time. There are many ways to respond to situations and it's a good idea to learn them all and use them with wisdom.

 

[B2Tall]

No, I didn't call the police......

Seems to me if it was serious enough for you to display your firearm then it's serious enough to call the police. If you're so sure that this guy was bent on mayhem, why wouldn't you alert the police and possibly spare the next person from becoming a victim??

In your situation you probably did the right thing by not calling the cops. They would have wanted to know if he was armed, threatened you, or behaved agressively towards you. Since, according to your "story", he did none of that....you would have had to do a little song-and-dance to justify your actions. Unless you're a really smooth talker you may very well have found yourself in that hot water that you spoke of in your post.

I'm pretty sure that there isn't a state in the union where a private citizen is justified in pulling a pistol because they thought somebody might be casing their car. Ditto for someone who's unarmed, not moving towards you, and who says "What are you going to do about it". As a matter of fact, he would gave been entirely justified in calling the cops on you.

 

[macmanjim]

A legitimate response would be: Are you interested in my car? See what the guy says. Most of the time the guy will bugger off and it will make him aware you are suspicious of his intentions in a public place. It'll also give you time to get the dog food off your shoulder.

 

[jahwarrior72]

You seem to be really good at finding trouble. Based on your actions in the OP, I think you like bringing guns into situations that dont need guns. Just my opinion, hate me if you like. As for me, unless I am justified in using deadly force, Ill probably just keep my gun in my holster.

I would disagree, and say that this town is a crappy little crime ridden town. Parking lots seem to attract a high level of scumbaggery.

 

[scfd5]

Granted i have never been in a situation like this thank God, and i have only had my carry permit for less then a year. My take on this is it goes against everything i was taught in my class. There is no car that is worth a gun fight to me or any other object for that matter. No if my kids were in the car, differnt story but that was not the case. What would have been wrong with watching from a distance and calling the cops?

 

[jahwarrior72]

Seems to me if it was serious enough for you to display your firearm then it's serious enough to call the police. If you're so sure that this guy was bent on mayhem, why wouldn't you alert the police and possibly spare the next person from becoming a victim??

In your situation you probably did the right thing by not calling the cops. They would have wanted to know if he was armed, threatened you, or behaved agressively towards you. Since, according to your "story", he did none of that....you would have had to do a little song-and-dance to justify your actions. Unless you're a really smooth talker you may very well have found yourself in that hot water that you spoke of in your post.

I'm pretty sure that there isn't a state in the union where a private citizen is justified in pulling a pistol because they thought somebody might be casing their car. Ditto for someone who's unarmed, not moving towards you, and who says "What are you going to do about it". As a matter of fact, he would gave been entirely justified in calling the cops on you.

I suppose you would be right, if his body language and posture was non-threatening. It's difficult to convey that in a textual format, of course, but this wasn't some kid who would've taken off at the first sign he'd been made. When I called him on his activity, he became defiant and emboldened. He was also a great deal bigger than me. Me and my COPD-having ass wasn't going to get into a tussle with some guy who was mad that I interrupted him while he was casing my car.

A legitimate response would be: Are you interested in my car? See what the guy says. Most of the time the guy will bugger off and it will make him aware you are suspicious of his intentions in a public place. It'll also give you time to get the dog food off your shoulder.

Did you catch this part?

I walked by the car, because i'd honestly forgetten I'd parked there; I thought I'd parked further away. I stopped when I saw him, backed up, and asked if he was okay. He said, "Uh, yeah, just getting ready to leave," and he jingled a set of keys at me. Pretty clever. Most people would've just shrugged, and walked away.

I said, "Oh. You might need these, though." I jingled my own set of keys.

I was being pretty non-confrontational at that point.

 

[jahwarrior72]

Granted i have never been in a situation like this thank God, and i have only had my carry permit for less then a year. My take on this is it goes against everything i was taught in my class. There is no car that is worth a gun fight to me or any other object for that matter. No if my kids were in the car, differnt story but that was not the case. What would have been wrong with watching from a distance and calling the cops?

1. Concealed carry "classes", in my opinion, are mostly a waste of time and money, and are just insisted upon by the state as another means to make money from something that should be a right. My apologies to any instructors here, but your job is a waste. Also, by your own admission, you've only been carrying a gun for less than a year, and I have no idea of how many of these situations you've been in, or have been victimized, but it probably hasn't been many.

2. Property is property. Is a car worth a life? That's up to a thief to decide. Is a TV worth a life? That's up to a home invader to decide. When someone acts in an unlawful manner, and gets shot, it was their decision to get shot.

3. Most importantly, it wasn't my car, but my mother-in-law's. She trusted me with her car. I'd rather not have to return it to her with a broken driver's side window. I'd never hear the end of it.

 

[B2Tall]

I've had two other incidents in the past few years where a gun was brought into play, and both of those times I contacted police.

Wow. Sounds like you have really bad luck.

The first time, my gun was confiscated for nearly an hour, and I was told that if I chose to press charges against the guy that attempted to attack me while I was sitting in my own van with my kids, he would likely charge me with harassment.

And what part of the story are you forgetting to tell us?? Why would the guy who "attacked" you bring harassment charges against you?? You didn't provoke him, did you??

In the second, I was walking my dog in my neighborhood, wehn some kid made a weak robery attempt. When I called 911, they instructed me to go home, and disarm before the police got there. Where the hell is the sense in that?

You felt the need to draw your pistol during a "weak robbery attempt"?? What is that anyway.....did the kid ask you for a dollar?? I'm seeing a pattern here.

No, I don't call the cops anymore. Their job is to investigate crimes after the fact, and to draw chalk outlines. You know, when they're not harassing armed citizens.

Hard for them to investigate crimes when the so-called "victim" won't let them know about it. Seems to me the 2 common denominators here are you and questionable incidents involving guns.