Odd Encounter on the Subway With Man WHo Was (Accidentally) Open Carrying

[White1]

Tonight on my way home from work, I was on the first car of a subway train in a jurisdiction where concealed carry with a license is OK, but open carry will get you arrested. It was a little before nine at night. The subway goes through a bad neighborhood, but I've ridden it often and regard it as more-or-less safe.

Toward the back of the car was a guy who stood out: white, clean cut, in his mid-20s, wearing tan BDU pants, a civilian backpack, desert boots, and an untucked, civilian shirt. The man was constantly talking into a two-way radio. And, oh yeah, his OWB holster was screamingly visible because the backpack caused his shirt to ride up.

I could not figure out at first whether this fellow was some sort of plain-clothes LEO or a civilian with peculiar habits. After watching him for a while (which he didn't notice), I was pretty satisfied that, whoever he was, the man had no bad intentions. Eventually, when we got off at the same stop, I discreetly told him that his shirt was untucked. He fixed his shirt, thanked me, told me that he worked for the government agency that runs the subway, and we went our separate ways. The man was pleasant and seemed a little embarrassed.

I suspect that the guy really was (a rather inept) plain-clothes LEO, but it was still a very strange encounter. Any thoughts?

 

[NavyLCDR]

Hard to make any relevent comment at all when we don't know what laws apply because we don't know what state it happened in. In regards to your statement, "concealed carry with a license is OK, but open carry will get you arrested", I don't care what people say I will get arrested for. I concern myself with what the law says, and what lawful behavior is most beneficial to my family's safety and security.

 

[K7lvo]

With the situational awareness he was displaying, I hope the "bad neighborhood" stays outside the train...

 

[apvbguy]

Tonight on my way home from work, I was on the first car of a subway train in a jurisdiction where concealed carry with a license is OK, but open carry will get you arrested. It was a little before nine at night. The subway goes through a bad neighborhood, but I've ridden it often and regard it as more-or-less safe.

Toward the back of the car was a guy who stood out: white, clean cut, in his mid-20s, wearing tan BDU pants, a civilian backpack, desert boots, and an untucked, civilian shirt. The man was constantly talking into a two-way radio. And, oh yeah, his OWB holster was screamingly visible because the backpack caused his shirt to ride up.

I could not figure out at first whether this fellow was some sort of plain-clothes LEO or a civilian with peculiar habits. After watching him for a while (which he didn't notice), I was pretty satisfied that, whoever he was, the man had no bad intentions. Eventually, when we got off at the same stop, I discreetly told him that his shirt was untucked. He fixed his shirt, thanked me, told me that he worked for the government agency that runs the subway, and we went our separate ways. The man was pleasant and seemed a little embarrassed.

I suspect that the guy really was (a rather inept) plain-clothes LEO, but it was still a very strange encounter. Any thoughts?

he sounds like a mall ninja

 

[White1]

Hard to make any relevent comment at all when we don't know what laws apply because we don't know what state it happened in. In regards to your statement, "concealed carry with a license is OK, but open carry will get you arrested", I don't care what people say I will get arrested for. I concern myself with what the law says, and what lawful behavior is most beneficial to my family's safety and security.

The law says that open carry is forbidden. Concealed is ok with a license.

 

[White1]

he sounds like a mall ninja

If he was a mall ninja, then the scary question is, to whom was he talking, underground, on the two-way radio? Either there was a team of mall ninjas on the train, or my armed friend was talking to himself, neither of which gives me great comfort. So, I want to believe the guy was just an LEO with poor situational awareness.

 

[jcreek]

he sounds like a mall ninja

Exactly. With dissociative personality disorder. It wouldn't surprise me if there was nobody on the other end of that radio.