So you're walking through the mall parking lot...

[Unearthed]

And someone comes out from behind a column with a handgun in his/her hand pointing it at you. They tell you to hand over your wallet. Your wallet/money clip is in its normal pocket and you are carrying your normal carry weapon in its normal place.

What's your move?

 

[Red Hat]

Probably take my wallet out of my pocket and throw it to the BG missing him/her on purpose. Hopefully he/she will be distracted long enough so that I can make my move. If he/she is really jumpy and looking around a lot I probably would just draw my weapon since he/she is expecting me to reach in my pocket to retrieve my wallet. I can see a lot of scenarios with this one.

 

[Memphis]

Probably take my wallet out of my pocket and throw it to the BG missing him/her on purpose. Hopefully he/she will be distracted long enough so that I can make my move. If he/she is really jumpy and looking around a lot I probably would just draw my weapon since he/she is expecting me to reach in my pocket to retrieve my wallet. I can see a lot of scenarios with this one.

Not much else you could do. I carry my wallet in the front pocket so if I have oppurtunity I'll try and make my 4 O'clock pull look like a wallet pull. If I'm walking the dog in my smart carry I'd say I keep a c-note in my band (and hope he falls for it).

Either way I'll prolly get shot first if the BG wants to but, I'm going to pull the trigger on my weapon until it goes "click" and hope for the best.

I'd be feeling REAL stupid for not seeing him in the first place, though I don't think I'd wind up in that situation because I pay attention.

 

[Brainchild]

Nobody really knows...

what they would do in that situation unless it happens,myself included.What I THINK I MIGHT do is act scared(which wouldn't really be acting) and either act like I'm reaching for my wallet and get my gun instead,or get my wallet and throw it past him accidentally on purpose and if he turns around,get my gun as fast as I could and hopefully end the encouter with me still standing and instact and him lying on the ground bleeding out.

 

[Glock Fan]

Most courses I've been through would suggest that you toss the wallet/money clip at the BG where it will be difficult to catch. While the BG is going for the cash, you'll have ample time to make your escape. Drawing down on a guy who already has a gun on you is a very tricky situation and will usually end up in YOU getting shot if you try and draw down on the BG. Money, the money clip, ID, wallet, etc. can be more easily replaced than your life, use of your arms and legs, a kidney, etc. Hopefully we're all diligent out there an have a good sense of "situational awareness", and we see the situation before it gets to the point where we're actually at "gun point".

I'll do my best to get away and call the local authorities, but once the BG starts shooting at me, I'm taking cover and all bets are off. I'm shooting back, and he's going down!



gf

 

[Austin]

Well...

I am probably not going to win any friends with this post, and I am aware of this.

If a tango has you dead-to-rights it is usually best to just go ahead and give him the money. I would rather not risk being shot or having my wife shot (as she is usually with me) because I wanted to play John Wayne or Dirty Harry.

And before I get called a yuppie or anything else, I do carry every time I leave the house. And have done so for well over 10 years.

-Austin

P.S. Glock Fan is right on the money with his post.

 

[Memphis]

I don't think you're a yuppie at all. I may do the same thing depending on the sitution when I'm in it but, when a guy in my town got shot in the face by 2 teenagers just becuase they can't drive his stick shift that they tried to jack, I decided I need to face taking a bullet if I feel it's gonna happen anyway.

I'm pretty good at reading people and I assume the worst and I can only hope I'll recognize my options in the split second I have any.

 

[ecocks]

A suggestion

to those of you who think about throwing the wallet off to the side or dropping. You might want to consider an alternative tactic. Carry a few small bills loose in your hip pocket and just let them fall away from the wallet or hand him a loose wad of cash to sort through as a distraction. I sort of wince when I think that dropping the wallet or tossing it to the side may just set him off while the gun is still pointed in my direction. On a different note, if the guy is masked, I may decide, based on his mannerisms, whether he is more or less likely to shoot. If he's unmasked, I'm thinking I would be a bit more worried as to whether he intends to leave any witnesses for identification.

 

[Glock Fan]

Handing the BG a loose wad of cash would put me within arms reach, and at higher risk. You have a valid point about setting the BG off, but in most cases, they're more concerned about getting the cash. If they intend to harm you, they're gonna do it anyway. Wad of loose bills or otherwise. I personally would like to stay as far away from the BG as possible. As distance increases, chance of an accurate shot decreases. Perps statistacally are very bad shots. Watch any "gangsta" movie and you'll see the funky ways that the BG commonly shoot. I've actually witnessed this in a several surveillance videos after a crime has occurred. They must have a school that teaches the BG that holding the firearm sideways or upside down (Jonn Woo method) will make your gun toting more effective.

I'll stick to my original plan and toss the money clip/wallet in the general direction of the BG and high tail it outta there A.S.A.P.

Again, if the BG starts shooting, I'm taking cover and shooting back. All bets are off. I'll do my best to see that the BG is neutralized!



gf

 

[Red Hat]

Like I said above, I can see a lot of scenarios with this one. Everything would depend on the situation. I guarantee that the whole time I'll be looking for a chance to get my weapon out. I won't give him my money then wait to see if he was going to shoot me or not. The way I look at it is I have a 50/50 chance of getting shot and I'd rather not take that chance.

 

[Scarecrow]

hmm.. of course you can run the play in your head a million times, but chances are it will be nothing like that. I'd probably try to get my hand on my gun any way I can.. I keep my wallet in my front left pocket. I'd probably throw it in a way so he would have to move to get it and hopefully look away from me for a split second. it all depends on how close he is to me also. if he is close enough I think I could make a move and break his arm befor ehe knew it.. of course like I said it can be done in your head a million times, but in reality... never know until it happens

 

[ecocks]

Actually,

I don't think most armed robberies/muggings take place at 5 yards distance. The BG is usually already up close and personal. But, of course if he steps out from behind a pillar 20 yards away he would expect the wallet to be thrown so I'm probably throwing the wallet and then considering whether my life is in imminent danger or whether I have adequate cover.

 

[The Gunny]

This type of scenario is the reason I am thinking of packing a light weight 38 snub in my back pocket. If I am facing him I will appear to be doing just what he wants me to do. Not sure who would take the bullet first though I am pretty sure I will get off my shot. Now do I have the cajones to do it like that when the time comes? Well I hope not to have to find out but I do know I have the will to use my firearm if I feel there is a need to.

I think my choice to draw or not will largely be based on my impression of him. If he is wearing a mask I may hand over the wallet and live to fight another day. If he is unmasked and jumpy or dead calm well then to my way of thinking I am already dead unless I can shoot first.

 

[PascalFleischman]

And someone comes out from behind a column with a handgun in his/her hand pointing it at you. They tell you to hand over your wallet. Your wallet/money clip is in its normal pocket and you are carrying your normal carry weapon in its normal place.

What's your move?

If available, duck for cover behind an ENGINE BLOCK (see www.theboxotruth.com and click on the Buick o' Truth for reasons why), and draw. If nothing's available, toss my wallet to him, draw, & Double Tap.

 

[RMcLeod21]

Ok, here's a twist...what if you throw your loot and the BG, still having his weapon on you, tells you to go retrieve it and HAND it to him (or her)?? Then what?

 

[Glock Fan]

Ok, here's a twist...what if you throw your loot and the BG, still having his weapon on you, tells you to go retrieve it and HAND it to him (or her)?? Then what?

First time I heard of such a scenario, but in any case, the parameters of the encounter just changed. The BG will be giving me a reason to move, in which case I would take the opportunity to draw down while taking cover. At this point the BG won't be worried about "the loot" anymore, because the BG will be lying on the ground with several extra holes.


gf

 

[Unearthed]

I thougth about this thread as I walked through the mall parking lot tonight. I kept my hand on my P32 in my front pocket lol.

 

[shooter57]

It's a lot harder to shoot someone over your wallet if their that close and the wife and kids are next to you.

 

[boilermaker449]

Real life story of same situation at the mall (Indy)

This happened to my brother in law last month. Bad thing was he was not a concealed carry person. He also had his wife and 5 year old with him. What do you do??? He told me that it was the worst feeling of his life to be there setting completely helpless and no way to defend his family or himself. He finally talked the guy down but he was lucky... very lucky. I told him that he needs to find the time to get a CCW and start carrying. You never know.

 

[Glock Fan]

It's sad that your brother in law had to learn the hard way. I'm surprised he decided to talk the BG down. If my family was with me, and the guy had a gun, my first response would be "here you go", please leave my family alone. I wouldn't risk aggravating the BG any more then he probably already is. Safety of my family is far more important than a couple hundred dollars and a few credit cards.



gf