Presenting situation

[Chuckiebob]

Hi Guys, looking for some advise here.
What should you do after the following situation? Say two guys walk up to you and start harassing you and then decide to ask for your wallet. If you flash your gun or draw it and then they run off, should it be reported to the Police? Or would you just leave the area and go about your business?
Thanks

 

[forrestinmathews]

I like the idea of leaving and going about my business. I don't like the idea of getting caught up in questions by police that may lead me to be further delayed or detained. Of course they could run to the police station first and saying they were ASKing you a question or for directions and that you tried to rob them since you pulled a gun.

Most satisfying action: Draw an expandable baton and beat the daylights out of them both, duct tape them together, and then walk away. No that's definitely not legal.

 

[Ranger514]

"Ask" if different than "Demand." If they ask, you say NO, and tell them to leave you alone. If they demand and threaten you with bodily harm, it's a different scenario. There is nothing wrong with advising a person that you are armed and will protect yourself if attacked. I would caution you to never display a firearm unless you had cause to believe you needed to protect yourself or others from an imminent threat of serious bodily injury or death. Just my opinion, but in either case, I would report the incident to the Police to protect myself against false assault charges, and help prevent others from becoming victims.

 

[arjay]

They aren't going to report you,but if you report them you may stop them from robbing someone else.

 

[Smoke]

Kind of a grey area, I was taught never to draw unless I could articulate a specific reason why I had done so. For example there were two of them and one of me (disparity of force) and they attempted to rob me which lead me to believe that they intended to inflict serious bodily harm if not kill me in the process or could have possibly found and taken my firearm. Because of that I drew my firearm to defend myself at which time they ran off.

IMO it’s always best to call the police because no matter what they do you have no way of knowing who else saw the interaction and whether or not they might have called the police

 

[cbr600f3]

There is nothing wrong with advising a person that you are armed and will protect yourself if attacked.

I do not believe you will find this true if you draw your weapon and use it. Prosecutors will certainly use it against you.
If i were presented with this situation i would decline and try to back away without turning my back, if they then come towards me and persist to have my wallet i would toss it to them while still backing away, if they continue towards me after giving up the wallet then i will be in fear for my safety and "ready" to draw. When all is said and done then call cops and report it (even if they did not take the wallet). I'm sure the contents of said wallet will be less a loss then the cost to defend the fact you shot someone. In any case no wallet is worth pulling a gun and dealing with legal ramifications over.

 

[Old cop]

I've seen this before. Always call the cops and report the incident. Remember the bad guys could report it first and claim you brandished for no reason. When the police ask you what happened (if they find you) your story will sound very weak when they ask why you did not report it first.

 

[P&R Fan]

If they "ask" for my wallet I would politely decline. If they persisted I would probably try to run. (Not because I'm afraid, but because that would be the smart, and legally most attractive option). If that didn't work I would ask them if they REALLY want to try to mess with a determined guy who is carrying a gun. If all else failed, and I thought I was going to be killed or seriously injured, I would produce my weapon.
After they had a "come to Jesus" moment and ran away, I would IMMEDIATELY call the police.
The first guy to do so is the good guy. There have been many examples where the bad guy called the cops, turning the good guy into the aggressor. You don't want that to happen.

A few years ago I caught a guy trying to break into my house. I was carrying my M696 into the house at that time. I never even pointed it at him, and he suddenly wanted to be someplace else. Problem solved. I called the police immediately, told them what happened and that I had a gun.
Everything worked out just fine.
Jim

 

[Ranger514]

In a scenario such as this, speak loudly, so that anyone within listening range can later witness on your behalf. Use commands such as "NO" "Get Back!" or "Leave me alone!" to attract attention. As another member posted, move back from the threat, create distance, and safely remove yourself if possible.

I'd also say if you don't have your hand on your gun in a situation such as this, you've placed yourself behind the reactionary gap in the event of an attack. A wallet isn't irreplacable, but your life is. Just because you give up your wallet doesn't necessarily end the threat.

 

[The Big D]

Robbery

In the situation presented by the OP the scenario is, in fact, "Attempted Robbery." Regardless of the outcome, you must (if you're a responsible citizen) report it to the police.

Now, I have been the victim of two (2) attempts. In the first, I was using a pay phone in the lobby of the World Trade Center circa 1990 when a subject approached and said "give me all your money." The circumstances were not at all threatening (no obvious weapon and dude looked whacky) so I told my office to hold on for a second and then told the "robber" that I saw another person with lots of money and he should go rob him instead. Pointed to my coworker and the "robber" said thanks. (I am not making this up. ) Soon thereafter my friend had the bad guy on the floor in cuffs and he was handed off to the Port Authority cops. I truly doubt there was any prosecution.

Second, I was in a liquor store (the kind where everything including the cashier is behind glass) in Hotlanta when I was appoached by a "local" who likewise told me he wanted my money. I literally booted his sorry arse outta the store and told him if I ever saw him again he was getting locked up. The other customers were laughing aloud and said most of his other "victims" simply tell him no.

Be safe.

 

[venomballistics]

Hi Guys, looking for some advise here.
What should you do after the following situation? Say two guys walk up to you and start harassing you and then decide to ask for your wallet. If you flash your gun or draw it and then they run off, should it be reported to the Police? Or would you just leave the area and go about your business?
Thanks

the law varies from state to state, I'm sure. Here, however, we are required to report shots fired.
unless we had an ND upon drawing the ccw, its optional, though recommended.
Most officers would rather finish the shift sweeping a thug off the street than they would issuing parking tickets. It just helps their popularity
Be a good witness

 

[Smoke]

" There is nothing wrong with advising a person that you are armed and will protect yourself if attacked.

In Colorado if you are not justified in using deadly force, you can not threaten deadly force.

 

[Chuckiebob]

Thanks guys, a lot to think about here. I hope to never be in this situation, but I wanted to at least be smart about it.

 

[Murdock]

The issue of when to present your weapon is always fluid, as alluded to above.

Always remember that as soon as the threat(s) are made aware that you have a gun, whether it's in your hand or not, you then have to be concerned with protecting the gun.

 

[jlrhiner]

Take their wallets and ID's and turn them over to the police with your report. That'll break 'em from sucking eggs.

 

[steelslaver]

Being 6'4" and a pretty solid 260 and a face described as "having a lot of character" I don't worry about it to much. I don't look like prey. #1 is avoid being "prey". But, as I do carry I have thought about the situations that would necessitate deadly force. Another part is people judgement. At one time in my youth I was a part time bouncer. Some people are show and some are go. Most people have some experience with this. Use it to make a decision which they are. Error in your favor.

I would not tell them I had a gun. Why give up information. I would try to verbally defuse the situation and make an effort to retreat, if possible to a better defensive position, try to keep out of reach and establish at least a 10' separation. I would put my right hand by or in my pocket with 44 Bulldog. Making loud statements would be good if there was a chance others might be there. It may cause them to drop it because they would have concerns about witnesses and some one calling the police. It should also help bolster your legal defense in the event that the situation escalated. If they kept following me as I backed away say OK OK and toss my wallet slightly to the side with my left hand. (not worth it for a couple hundred at most.) When they went for that I would draw my weapon. They had better stand still or turn around and run pretty fast because even with a 10' separation you would not have very much time to make a shoot decision before they could have control of your weapon and/or you if they mad an aggressive move toward you. Once their hands could reach near my weapon I would fire.

I believe in the policy that you should try to stay out of reach of the intended deceased. In a situation with more separation drawing your weapon and saying halt or I'll shoot would be my course of action unless they already had a gun out. Aggressive approach with a knife out would be around 15' before I made my move.

Best move is try to avoid "situations". Living in Montana helps. Traveling out of state to work don't. But, even then try to know the area and gather information about it. Be smart and aware. When you walk around or pull into a gas station or store look around. I hope to live out the rest of my life without ever needing to use a weapon against another human again.

 

[Der Biermeister]

Good discussion, especially the reply from SteelSlaver.

I'd like to point out however that this is exactly the kind of topic discussion that I was excoriated for in starting the "Hypothetical" threads.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

I'd like to point out however that this is exactly the kind of topic discussion that I was heavily criticized for in starting the "Hypothetical" threads.

Maybe, maybe not. It seems to me that at least one of your threads, the one I followed, hypothesized a choice of whether or not to shoot an apparent LEO, based on a scenario which was most likely impossible, and has not even been approximated very often. This thread, however, asks whether to call the police after a decidedly "humanitarian" no-shoot decision involving a clearly guilty party or parties.

In my view, it is not only not "exactly the kind of topic discussion," it is not even close.

However, maybe we are not talking about the same thread. Perhaps you were criticized for others of which I was not aware.

 

[Murdock]

Hi Guys, looking for some advise here.
What should you do after the following situation? Say two guys walk up to you and start harassing you and then decide to ask for your wallet.

Look around immediately for the third guy, who will be coming up from the side or behind you. My bad: Should have made this comment earlier in the thread.

 

[sac-gunslinger]

As I was reading this thread a thought came to me. If you are in an area haunted also by bad guys, would it help to have a throw-away wallet? Fake credit cards, some play money, and such? That would mean having the real goods stowed safely elsewhere on your person.

Back in the 90's I worked for a company that did research work in Russia. Our folks were warned about the savagery of the Russian mobsters committing robberies. One lady of rather prodigious proportions used to carry her passport and ID tucked well inside her bra. No, I never asked for a demonstration.