Have You Had To Use Your Carry Gun?

I've never had to pull a handgun on somebody since I got my Ohio CHL.

Back in the '80s, while driving back to Ft. Knox from Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, MO, in the middle of the night, a guy tried to run a friend and me off of the interstate. I pointed my friend's HK93 at him and he took off fast enough to have probably damaged the engine in his little Datsun. Given the location and the time period, there's a non-zero chance that it was serial killer and child rapist/murderer Alton Coleman. At that time, cell phones were only a fantasy for most people.
 
POSTS 24 & 25

Just the sight of a gun scared them away. This MAY be true SOMETIMES, or it MAY precipitate the attack, DO YOU FEEL LUCKY? In a case where the BG is roid raging/ whacked out on drugs/ drunk/ mentally imbalanced/ irate beyond reason, or any combination, they won't be thinking sanely/ rationally/ or care about the consequences. Believing the sight of a gun is going to save you could get you killed. Then there is the legal aspects of brandishing/ assault which you can do time & lot's of $ even if 100% in the right if it is a he said/ he said or they said/ you said situation. Often whoever calls 911 first wins. A tip I heard was to take out your phone dial 911 & put it down, there will be a record
of the events. Provided you have the time to pull your phone before your gun, the recording will be live as it happens & the police aware before stuff goes down rather than after. Don't forget to give your location & description of the perps/events if able. Even if you lose, there are better odds of the popo finding who killed you. Tip #2 activate the car alarm on your key chain (if you have one), this may be scare away an attacker more than the sight of the gun, or distract them while you draw/shoot.
 
I lived in Colorado when the state law was that one was legal to carry concealed IF one was traveling from one town to another. I worked in Denver and drove thru Brighton to get home, so I carried concealed. Thank goodness I did. I was confronted at a 7-11 near Brighton by two Mexicans that took umbrage at me driving a Cadillac with California plates. I pulled my Colt Govt. Model and told them to "beat feet or die". They left promptly leaving their tire iron and a set of brass knuckles. Which I still have today. :-) There is more to this story and I have told it before on this Forum.

I was confronted in my own construction office by three thugs after quitting time and after everyone else had left. When they came in I sat down at my desk and placed my hand on my S&W Model 10 2" that I kept in the office in a desk drawer. When they made their demands, I pulled out my handgun and told them to leave NOW. They did so in such haste that one knocked another down and ran over the top of him. I promptly called the PD. The responding officer took the report and told me that I made one mistake........That I should have just shot all three of them. I told him that I would have had to shoot two of them in the back. He said, "We could take care of that." ..... :-) Turned out that they were carnival workers and were making extra spending money by shaking down business people right at quitting time. ...........

Later in life as a LEO, I drew many times in various situations.....never had to shoot anyone. ..........
 
ONE SIDE OF THE STORY.

I'm happy for all those that the mere sight of a gun scared the BG away. Unfortunately for many of those that the gun did NOT scare the BG's away, they are no longer here to talk about it. I've brandished (a gun) twice, both times the BG fled, 1 after I told him not to move. 1 time no harm/ no foul. The 2nd I got charged, a they said/ I said. In court it's about what can be proven & how the jury is swayed to vote, not what the facts may have been.
 
A friend of mine and his wife were leaving one of the theaters in Seattle late one night and walking to the parking garage where they'd left their car. Two youts saw them walking and crossed the street to cut them off, he said he was 100% sure they intended to rob them. They were completely isolated and had nowhere to go, so he pressed his wife against the brick wall with his left hand and reached under his coat for his gun with his right. The youts saw this and changed direction in the middle of the road, telling him, "There's no problem man..."

The kicker was he wasn't armed at all. He went down the next day to apply for his CPL. He figured he got lucky with the bluff, and the next time he might not have as much advance warning.
 
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I drew my sidearm once way back in the mid 80s, and in hindsight realized it was probably inappropriate.

I had just gotten to Charleston SC and was flying C-141s out of CAFB. My wife hadn't arrived yet so I went to one of the malls one Saturday afternoon just to kill some time. After about a half hour I noticed this short disheveled guy in my periphery- never in my line of sight but always just left or right. If I looked at him he'd avoid me. Suddenly he started walking up to me and whispering something as he passed, but I couldn't hear what he said. This happened three times- he'd come out of my periphery, say something I couldn't hear, and then slink away.

Well, three strikes and I was out of there. I waited until he was walking away and abruptly changed directions and made for the exit. As I got into my car I spotted him slinking up between the cars straight towards me. BTW, it was a convertible Triumph with the top down (what was I thinking?) I reached under the seat and pulled out my AMT Longslide Hardballer just as he got to the drivers door.

You'll have to fill in the blanks now. This time, audibly, he said, "I got a big ____, you want to ____ it?" The Hardballer was already coming up to the window and it was too late to stop it, so as it leveled to an aimpoint between his eyes (and I'll never know from where it came) I said, "Yeah? So do I!"

The look on his face was priceless. That giant hole at the end of the polished stainless steel (long)slide had his total attention, and he almost tripped himself running away. I never called the cops because there wasn't really a threat (to my safety or heterosexuality) and carrying under the seat was illegal; loaded in the glove box was legal, but the AMT didn't fit.

It's not a story I tell often for the one obvious reason, but also because as I said, drawing a firearm in such a situation was inappropriate. In my defense, I was sure it was a druggie about to rob me right up until he said what he said, and by then the wheels were already in motion.
 
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Many years ago, right after we'd purchased our first house, I ran out to pick up some milk for the baby in the early afternoon. I did NOT take my off duty gun. Two cars were drag racing, coming right at me. I blew the horn and pulled to the shoulder at which point both cars turned around, came after me and boxed me in. When three "tough" guys came up on me I told them I was a cop and reached under my shirt. They decided to leave quickly, I was lucky and it was the LAST time I went out w/o a gun. About a week later I found all four of my tires flat in the driveway . . . wonder who did that?
 
I am a Certified Pistol Instructor through the NRA, teach the concealed carry class in Ohio and I am an attorney. When the incident occurred in my original post, I knew I was on solid ground as to the real facts. I also knew the other party was going to lie. If I had gotten a police officer with an agenda, it could have gone very bad fro me.
 
No, thank goodness, but your story reminded me of how important it is not to escalate a road rage situation, and especially so if you're an armed CCer.

I once had a woman flip out on me for giving her a friendly honk when she sat at a green light while the rest of traffic was moving. I went to great lengths to avoid antagonizing her further, but for reasons unknown, she became more and more irate as we drove on; her body language indicated as much.

When we reached another intersection, she pulled right up along side of me and began screaming things I can't repeat here, all the while holding up traffic behind her. Without even thinking about it, I pulled out my cell phone and began dialing 9-1-1 at which point she let fly some more choice epithets followed by "YOU'RE GONNA CALL THE COPS ON ME?!" before she sped off in a huff with tires chirping. Mind you, I never once looked at her or even exchanged words with her. Some people just try to create a conflict where none exists, not much unlike your scenario.
 
Thank heaven, I've never been forced to draw my gun, much less fire it at someone. So far so good. But on two or three occasions, slipping my hand into the pocket where the J-frame rides, without saying a word, has made someone reconsider a rash action.
 
shouldazagged said:
Thank heaven, I've never been forced to draw my gun, much less fire it at someone. So far so good. But on two or three occasions, slipping my hand into the pocket where the J-frame rides, without saying a word, has made someone reconsider a rash action.
Click to expand...


I posted the following in a thread a couple of years back

I was out walking my dog tonight. I was approaching a T intersection, I notice a young guy on foot turning the corner at the intersection. He looks up at me and cuts straight across the street headed directly at me. I can't tell you why but the hair on the back of my neck went straight up.

I'm wearing a jacket I have my gun in my right hand in the pocket. I turn to face the guy and pull my hand to the edge of the pocket so the back of my hand is showing but no part of my gun is visible or even printing in the pocket.

The guy looks at me turns 90 degrees to his left, walks back over to his side of the street and walks away.

Like I said, could have been something, could have been nothing
 
Not my current carry gun.

I honestly do not know how many times I have found it necessary to draw a weapon or to arm myself. Some were mundane, like a threatening possum or a bear trying to eat my dog. Others less so.

Was about 20 years ago I first had to draw on a man. I remember everything going slow, lining the front sight up and that I was starting to squeeze the trigger as the guy ran across my living room right at me. He stopped like he had hit a wall, turned white, and put his hands up.

When I lived in ghetto later, I had many adventures.

I do not remember ever calling the police save for the bear incident.
 
Smoke said:
I posted the following in a thread a couple of years back

I was out walking my dog tonight. I was approaching a T intersection, I notice a young guy on foot turning the corner at the intersection. He looks up at me and cuts straight across the street headed directly at me. I can't tell you why but the hair on the back of my neck went straight up.

I'm wearing a jacket I have my gun in my right hand in the pocket. I turn to face the guy and pull my hand to the edge of the pocket so the back of my hand is showing but no part of my gun is visible or even printing in the pocket.

The guy looks at me turns 90 degrees to his left, walks back over to his side of the street and walks away.

Like I said, could have been something, could have been nothing
Click to expand...

Oh, it was DEFINITELLY something! You just stopped it before it could fully develop. Nice goin ;)
 
That could have turned really ugly for you.

Notice how the guy is a total **** but he tried to make you out like the nut.

You could have been charged and convicted.

Notice how nothing will happen to him and is life will be fine---but he could have RUINED yours.

You are lucky the police believed you or at least did not choose to just "let the courts handle it"
 
I remember working in Las Vegas. I was in a rental car. No gun as I flew up there. I was parked in an empty hotel lot talking on my cell phone when I noticed a kid in his early 20s walking with a heavy jacket. I thought that odd being that the temperature was around 80 degrees. I lost sight of him when he suddenly appeared in my driver side window which was down. He kept posturing as if he were going to pull a gun. I yelled at him as loud as I could to get the "bleep" away from my window. He kept shuffling for something inside his jacket. I had to yell two more times before he left. The hair on my neck was tingling. I new he was there to do me harm. I'm just glad that raising my voice and use of harsh language scared him off. It scared the heck out of me.
 
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My DUTY gun, pulled and pointed many, many times, but only in a firing situation once to put down a wounded spike buck. My old EDC, the 3913, once at 0200 hours when approached by resident of the local shelter who wanted to get "up close and personal," while I was with my disabled wife and a neighbor when my truck broke down near the shelter. My 9c, so far (fingers crossed) not yet.
 
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In a mall parking lot around 35 years ago this month in a open carry state. A guy with a knife came at me from between two parked cars. I dropped the Christmas packages and stayed between him and my family. Left hand and thumb got cut up some. I saw the front sight against his t-shirt and heard two pops. Whole thing was seen by two mounted police officers and two unarmed security officers in a golf cart. The police took my Taurus 66 while the paramedics patched up my hand and gave it back before turning me loose. My wife drove back to the post and took me straight to the Army hospital. It was three weeks before I could get back on a tank, well, before I DID get back on a tank.

The only nightmares involve it happening and my hand not finding a gun.
 
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Almost. Today.
I was meeting a carpet cleaning company to have some work done at a condo my wife an I own. We moved out because of the punk/thug that lives with his mother in the unit above ours. We had to have the police out 9 times over the course of 18 months because of him. He's in his 30's, no job, etc. You get the picture.
Wife was concerned that I might eventually get into a physical altercation with him, and she didn't want me going to jail.
As I turned the corner onto our street I could see the carpet cleaners truck sitting in front of the door to the building, and the upstairs guys vehicle was next to it - driverside door to driverside door and they were talking. He was blocking the thruway and preventing me from geting to a parking space. Later I found out that the knucklehead was telling him that he couldn't park there. With the hoses and things that he needed to pull in from his truck this was the ONLY place for him to access the building and there was NO REASON he couldn't park there. I blew my horn once, letting him know I was there and needed to get by. He waited a bit more and then VERY SLOWLY moved his vehicle and parked. I parked three spaces over from him and got out of my car. He exited his car and was about 20 feet to my left when he says - "were you blowing at me?" I just looked at him and kept going. He then starts spouting off a profanity laced tirade about me, my car, and what he would do to me. I told him he needed to shut up. To which he responded, "Yeah, well I notice you didn't stop walking, good cause I'll blah blah blah".

By now I had turned the corner from being behind the cleaners truck and am beside it...and the carpet cleaning guy is right there. I handed him my cup of coffee and asked him to hold it. Then I turned to face this dude head on with my hands empty. He screeches to a halt about 10 feet from me and I'm looking at him with my "You've been talking trash...show me what you got' look. Then he slowly moved his right hand inside the left side of his jacket...seeing this I took a firm grip on my glock 23 that I was carrying at 4:00. Without drawing back his hand at all he says "I'll take this Dessert Eagle and shove it up your ___". By now I had already made the decision that if that hand moves an inch it's draw, drop elbow and shoot while pushing out. Some might say that I would have been justified in shooting just based on the threat made and the movement of the hand as though drawing a gun. You might be right. But when he said "Dessert Eagle" I think something in my brain said he is bluffing because he could not have concealed that gun as he was dressed without it being obvious. At this point he began mouthing off again, while moving toward the front door. I don't recall if he removed his hand from the jacket or not (that's a little fuzzy in my memory) but I definitelly didn't take my hand off the glock until he was inside the door and it had close shut.
I called the police who dispatched two cars, and while waiting for them I got the carpet guy inside and working, all the while keeping the door to their unit and the stairway in my peripheral vision. When the police arrived they were told he wasn't home, and in spite of his car being parked there and being offered the opportunity to search the unit, they did not.
After the sister drove off in his car, the police left, and I went back inside to pay the carpet cleaner, I came out to find that "someone" had egged the front windshield of my car! I took pictures and headed to the police department to file an incident report. I want EVERYTHING on record.
My friend, a county sheriff, told me that if it were him he would have closed the distance, told this thug he was tired of the threats and harassement...and whipped his butt right there. I told him that very thought has crossed my mind but I don't want anyone to be able to say that I escallated the situation. Next time though, all bets are off.
We hear people talk about the adrenalin dump that occurs at moments like this. It took about 3 hours for it to disipate, and even typing this now I feel a little amped up.
 
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I shot a few people at work. The closest I ever came to off duty was when I've had people follow me for a long distance. I had one guy follow me about 10 miles, all the way to my home. I had my gun in my lap but the guy went on down the road(?)
 
JUST REALIZE

Once you draw, the tables could be turned and you seen as the aggressor & them as the ones in fear of their life and protecting themselves. Bad things happen to good people all the time. People are behind bars right now or out big $ in legal fees that thought they were defending themselves. I was one. My advice, if given the chance, forget your manhood & run away.
 
Duty carry, yes. US Army MP, the First Gulf War (Operation Desert Shield/Storm), Bosnia (Operation Joint Endeavor, IFOR/SFOR) and Operation Iraqi Freedom. In my civilian carrier, as one of three perimeter units, pulling shotguns to prevent a full out riot/gang war.
 
hangnoose said:
Once you draw, the tables could be turned and you seen as the aggressor & them as the ones in fear of their life and protecting themselves. Bad things happen to good people all the time. People are behind bars right now or out big $ in legal fees that thought they were defending themselves. I was one. My advice, if given the chance, forget your manhood & run away.
Click to expand...

I undersatand what you're saying and have essentially done that for about 3 years now. Problem is, my doing so has emboldened him to think that it's done out of fear of him rather that trying to avoid the potential consequences of seriously beating him or taking his life, and each encounter is an escalation of the last. That can only go so far, and I think we're about there now. Fortunatelly, he came to his senses (what little sense he has) and walked away, but I doubt the law would have faulted me for shooting when he openly threatened me and then reached inside his jacket as if to draw - all in front of at least one witness.
 
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DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO P.0.

Staying alive is job 1. A report of your situation to the police just to get things on record & a possible restraining order may help. If it is a work related bullying type thing, a report to H.R., having your side of the story told BEFORE anything real serious happens, couldn't hurt. Just because someone is a witness to something does not mean they will say it, or the true version of how it really happened in court. Good luck with your situation, & MERRY CHRISTMAS.
 
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