almost HAD TO USE MY GUN today

[dfinch]

It was 6:47 this morning and I had just arrived to work (accounting), parking as I usually did in the multi floor garage. I am typically one of the first people to arrive so I found it odd that a car pulled in a few spots down from me. Red, two-door coupe with tinted windows. As I stepped out of my car (with my Glock IWB strong-side) I immediately checked my 1,4,8, and 11 o'clock and slowly began to walk towards the building entrance making sure to give direct eye-contact and clear my throat very loud to make sure the shady character in the red sedan knew that I knew that they were there. As the door opened to said sedan, a woman, 5'10 dressed in a pinstripe skirt and white blouse stepped out of her car. The strange detail that upped my alert to orange-red was the fact that she was carrying a messenger bag that was clearly made for a man. As I got closer (she had parked between my car and the entrance) she looked at me and said, "Good morning", to which I held out my hand as to let her know not to approach any closer and said "GOOD MORNING!" politely but loud and firm enough that she knew that I wasn't going to be a victim. Her smile faded and she looked somewhat confused. As I continued to the entrance (about 20 yards from where I park), I could hear her high-heeled footsteps behind me. This made me extremely nervous so I pulled out my cell phone (left side pant pocket) and pretended that I was receiving a phone call, "YES DETECTIVE?" I said loudly, stopped walking and veered to the left without ever dropping my SA until the woman passed me. As she passed, she was looking straight ahead towards the entrance of the building as I never stopped looking right at her intently with my right hand resting slightly on the butt of my Glock 26 holding my breath. After she was about 20 feet ahead (at this point she was walking with urgency), I exhaled a sigh of relief and continued on.
After the entire morning at my desk replaying the encounter over and over again at work, I began to think about the WRONG things I did in that situation:

1) I should have never exited the car before checking my surroundings and waiting for the person in the red car to exit first, making careful detailed notes on description, facial features, and other key distinguishable traits the shady person may have had

2) NEVER should I have let the shady character get into my 6 o'clock. I should have immediately turned around confidently and continued to make contact until said person passed making sure she knew that I was gathering information that I may need for the authorities.

When i got home that evening, I went straight to the garage and practiced my draw and SHOUT techniques as well as my roll, somersault and aim drills and made myself a promise that I would never ever be caught off-guard again.

Thoughts about how I should have handled it?

Cliffs:
-Pull in to work
-Suspicious vehicle and suspect in parking garage
-Suspect ends up behind me (failure on my part)
-I think about it all day long
-Go home and practice roll drills / somersaults

[Blu-Benny]

i'm not entirely sure how to process all of this.

[returnofthemack]

hardcore bro

[TylerDurden]

Rule #1 Never aim at anything you do not intend to shoot.

[Blu-Benny]

Originally Posted by TylerDurden

Rule #1 Never aim at anything you do not intend to shoot.

isn't rule #1 of gun safety always treat your gun as if it were loaded??

it's been 15 years since i took hunter safety and i'm a little fuzzy on which one was rule 1.

[MrFattBill]

Originally Posted by Blu-Benny

i'm not entirely sure how to process all of this.

You and me both.

I get the impression the woman was there to meet someone and he freaked HER out, lol.

Bill

[oly]

Rule #2 If you're an accountant, you're not the Terminator.

[Blu-Benny]

Originally Posted by MrFattBill

You and me both.

I get the impression the woman was there to meet someone and he freaked HER out, lol.

Bill

that's exactly what i was thinking too!!

Originally Posted by oly

Rule #2 If you're an accountant, you're not the Terminator.

[MrFattBill]

Originally Posted by Blu-Benny

i'm not entirely sure how to process all of this.

Today was a good day?

Originally Posted by oly

Rule #2 If you're an accountant, you're not the Terminator.

LMAO

Bill

[returnofthemack]

the really funny thing about this is i was totally buying his story untill it got to the part about practicing drills and summersaults lol

[dfinch]

Originally Posted by oly

Rule #2 If you're an accountant, you're not the Terminator.

I am not 'the Terminator.' I am involved in a dangerous line of work protecting innocent civilians from the wolves of the city and I cannot let my guard slip for even one second.

[Waboman]

Rule #3 - Beware of bathrooms.

[Show spoiler]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs8ayvLzqxY

[Monkey]

Originally Posted by Blu-Benny

i'm not entirely sure how to process all of this.

LOL, same here. All I can think of is some dude freaked out seeing a girl in a parking lot. He may have missed a chance to get laid.

[Blu-Benny]

Originally Posted by returnofthemack

the really funny thing about this is i was totally buying his story untill it got to the part about practicing drills and summersaults lol

ok good....i'm not the only one to @ that part.

[Beta Man]

I almost killed a man with my bare hands once.

He was parked in a handicap spot, so he obviously wanted a quick escape, and the wheelchair was a clever cover, but I was onto him..... I could see the intent in his eyes.

I'm fairly sure I saved all of mankind that day.

[master_8ball]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I almost killed a man with my bare hands once.

He was parked in a handicap spot, so he obviously wanted a quick escape, and the wheelchair was a clever cover, but I was onto him..... I could see the intent in his eyes.

I'm fairly sure I saved all of mankind that day.

A man in a ladies wheelchair gave it away didn't it.

[MrFattBill]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I almost killed a man with my bare hands once.

He was parked in a handicap spot, so he obviously wanted a quick escape, and the wheelchair and invisible legs was a clever cover, but I was onto him..... I could see the intent in his eyes.

I'm fairly sure I saved all of mankind that day.

Fixed that for you

Bill

[Monkey]

Originally Posted by mrfattbill

fixed that for you :d

bill

lol!

[Movie Nut]

There I was...deep in the Congo...and suddenly I noticed...no felt...hundreds of eyes upon we. I had stumbled into a band of pygmy cannibals and I knew right then and there that those countless years of self-defense training had not gone to waste. It was going to take everything I had to get out of this one alive...

[dfinch]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I almost killed a man with my bare hands once.

He was parked in a handicap spot, so he obviously wanted a quick escape, and the wheelchair was a clever cover, but I was onto him..... I could see the intent in his eyes.

I'm fairly sure I saved all of mankind that day.

I don't know what your problem is Rusty, but I can assure you nothing is wrong with me.


I am the Sergeant of a three-man Rapid Tactical Force at one of America’s largest indoor retail shopping areas. Although there are typically between fifteen and twenty normal security officers working the beat there, we decided a while ago that it would be best to have a specilized force for violent individuals. We use modified electric vehicles and can be anywhere on a given floor within eight and a half minutes.Naturally, the regular security people are unarmed. We “RTFers”, by arrangement with the local police, carry high-strength OC spray and batons. If we have a full tactical alert and permission from the local LEOs we also have a Mossberg 500 with less-lethal rounds and two K-frame Smith .38s loaded with 158gr. LRN.Basically, the situation is that we get the call, we lock up the situation, put everything five by five, and cordon the area until the local authorities arrive. We’re cops, we just don’t get the glory.