my WA CCW expierence....

[Tanner]

I hope I would act as you did.

[brightside]

Originally Posted by neuron

Good use of your gun to thwart what surely looks like an attack. The only thing I would have done differently is to call 911 to report that you had to display your gun in self defense. That's why everyone who CCW's should also carry a cell phone.

Why should you call 911 every time you need to use (and that includes displaying) your gun? Simple. These guys, like all other criminal scumbags, know how to work the system. They are by definition antisocial individuals who will try to make YOU out to be the BG. "Me and my buddies were just minding our business when this CRAZY GUY pulled out a gun."

Next thing you know, YOU are under investigation.

What you did seems perfectly OK, except that you (apparently) didn't call it in. Remember that, from a legal perspective, there is a benefit to being the first one to report "brandishing" to the authorities. You don't want to find yourself in a situation where the BG reports you first and tries to turn you into the BG.

Great point.

[RedMongoosE]

Originally Posted by neuron

Good use of your gun to thwart what surely looks like an attack. The only thing I would have done differently is to call 911 to report that you had to display your gun in self defense. That's why everyone who CCW's should also carry a cell phone.

Why should you call 911 every time you need to use (and that includes displaying) your gun? Simple. These guys, like all other criminal scumbags, know how to work the system. They are by definition antisocial individuals who will try to make YOU out to be the BG. "Me and my buddies were just minding our business when this CRAZY GUY pulled out a gun."

Next thing you know, YOU are under investigation.

What you did seems perfectly OK, except that you (apparently) didn't call it in. Remember that, from a legal perspective, there is a benefit to being the first one to report "brandishing" to the authorities. You don't want to find yourself in a situation where the BG reports you first and tries to turn you into the BG.

I didn't call it in, there was no situation that occurred. I would have been hard pressed to prove that they were trying to mug me, the cops would not have been able to do much, also i feel like they might not have even showed up for a "simple attempt to mug". I know that LA county brushes off a lot of petty crime, i think that King Co. would do the same. Furthermore i didn't BRANDISH ( look up the definition) my weapon. WA has a great open carry law, I just decided to use it to my advantage for a moment

[RedMongoosE]

Originally Posted by Tanner

I hope I would act as you did.

I hope you never have to!!!!

[hoptob]

WA has a great open carry law

WA has great gun laws and also people here have great attitude to guns. Around here gun is a tool, concealed carry is a norm not a weird exception. I bet if you did call 911, cops wouldn't even know what is it you wanted them to do... In WA they don't hyperventilate just because people carry guns.

BTW, nice story, Mongoose.

Mike

[Tanner]

Originally Posted by RedMongoosE

I hope you never have to!!!!

Yeah. I'm pretty big and figure that means everybody except the really crazy ones will leave me alone. Great. All I have to watch out for is the crazy ones. Maybe I should go practice now

[Keith92555]

Originally Posted by Tanner

Yeah. I'm pretty big and figure that means everybody except the really crazy ones will leave me alone. Great. All I have to watch out for is the crazy ones. Maybe I should go practice now

Funny you should mention that. When I was in the Marines, one of the guys in our platoon I hung out with was 6' 6" and 265# (the SMALLEST of 4 brothers). He was HUGE and for some reason when we went out people would always pick a fight with him. He was the nicest guy who had a million jokes and loved to have fun. Never would pick a fight, but he was born and raised in Chicago and when someone started something, he would finish it. The icing on that cake is his name was Little. Not a moniker or nickname, his family's surname. Lcpl Little

Soooo...yeah, better get yourself to the range for some presentation drills and double taps.

[Tanner]

Originally Posted by Keith92555

Funny you should mention that. When I was in the Marines, one of the guys in our platoon I hung out with was 6' 6" and 265# (the SMALLEST of 4 brothers). He was HUGE and for some reason when we went out people would always pick a fight with him. He was the nicest guy who had a million jokes and loved to have fun. Never would pick a fight, but he was born and raised in Chicago and when someone started something, he would finish it. The icing on that cake is his name was Little. Not a moniker or nickname, his family's surname. Lcpl Little

Soooo...yeah, better get yourself to the range for some presentation drills and double taps.

Practice for sure.
What you said about the "Little" guy does seem true. For some reason guys that are looking for trouble seem to opt for the big ones.Makes no sense to me. Funny thing though, since I quit hanging out in bars I also quit getting into barfights. Kinda' like when I quit being a criminal the police also , and coincidentally , quit harassing me.

As for being on a date and having some buttheads try to take advantage of your situation I really , really dislike that kind of group /gang mentality. I'm glad they lit on you as opposed to some other couple that was not prepared to defend themselves. Maybe they will think twice before their next approach.

[brightside]

Originally Posted by hoptob

WA has great gun laws and also people here have great attitude to guns. Around here gun is a tool, concealed carry is a norm not a weird exception. I bet if you did call 911, cops wouldn't even know what is it you wanted them to do... In WA they don't hyperventilate just because people carry guns.

BTW, nice story, Mongoose.

Mike

Great perspective. I know this is hindsight (OP did nothing wrong), but let's say this happened here in CA, and no gun was shown. I'd be getting on my phone to call the police to report these trouble-makers.

[neuron]

Originally Posted by brightside

Great perspective. I know this is hindsight (OP did nothing wrong), but let's say this happened here in CA, and no gun was shown. I'd be getting on my phone to call the police to report these trouble-makers.

RME did what he had to do and in my book he's OK. WA seems to be a CCW friendly State (they gave me a non-res permit when I applied a few years ago).

I still think that it's a good idea to report any BG encounters like the one described by RME, for the reasons I stated. It may be that the WA LE agencies don't care and would rather not be bothered to respond to your report. "OK, you were threatened and you either displayed your gun or just told the BGs you had one, and they pissed their pants and went away. Have a good day and call us again if you feel the need to."

Fine. What's the real downside of reporting? Nothing, except hearing the above LE response to your call. What's the downside of NOT reporting? Quite a lot.

Perhaps more in CA than WA, but you don't want to have to deal with the BG reporting YOU first. Why bother allowing that possibility?

Everyone who CCW's should have a cell phone, and should have local LE numbers programmed in their contact number list for easy dialing.

[Keith92555]

Originally Posted by neuron

RME did what he had to do and in my book he's OK. WA seems to be a CCW friendly State (they gave me a non-res permit when I applied a few years ago).

I still think that it's a good idea to report any BG encounters like the one described by RME, for the reasons I stated. It may be that the WA LE agencies don't care and would rather not be bothered to respond to your report. "OK, you were threatened and you either displayed your gun or just told the BGs you had one, and they pissed their pants and went away. Have a good day and call us again if you feel the need to."

Fine. What's the real downside of reporting? Nothing, except hearing the above LE response to your call. What's the downside of NOT reporting? Quite a lot.

Perhaps more in CA than WA, but you don't want to have to deal with the BG reporting YOU first. Why bother allowing that possibility?

Everyone who CCW's should have a cell phone, and should have local LE numbers programmed in their contact number list for easy dialing.

+1 Good points made there. Deputy Aguirre (Deputy in Charge for RCSD CCW unit) is first number on my contact list, if only because Aguirre comes before Alice. Of course the first number anyone should call is 911 (NO!!...not 1911). And I think cell phones were God's gift to CCWers, most people think cell phone when they see a bulge at the belt line.

[desertrat]

Originally Posted by Tanner

Practice for sure.
Maybe they will think twice before their next approach.

Yeah, thats a laugh, I dont think any of them are equipped with the right equipment to do that task.

[Tanner]

Originally Posted by desertrat

Yeah, thats a laugh, I dont think any of them are equipped with the right equipment to do that task.

hah! I agree.

[terryger]

Originally Posted by LuckyDog

Perhaps the only armchair quarterbacking I would do is to suggest it would have been better to tell the guys to turn around and leave while having your hand on the pistol. The "you're gonna get mugged" statement is enough proof of their intentions to warrant a higher threat level. Once they get within 15' it would have been very easy for them to bum rush you before you could draw. Oh, and second the 911 call to establish your story before they do.

21 foot rule!

learn it, practice it, use it!

[3boyzmom]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I of course see this from the girlfriend's perspective, and I'm sure she was glad you were with her that night. It is easy to be intimidated by ONE creep, depending on the circumstances, but 4?