We could also probably title this, “Should have been a defensive gun use” story.
Scenario: So you’re wandering through Walmart waiting for your oil change or simply browsing and you noticed a young man with an aluminum baseball bat.
A moment later, you hear a “klink” as the bat hits something hard followed by a grunt. You look over and this guy has just whacked some coed upside the head with the bat and is standing there, still holding the baseball bat.
You’re legally armed.
What do you do?
Do you engage? Do you walk away? Articulate.
Share with us what you would do in the comments section. As with last time, we’re not going to publish your email address or IP address. Use a pseudonym if you would like.
Here’s the video of the newscast.
I doubt a concealed carry weapon would have done the victim much good as she did not see the assault coming. Pays to keep your head on the swivel, but you cannot do that 100% of the time. As to what I might have done, since the attacker struck then left very quickly, I doubt there is much I could have done other than follow the guy at a distance and call 911. If I followed him, but in a non-threatening way (i.e. – at a distance and keeping my mouth shut), and noticed he was about to assault some one else, I might have intervened with my weapon. If he turned on me, I would have also been forced to draw on him, but I would definitely not provoke a fight with him. Then I would be going to jail too. I have reading to catch up on, but not that much.
What Jim said above. Great answer.
Now if he had pulled that bat back to get another swing in … he would have been in my sight picture quicker than a magic trick with ONE loud, verbal challenge (assuming I had time for the verbal challenge). If the bat starting swinging again, it’s pretty clear cut deadly force at that point … subsequent charges of racism be damned.
I think I would have commanded him to drop the bat, at gunpoint.
No way would I take the chance that trying to score a base hit with the innocent coed was a one-off, and failure to drop the bat coupled with even a hint of further violence would result in some fast balls of hot lead he wouldn’t likely have hit out of the park.
John
Ya’all are much kinder and calmer than I.
I would have probably shot him unless he dropped that bad PDQ.
Sam
I like Jon boch’s answer.
Any forceful intervention here is fraught with all sorts of legal and political problems. I can hear the race baiters yelling now: “He shot that poor young disabled black boy who was unarmed.” You get a States Attorney or special prosecutor wanting a political coup and you have a bad picture developing. As always, consider deadly force a very last option. I like Jim’s answer above.
Sometimes you just have to act without self-doubt about the worst-case scenarios floating around in your head and let your attorneys take care of the aftermath.
Clearly this thug was a lunatic. Whether he was off his meds or it was his girlfriend or not, what he did was grievous and heinous. I don’t care if I’m white and he’s black and Jesse Jackson will be in town a week later.
“Drop the bat, or I’ll drop you.”
If you’re so racked with self-doubt that you hesitate in the moment of truth, it may cost you your life.
Sam
or it may cost some other innocent their life.
That said, I would still probably go with Jim’s answer above.
Not saying I’d hesitate because of demographics – not at all. In this particular case, however, he jumped one aisle back and was out of range of the victim in about one second. By the time I orient to the threat and draw, he’s already out of the picture.
Given that he then got outta dodge – that’s where I hesitate. If he’s looking for other targets and innocents are in danger – that’s one thing. If he’s hauling A’ to escape – that’s different. I’m not a cop …
“Drop the bat and get on the floor face down”.
Swings at me or victim, blamo.
He turns and runs away, nothing.
If I thought someone was in imminent danger, (like if it appeared that he was going to take another swing at the victim or go after someone else), I’d draw and highly (and loudly) recommend that he cease his activity and assume a posture suitable for someone awaiting arrest. (probably something like “Drop the bat and get the f*** down on the floor right now!!”)
If he appeared to be running away, I’d draw my phone instead and get a picture for the cops to use to pick up the scumbag.
I can understand having your guard down at Walmart, but it appears that he would have been within her peripheral vision as he went into his exaggerated batting stance. Shouldn’t surprise me though, some people are stuck in their own little world.
I would have shot him, more than once.