matthollycart
Regular Member
imported post
We shop at Wal-Mart about once every 3-4 weeks. About 90 % of the time we go to the Wal-Mart in Brimfield, OH, the Super Wal-Mart. Sometimes we go to Wadsworth. Today was no different until the check out line. I have always open carried when I go there with my entire family (6 children now).
I saw an associate tell the female manager something and point at me from a distance as I was packing groceries into the cart. I was then approach by a punk young guy in street clothes, who later identified himself as part of Wal-Mart security.
He lied to me (just like they lied to me at a different Wal-Mart) and said there was a "no firearms policy". He also said there was a sign on the door (he lied). I told him there is no sign. I asked him to show me the sign; he then took me into a room to have Brimfield Police interrogate me.
The one police officer tried to lie and say I did not inform of carrying a concealed weapon on time (in Ohio you have to inform-- I was carrying one gun open, one concealed). But I did inform him as soon as I was reasonably able to. So he dropped that subject of saying I broke the law.
They tried to say:
1) I was inducing panic.
2) One officer tried to tell me I could only conceal carry. Then in the end, the main officer admitted what I was doing was legal.
I think I handled the encounter well. I answered basic questions (trying to cooperate) but when they started trying to ask more questions beyond the basics "where do you live", etc. I told them I would not answer any questions without a lawyer.
The only negative that can come out of this is
1) The officer said that he was going to notify the Sheriff of "what I've been up to (meaning, open carrying) and that the Duputy could revoke my CCW if she wants to (even though I didn't break any law).
2) We won't be shopping at Wal-Mart again, at least not the one in Brimfield. I am going to contact the manager in Wadsworth and reassure their policy, because I open carried there before, and when the manager approached me and discovered I was okay, he said he didn't have a problem with my open carry in his store.
I have the entire encounter recorded on my digital voice recorder. I got the usual "you could be charged for inducing panic" and "someone can take your gun from your holster".
The first officer I spoke with was semi-professional, semi-kind to me. He admitted I did not break the law, and even complimented me for knowing and studying the laws, saying he wishes others would do the same. The second officer was a complete jerk and swore at me and belittle me. He took me through the usual:
"Do you have a CCW"?
"Yes"
"What does that mean?"
"It means I can carrying a concealed weapon"
"What does concealed mean?"
"It means to hide or cover, etc."
"....blah, blah, :cusscursing and swearing) you can't carry it open, etc. It has to be concealed" (so he must not have known the law at all, but his partner officer knew it was legal; he admitted it. He said that I need to "study inducing panic" because someone could trying to run away from me because of my gun, and then if they "slip and fall and get hurt" I would be charged.
The Wal-Mart security was the most hostile of all. I told them I now know that I am not welcome in their store with open carry (which is fine with me if they say so... I don't mind shopping elsewhere).
Otherwise, earlier today I visited several stores including Aldi and Duma's Meats. The only negative reaction I received was at Duma's, when one of the associate's asked me if I were a police officer; I educated her on the 2nd amendment and that was that.
The adventures continue... thankful to God that things did not go worse. But I am not regretful for choosing to open carry.
We shop at Wal-Mart about once every 3-4 weeks. About 90 % of the time we go to the Wal-Mart in Brimfield, OH, the Super Wal-Mart. Sometimes we go to Wadsworth. Today was no different until the check out line. I have always open carried when I go there with my entire family (6 children now).
I saw an associate tell the female manager something and point at me from a distance as I was packing groceries into the cart. I was then approach by a punk young guy in street clothes, who later identified himself as part of Wal-Mart security.
He lied to me (just like they lied to me at a different Wal-Mart) and said there was a "no firearms policy". He also said there was a sign on the door (he lied). I told him there is no sign. I asked him to show me the sign; he then took me into a room to have Brimfield Police interrogate me.
The one police officer tried to lie and say I did not inform of carrying a concealed weapon on time (in Ohio you have to inform-- I was carrying one gun open, one concealed). But I did inform him as soon as I was reasonably able to. So he dropped that subject of saying I broke the law.
They tried to say:
1) I was inducing panic.
2) One officer tried to tell me I could only conceal carry. Then in the end, the main officer admitted what I was doing was legal.
I think I handled the encounter well. I answered basic questions (trying to cooperate) but when they started trying to ask more questions beyond the basics "where do you live", etc. I told them I would not answer any questions without a lawyer.
The only negative that can come out of this is
1) The officer said that he was going to notify the Sheriff of "what I've been up to (meaning, open carrying) and that the Duputy could revoke my CCW if she wants to (even though I didn't break any law).
2) We won't be shopping at Wal-Mart again, at least not the one in Brimfield. I am going to contact the manager in Wadsworth and reassure their policy, because I open carried there before, and when the manager approached me and discovered I was okay, he said he didn't have a problem with my open carry in his store.
I have the entire encounter recorded on my digital voice recorder. I got the usual "you could be charged for inducing panic" and "someone can take your gun from your holster".
The first officer I spoke with was semi-professional, semi-kind to me. He admitted I did not break the law, and even complimented me for knowing and studying the laws, saying he wishes others would do the same. The second officer was a complete jerk and swore at me and belittle me. He took me through the usual:
"Do you have a CCW"?
"Yes"
"What does that mean?"
"It means I can carrying a concealed weapon"
"What does concealed mean?"
"It means to hide or cover, etc."
"....blah, blah, :cusscursing and swearing) you can't carry it open, etc. It has to be concealed" (so he must not have known the law at all, but his partner officer knew it was legal; he admitted it. He said that I need to "study inducing panic" because someone could trying to run away from me because of my gun, and then if they "slip and fall and get hurt" I would be charged.
The Wal-Mart security was the most hostile of all. I told them I now know that I am not welcome in their store with open carry (which is fine with me if they say so... I don't mind shopping elsewhere).
Otherwise, earlier today I visited several stores including Aldi and Duma's Meats. The only negative reaction I received was at Duma's, when one of the associate's asked me if I were a police officer; I educated her on the 2nd amendment and that was that.
The adventures continue... thankful to God that things did not go worse. But I am not regretful for choosing to open carry.