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I may have "Warranted Alarm" today

o2ryan

Regular Member
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
415
Location
Spokane Valley, Washington, USA
So I was walking into a store today, not paying much attention to the Gaurda truck outside. As I walk in, I see the armed guard walking out of the store and hear " a guy just walked in with a gun" come over his radio at the same time. His ass puckers, my face turns red, and all I can think to do is raise my hand on my strong side and wave him by as he scurries out the store. I hurry to find my wife to say I have a story to tell her when we get out of the store and not 30 sec. later the "Loss Prevention" guy is approaching me to start asking questions.

I spent the next 10 min. waiting for my wife fully expecting the cops to show up at any moment. I think I got lucky today. Hind sight tells me I should have waited at the car until the truck left, but all was well in the end.

Tell me, would any of you done anything different?
 

Jeff Hayes

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Messages
2,569
Location
Long gone
This has happened to me several times, I just continue on with my business and have yet to have an issue. Your body language will say a lot if you are relaxed there will most likely not be an issue. If you tense up, start walking fast or looking around nervously that will be picked up on.

I believe the more relaxed & natural you are when you are OCing the fewer problems you will have. That does not mean you let your guard down on your situational awareness. I am in orange mode all the time I am OCing in public.
 

xxx.jakk.xxx

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
Messages
467
I wouldn't worry. I have walked past many armed guards and even held the door for them while OCing. You just have to be natural and everything will be fine. My friend who doesn't carry has had worse reactions from guards than me while carrying. He actually grabbed his cell phone while exiting the doors that lead to the back of the store that I work at. He looked up and saw the guard putting his hand on his gun.
 

BobR

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2007
Messages
391
Location
West Plains, ,
I'm curious as to what the loss prevention guy talked to you about. Or did he not get the chance to ask the questions?

bob
 

Squeak

Regular Member
Joined
May 31, 2009
Messages
827
Location
Port Orchard,
Orphan's right. Body language plays a big part in how you are seen by others. Just think about it when you are about. Watch people and their actions.
 

sudden valley gunner

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
16,674
Location
Whatcom County
LOl...is funny to see the look in the armored guards eyes though.

Similar things have happened to me.

Last time I was walking into the bank and both guards were coming out with arms full!!!!:banghead: Isn't one supposed to watch? The first guy was bent with the weight and his eyes were looking right at my gun and got super big, I just held the door for them let them pass went into the bank and finished my business.
 

o2ryan

Regular Member
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
415
Location
Spokane Valley, Washington, USA
I'm curious as to what the loss prevention guy talked to you about. Or did he not get the chance to ask the questions?

bob

He started of with the typical "Are you a cop?". When I told him I was just an armed citizen doing a little shopping with my wife, he realy didn't know where to go from there. He pulled away with a puzzled look on his face before I could say anything else, but he sure had his eye on me the rest of the time.
 

amlevin

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2007
Messages
5,937
Location
North of Seattle, Washington, USA
Sounds to me like the "Driver" was on the ball and looking out for his "guard". Better to announce a "man with a gun" and have him prepared than to ignore and end up like the Lakewood Wal-Mart guard.

You've got a story to tell now, even though nothing really came of it.
 

FMCDH

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2008
Messages
2,037
Location
St. Louis, MO
He started of with the typical "Are you a cop?". When I told him I was just an armed citizen doing a little shopping with my wife, he realy didn't know where to go from there. He pulled away with a puzzled look on his face before I could say anything else, but he sure had his eye on me the rest of the time.

"Nope. Have a good day, be safe!"

or if I want to be snarky....

"Why, did someone commit a crime?"

I think far too many people feel its necessary to explain themselves to perfect strangers.

Simple, friendly answers are all folks get from me, and if they want to strike up a respectful conversation about it, great, but most who start off with questions like "Are you a cop" just want to vent their insecurity all over you, and you know armored car drivers are not going to be stopping and striking up a discussion about your glock, or current events.

Most of the time, people are just looking for simple re-assurance that they are not about to be gunned down like they expect from watching too many movies, not life stories.

The next thing you will normally get asked is....

"Why do you have that?!"

or...

"Why do you have a gun?!"

or on occasion...

"Is that a real gun?"

Most people know deep down why you are peaceably carrying the firearm, they just cant override the instinct to interview a perceived threat. (make no mistake, there are plenty of people that are disturbed or made uneasy by it, they just don't say anything, probably a majority)

The simple way to disarm the situation is simply answer a questions with a question (the Socratic method), and put the ball in their court to try and explain why you shouldn't be, instead of your attempting to explain why you should be.

"I'm sorry, but what do you mean, why?

and/or...

"Do you disagree with the right to carry a firearm?"

These questions elicits deeper thought in most people, and requires them to approach the subject from a default position of your being correct in your actions and the answer is "obvious" but they just don't get it. In an attempt to save face, they will re-phrase their question in a less confrontational way, or they will simply start to attack with some of the typical refrains.

such as...

"Well, you shouldn't be flashing it around like that!"

or...

"Well, your gonna scare people wearing it like that."

or everyone's favorite...

"Well, this isn't the wild west anymore, people don't need to be carrying guns."

If they attack in this method, I end the conversation and walk away, as its normally just going to end up in a scene, and your the one with the gun.

"Its too bad you feel that way, have a good day."

This keeps the problem as theirs, and anyone watching sees your not even trying to be confrontational in any way. It also sounds better on your recorder if it needs to be referred to later.

I'm all for educating the public, but unless a person approaches me in earnest to learn, I'm not going to waste my time with spirited debates in public places on the matter.
 

Trigger Dr

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2007
Messages
2,760
Location
Wa, ,
When asked that while in a store, me standard response "Is there a problem?" Usually they say "no" and I just say "good" and walk away
 

gsx1138

Regular Member
Joined
May 14, 2008
Messages
882
Location
Bremerton, Washington, United States
LOl...is funny to see the look in the armored guards eyes though.

Similar things have happened to me.

Last time I was walking into the bank and both guards were coming out with arms full!!!!:banghead: Isn't one supposed to watch? The first guy was bent with the weight and his eyes were looking right at my gun and got super big, I just held the door for them let them pass went into the bank and finished my business.

lol, nice
 
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