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Anyone in The Roanoke area hear about a man in Kroger store spraying something?

celticredneck

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2008
Messages
168
Location
Amelia County, virginia
My daughter called, on the way home from bowling last night. She had stopped at a local Kroger store and on the way home, the vehicle in front of her T-boned a motor scooter that was being chased by police. It seems that the guy on the scooter had walked into the Kroger just after she left, wearing some kind of mask and started spraying something all around in the air using a hand sprayer.

Carry related, what should you do if something like that happened while you were in the store carrying. Should you draw and try to stop him? And, would the response be different if he advanced on you and started to spray you. You wouldn't know if it was just some kook spraying water around, or a terrorist spraying anthrax or something equally as bad.

My idea, if he wasn't spraying me would be to try and get out of the store and call 911. If he was to try and spray me, I'm not sure what I would do. This is totally different than someone advancing on you with a gun or knife.
 

Badger Johnson

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2011
Messages
1,213
Location
USA
I think it would be justified if you pulled your HG if someone advanced on you pointing an object which could be a gun at you. Consider a LEO response which would be to shoot if pointed upon using a garden hose handle.

I'd try to retreat first, though, and I -might- aim for the kneecap (lol). I mean, c'mon, it could be acid, bacteria, who knows. But I wouldn't want to go to jail for shooting a nut who was a germ-o-phobe.
 

jmelvin

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2008
Messages
2,195
Location
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
Were the person simply spraying an unknown substance on me I'd likely use my pepper spray on them rather than a handgun. At the least the person would be assaulting me with an unkown chemical which I would take as a threat to my health and wellbeing. If the person yelled they were spreading some terrible deadly disease I might consider using the handgun given the ramifications of their continued spraying and hope that my voice recorder picked up the yelling. I would not first assume that the person had their hands on some means of biological weapon though.
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
As already mentioned, too mank unknown variables.

As for the folks thinking that whatever is being sprayed is some sort of biohazard/bioweapon -- You do realize that by staying in the area to draw down on and shoot the BG you are exposing yourself to the consequences of whatever it is the BG is spraying?

We, the peaceable, law-abiding people who carry for self defense need to remember that we are NOT law enforcement/homeland security and that just about all of us have family/significant others who are in many ways dependent on us remaining alive and productive. I'm not saying we should never come to the defense/support of an innocent third party, but the times when we will face such a situation when we can know for sure that the 3rd party is truely innocent are mighty slim.

To state it bluntly - you better be darned sure you are willing to die a horrible, painful death before you go charging in to take down some guy you think might be spraying bioweapons or acid at other people who still have the opportunity to run away on their own. And dependingon your position in the landscape, your intervention with gun(s) blazing might just cut off their only safe exit route.

We, the peaceable, law-abiding people who carry for self defense, respond - we do not react. Or at least that's the way I see it ought to be.

stay safe.
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
Too many unknowns.
+1


As already mentioned, too mank unknown variables.

As for the folks thinking that whatever is being sprayed is some sort of biohazard/bioweapon -- You do realize that by staying in the area to draw down on and shoot the BG you are exposing yourself to the consequences of whatever it is the BG is spraying?

We, the peaceable, law-abiding people who carry for self defense need to remember that we are NOT law enforcement/homeland security and that just about all of us have family/significant others who are in many ways dependent on us remaining alive and productive. I'm not saying we should never come to the defense/support of an innocent third party, but the times when we will face such a situation when we can know for sure that the 3rd party is truely innocent are mighty slim.

To state it bluntly - you better be darned sure you are willing to die a horrible, painful death before you go charging in to take down some guy you think might be spraying bioweapons or acid at other people who still have the opportunity to run away on their own. And dependingon your position in the landscape, your intervention with gun(s) blazing might just cut off their only safe exit route.

We, the peaceable, law-abiding people who carry for self defense, respond - we do not react. Or at least that's the way I see it ought to be.

stay safe.

+2
 

Badger Johnson

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2011
Messages
1,213
Location
USA
I think the OP's question/posting was to get discussion going on how a device other than an handgun could be just as deadly and much harder to distinguish as potentially lethal.

Truth is, if you're in a small store and someone comes at you and raises a spray can, you're going to get sprayed. You are not at 'condition red' and are shopping not in SD mode.

I would -want- to shoot someone who did that, and I think they deserve it and if it was a LEO and he had his gun out he would shoot the person as they raised the can.

If I saw the perp spraying others and they were falling down I'd draw and warn and be prepared to shoot. Failing that much info, I'd retreat but still probably draw my HG, also.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
I would -want- to shoot someone who did that, and I think they deserve it and if it was a LEO and he had his gun out he would shoot the person as they raised the can.

You make such judgments with such little info? Please do me a favor and stay home.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
I think he is trying to express how mad he would be if someone sprayed him in the face, not that he would do such action.

You may be right, but his words do not express it that way.
I would -want- to shoot someone who did that, and I think they deserve it and if it was a LEO and he had his gun out he would shoot the person as they raised the can.
 

crazydude6030

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Messages
512
Location
Fairfax, va
You may be right, but his words do not express it that way.

Well that's how I read it. The -want- expressed like that is emotional more than a real desire to. I could be wrong, but I'll give him the benefit of doubt unless or until the poster clarifies.
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
Well that's how I read it. The -want- expressed like that is emotional more than a real desire to. I could be wrong, but I'll give him the benefit of doubt unless or until the poster clarifies.

Sadly, words have to be chosen carefully these days. What you say here as an expression of emotion, may very well come back to bite you on the ass if you ever have to use your gun.

Not many here are really anonymous.
 

crazydude6030

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Messages
512
Location
Fairfax, va
Sadly, words have to be chosen carefully these days. What you say here as an expression of emotion, may very well come back to bite you on the ass if you ever have to use your gun.

Not many here are really anonymous.

I agree, that's why i don't post much. Speaking of I think i hit my limit for the next few months.
 

celticredneck

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2008
Messages
168
Location
Amelia County, virginia
I just talked with my daughter again, and she doesn't have any more information yet. Her understanding was that it was something similar to a small garden sprayer, not a spray can, and that the guy wore something like a gas mask. But she might not know the difference between a gas mask and an ordinary dust mask. As I said originally, my first choice would be to get out and call the police. But if I was unable to get away, I can't say what I'd do, since I obviously wasn't in the situation, nor was she. In the world as it is today, we can't assume that anyone doing something like that is harmless? Yet, should I or anyone else decide to shoot, what if he really was harmless? It's a situation I am glad I wasn't faced with or that my daughter was faced with it. Anyhow, she is going to check the newspapers after work today to see if there is any more information.
 
Last edited:

Blk97F150

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2010
Messages
1,179
Location
Virginia
I just talked with my daughter again, and she doesn't have any more information yet. Her understanding was that it was something similar to a small garden sprayer, not a spray can, and that the guy wore something like a gas mask. But she might not know the difference between a gas mask and an ordinary dust mask. As I said originally, my first choice would be to get out and call the police. But if I was unable to get away, I can't say what I'd do, since I obviously wasn't in the situation, nor was she. In the world as it is today, we can't assume that anyone doing something like that is harmless? Yet, should I or anyone else decide to shoot, what if he really was harmless? It's a situation I am glad I wasn't faced with or that my daughter was faced with it. Anyhow, she is going to check the newspapers after work today to see if there is any more information.

Sounds more like the Orkin pesticide guy then any sort of threat....

Hopefully more information will come out soon.
 

palerider116

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2010
Messages
572
Location
Unknown
The best option is a retreat from the area in this scenario. There are times where the least action is beneficial. Pulling a firearm when the ability to retreat is present is not always the best option. At best you protect yourself or others. At worst you are charged with brandishing or aggravated assault; if you fire the weapon, the possible charges are malicious wounding or homicide.

Take time to assess a situation before going for the gun.
 
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