Gangbanger Looks Down My .45 Barrel !!!

[virginian45colt]

I would not draw my weapon till very very threatened, I would tell the kid to pull his hand out of his pocket, if he didn't and posed a big threat then I would draw but if I draw I for sure am going to shoot the idiot.

 

[Big Gay Al]

The OP admitted that he pushed it with his response. The Frito Bandito just by walking towards him with his hands in his waste is not enough to draw down on someone, unless he told him to stop first. Pointing a gun at someone in almost every state is aggravated assault, and if the Bandito had a gun IMO he would have been in his rights to defend himself. You or I or anyone else cannot just draw a gun on, hit, or do any type of violence just for somebody walking towards you. Remember this is what Trayvon did with Zimmerman when he approached his vehicle. Are you saying Zimmerman should have pulled his gun on him at that time? Misdemeanors are not justification for drawing a gun. If any of us that are not presently police officers pull a gun it should only be for one reason.

Most here are not cops, are not supposed to be enforcing the law. He should have called cops on him for indecent exposure not put himself in a situation that would have resulted in another media circus for us all.

1. OP never said he was walking after them, he mentioned stopping about 10 yards from the door to his work place.
2. BG was NOT "just walking towards him with his hands in his waist" (Corrected the spelling, since "waste" is garbage.....then again, maybe your usage is closer to the truth in this instance. )
3. BG appears to have had what I'd call dubious intent, since he put a bandana on to cover his face, and put one of his hands into a jacket pocket, as HE walked toward the OP. OP says that alarm bells went off to him at that point, they would to me too.

4. We don't really know what happened with Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman, beyond what has been released to the media, and that seems to change to the point where Trayvon got shot while trying to beat the crap out of Zimmerman. For my part, I'll wait on the courts to tell us everything.

5. If someone was spray painting crap on property that I know didn't belong to them, I'd probably yell at them to stop too. Just because I carry a gun for self defense doesn't mean I have to play Harvey Milk-Toast when I see someone breaking the law. I'm not going to arrest them, and I'm not going to shoot them, unless THEY make me. But where is it written I can't try to change their minds with regards to breaking the law?

 

[Big Gay Al]

I would not draw my weapon till very very threatened, I would tell the kid to pull his hand out of his pocket, if he didn't and posed a big threat then I would draw but if I draw I for sure am going to shoot the idiot.

I would, someone in that situation sticks their hand in a coat pocket as they're approaching me, after putting a bandana on to cover their face (or not, the bandana doesn't need to be present for me to get wary.), I'd pull my weapon out and assume the position. Why? I knew a LEO in Chicago who got shot that way. Remember, the weapon doesn't have to be visible, all you need is to be in fear for your life (in most jurisdictions anyway.)

 

[WalkingWolf]

I would, someone in that situation sticks their hand in a coat pocket as they're approaching me, after putting a bandana on to cover their face (or not, the bandana doesn't need to be present for me to get wary.), I'd pull my weapon out and assume the position. Why? I knew a LEO in Chicago who got shot that way. Remember, the weapon doesn't have to be visible, all you need is to be in fear for your life (in most jurisdictions anyway.)

Just for one minute think about explaining this in a court room before a judge and jury~~I just do not think they would buy~~I would not buy it for one minute. There is nothing illegal about sticking a hand in a coat pocket, there is nothing illegal about putting a bandana on to cover the face. It may be cause for some alarm but it is not enough to shoot somebody. Now if that person is told to stop, not to come any closer, it might be a different story. A jury has to find that you have reasonable believe that your life is in danger, I just don't see it with the above.

 

[Big Gay Al]

Just for one minute think about explaining this in a court room before a judge and jury~~I just do not think they would buy~~I would not buy it for one minute. There is nothing illegal about sticking a hand in a coat pocket, there is nothing illegal about putting a bandana on to cover the face. It may be cause for some alarm but it is not enough to shoot somebody. Now if that person is told to stop, not to come any closer, it might be a different story. A jury has to find that you have reasonable believe that your life is in danger, I just don't see it with the above.

I have explained it in hearing, to a judge. "Your honor, he came walking in my direction, stuck his right hand into his coat pocket, it looked to me like he had a gun barrel pointing at me."

That's how I explained it, and that's what happened. When I pulled my weapon, the guy turned an ran. When police caught him later, he had a .38 in that very same pocket. He went to prison for 10+ years. I went home.

 

[virginian45colt]

I have explained it in hearing, to a judge. "Your honor, he came walking in my direction, stuck his right hand into his coat pocket, it looked to me like he had a gun barrel pointing at me."

That's how I explained it, and that's what happened. When I pulled my weapon, the guy turned an ran. When police caught him later, he had a .38 in that very same pocket. He went to prison for 10+ years. I went home.

I would for sure pull my gun if it looked like the guy had a gun in his pocket.

 

[WalkingWolf]

You were very lucky...or maybe unlucky.

I have carried a gun for most of my life, starting from age 23 as a police officer, I am 57 now. I have never had to pull my gun even once as a civilian on another person. And only once off duty, I have only shot one person as a police officer and that person had a gun in his hand. The only time I ever drew down on anybody was in the line of duty. Either I am extremely lucky or a lot of folks seem to find trouble. I took a gun off a man in a hospital after I knocked him out, but I knew he had a gun to begin with and had been warned he was about to commit a crime with it.

 

[Big Gay Al]

You were very lucky...or maybe unlucky.

I have carried a gun for most of my life, starting from age 23 as a police officer, I am 57 now. I have never had to pull my gun even once as a civilian on another person. And only once off duty, I have only shot one person as a police officer and that person had a gun in his hand. The only time I ever drew down on anybody was in the line of duty. Either I am extremely lucky or a lot of folks seem to find trouble. I took a gun off a man in a hospital after I knocked him out, but I knew he had a gun to begin with and had been warned he was about to commit a crime with it.

I worked in Chicago during the late 70's and early 80's as a security officer. Most of the time, the areas I worked were not the greatest to be in. I worked just a few blocks from the Cabrini Green projects, and another time near Robert Taylor homes. Both were considered bad areas. During the 15 years I worked in that area, I had to pull my weapon 12 times. I had to pull the trigger once. I was unlucky in a way, but lucky enough that I'm still alive. Frankly, I'm very happy I don't live there anymore. Michigan is much nicer.

 

[Big Gay Al]

I would for sure pull my gun if it looked like the guy had a gun in his pocket.

Based on what the OP said in his original post, I'd say it looked like the BG had a gun, even if it wasn't visible. Or at least, that seems to be what the BG wanted the OP to think. I've had people who tried to make me think they had a gun. They usually changed their minds when they found out I was an Armed guard.