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ScottDLS wrote:Could always order one of these...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDrzMGdYWZc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It would also improve their burgers.

bdickens wrote: You went to the McDonald's at Peirce and Main?

That's what I'm saying!

I know that area VERY well. It's actually Main@Grey, south side of the I-45 Overpass, Kiddy-Corner from 1900 Main, Metro's main building, which is the main downtown metro bus hub.

It's also across the street from the Greyhound Bus station, and a well known Drug Dealing location. Cops patrol it about every 10-15 minutes, and, without getting into too much detail, I have quite a few cameras within 120 feet of that location that We installed for monitoring things, that being one of them.

If you go there at lunchtime, sometimes there will actually be an officer inside... eating lunch while watching the place.

It is definitely a hotspot for persons not of the highest lawful behavior, to put it nicely.

If We had DVR's on some of the cameras, I'd offer to go see if we were watching that area at the time, unfortunately, our cameras are Primarily for traffic use, and we just give the PD access as a courtesy. They are not recorded. When I'm working in the area, I park my truck under the overpass, and then Put one of the cameras on it, and check it quite frequently to make sure it's still there.

One thing I try to do is always stop so I can see the bottom rear tires of the car in front of me or more space so if need be I have room for an escape route. I would say with the given situation you handled it extremely well.

Good job LJ. The only thing I could comment on is that I would hope I would call the police sooner. It would have been unfortunate for this guy to have gotten to a phone before you and called the police first.

Only a week ago one of these gentlemen approached me as I was walking from a stop and rob to my truck. As soon as he got my attention and I knew what he was doing I backed my self up to my truck so no one could get behind me and scanned around quickly to see if anyone was with him. No one was. In another second or two teh store clerk came running out and yelled at him to get off his property or he was going to call the police AGAIN. Now, his gas might be 5 cents higher than some others at times, but he's got my business. This guy appreciates his customers and proactively takes care of them and his property.

Btw, as a segway, this is one of the main reasons I wanted to get my CHL.

I have to work in this exact area, at night (like, 1-4am) by myself occasionally.

Apparently though, my employer doesn't believe that it is a good reason for me to carry while at work, and say it's against company policy...

Suffice it to say, If I get called out to the Pierce @ Main area (or all of midtown, downtown, museum district.. etc for that matter) at 2am, company policy is not my primary concern at that time.

It sounds like you did a fine job to me, as well, LJ. Thanks for posting this incident. I will also pass it along to my wife and think more about the drive thru windows I use also.

Agree, you handled that well. Remember, though, it's a race to call the police - first one to get through is the injured party. You don't want the cops looking for *you* because the first call they receive is of some madman waving a gun!

You're right about calling 911 ASAP. However, in a case like this, the bum is not likely to tell the police he was trying to break into someone's car when the owner pulled a gun on him.

Also, many if not most of these guys are in violation of probation or parole, or have outstanding warrants, or are carrying drugs.

- Jim

True, thought I think getting the idea ingrained in your head might help ensure you *do* make that call when it does matter. I could see myself getting caught up in the post-even adrenalin rush, and then losing that 911 race

You responded as I would have...Good Job

In downtown Houston, I've had many a bum approach me for a handout. Generally, I would just keep going without a word while giving them a dead pan look in the eye. Usually, this worked just fine to keep them at bay.

Once, a man AND a woman approached me for money and red flags went up.

I was standing in one spot waiting for my ride home and needed to stay in the immediate area. The man was so ingratiating as to make me believe he was, in his creepy way, trying to lull me into relaxing while he gave me his begging spiel. All the while, the woman looked hateful and intense while the man was completely opposite in manner. She looked ready to pounce if I looked away.

I looked right at him and then her in a very deliberate and quick manner and shouted: GET AWAY FROM ME! I know at that moment the most intensely fierce looking was me. I was on FULL alert. The man was all over himself with Ok, Ok, Ok, Ok, Ok, as he and she scuttled away.

Most beggars are just that, but in the case I just described and the OP's case, perhaps what appears to be a beggar is something far more sinister...

IMHO, You handled this well. Thanks for sharing.
I agree about making the call to HPD sooner. I would likely do it right there in the parking lot.

As to non-lethal alternatives, I like CS for these issues but worry about blow back in close quarters situations. Now I think I may have to get a stun gun too.

Note to Self:
Home Practice, draw and dry fire from a seated position inside of car at a target 90 degrees to the left at a range of less than 3 feet.
Range Practice, draw and fire from a seated position at a target 90 degrees to the left at a range of less than 3 feet.
Repeat to the right side.

Good Thread on a Good Didn't Shoot.

Thanks,
112

I think you did great.

Tactical quibbles would be not rolling the window up and not calling the police ASAP, but those are quibbles. You got all the important stuff done.

shootthesheet wrote:I don't see how deadly force was justified unless you thought he was going to do harm to you by opening the door or reaching thru the window.

Someone reaches INTO my car, they have begun the process of carjacking. Carjacking is a life-threatening action.

The use of deadly force is absolutely allowable / justifiable / maybe even called for in that situation.

TxFig wrote:

shootthesheet wrote:I don't see how deadly force was justified unless you thought he was going to do harm to you by opening the door or reaching thru the window.

Someone reaches INTO my car, they have begun the process of carjacking. Carjacking is a life-threatening action.

The use of deadly force is absolutely allowable / justifiable / maybe even called for in that situation.

Just about the time I go to open my mouth again to tell him he better get away from me he starts groping on the inside of my driver door through the open window. It looks like he's trying to find the latch to open the door. Oh no he didn't just do that...

Sounds like a car jacking in progress to me.