Open carry deters armed robbery in Kennesaw

[Conagher]

Interesting.

http://www.examiner.com/x-5619-Atlanta- ... n-Kennesaw

[longtooth]

I have always thought so.

Problem w/ that thought is most of the time you cant prove what didnt happen.
In this case they could.

[Pete92FS]

What's funny is that my wife and I drive to Atlanta once or twice a year to visit her parents and I have never seen anyone open carry.

[gregthehand]

What you mean the guy didn't just target them and execute them right there? Come on that's how it's supposed to happen! Except for cops and people who already open carry where legal. Just where it's being proposed. That old line to me is just as worn out as the ones about people being prosecuted "harder" because they had a laser on their gun, used hollow points, etc etc etc etc etc etc.

I guess criminals, even armed ones, are just looking for the easiest most efficient way to get money.

[chabouk]

The other tired argument is the "element of surprise". Face it: there is no such thing as a defensive element of surprise. If you find yourself in the middle of an armed robbery, you are the one who has been surprised.

This case seems to be a rare exception. Robbers casing a business typically just look in to see how many people there are, if there is any security or police, etc. The fact that this guy noticed two armed customers is pretty unusual. Armed robbers get tunnel vision just like anyone else. I've seen videos of robbers walking right past uniformed cops and not even noticing them, because they were focused on the register. Those typical robbers aren't going to either call off their robbery because you're armed, nor target you.

[shootthesheet]

I don't think we can generalize about this situation, if factual, just like we cannot about any. To have any thought that any of us will know what a criminal will do is dangerous in my opinion. There are so many variables that to say any given thief will or will not be deterred by open carry is impossible.

I do agree that criminals are cowards as a general rule. However, if they are on drugs or in a gang and proving themselves or such then that may not be true. I am all for O.C. and want it legalized in Texas. But, I will maintain my tactical advantage of C.C. most of the time even if it does become legal. Yes, we should try to be aware enough not to be around when a criminal pulls a gun but to say we will not be surprised is not realistic. We cannot know every persons intention. C.C. gives us an advantage because unless we are the only person around the criminal isn't going to focused totally on us. If it is in a public place they will also be concerned about every other person around. That is where the advantage of C.C. comes in though we can argue that if we were O.C. then the criminals would have moved on for easer targets as this case seems to support.

It is interesting and I want to know more about the thought process of the criminals and their motivation for waiting to enter the place. It seems to me if the facts match the story this is proof that criminals are not always as dumb or focused on the task as we may think and that O.C. does have a legitimate place in self defense after all.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

For those who might like a little background on Kennesaw, Georgia:

Circa 1982 a Chicago suburb (Wheaton IIRC) totally banned handguns.

Kennesaw, GA immediately responded by passing an ordnance that required
every head of household in the town to own a weapon in good order, and the ammo
it required. (There was actually a fudge factor in the law, buried deep down, which
basically said "If you have a deep feeling against having a gun, that's OK, you don't have
to have one").

Over the years, Kennesaw, due to its 2A stance, was given a wide berth by home
burglars and other criminals. Nearby suburbs that didn't have the high profile
of Kennesaw had higher rates of crime.

In downtown Kennesaw there is a business that deals in Civil War items and is run
by a character whose name is Dent Myers. The business is "The Best Little Warhouse
in Georgia". Mr. Myers is unfortunately a racist. When we would browse in there,
Mr. Myers would wear a US Army style web belt with 2 model 1911's in backwards-
facing holsters. This was allowed because it was his business.

Georgia was very pro gun when I lived there 1988-95, but I don't believe they had
CHL at that time. It appears from this story that you can open carry now.

A quirk of Georgia CHL law, though, which differs from Texas, is that if you go to
a bar and leave your gun in your vehicle in the bar's parking lot, you are in violation of the CHL law.
The workaround for this is to leave your gun in your vehicle, but park across the street so
that you aren't parked in the bar's parking lot.

SIA

[joe817]

For those who might like a little background on Kennesaw, Georgia:

Circa 1982 a Chicago suburb (Wheaton IIRC) totally banned handguns. Kennesaw, GA immediately responded by passing an ordnance that required every head of household in the town to own a weapon in good order, and the ammo it required. (There was actually a fudge factor in the law, buried deep down, which basically said "If you have a deep feeling against having a gun, that's OK, you don't have to have one"). Over the years, Kennesaw, due to its 2A stance, was given a wide berth by home
burglars and other criminals. Nearby suburbs that didn't have the high profile of Kennesaw had higher rates of crime. SIA

Thanks SIA. This gave me an opportunity to review Texas LGC 229.001. Firearms; Explosives. (p.51 in Handbook)
A Texas town has the authority to pass an ordinance similar to Kennesaw,GA requiring resident's "to be armed for personal or national defense, law enforcement or another lawful purpose."

How about that? I wonder what would happen to the crime rate in Arlington if they passed such an ordinance? My guess would be it would drop like a rock.

That Statue speaks volumes.

[wgoforth]

What's funny is that my wife and I drive to Atlanta once or twice a year to visit her parents and I have never seen anyone open carry.

spent a week in Tucson and a week in Mesa and never saw anyone open carry, although AZ is a big OC state.

[Conagher]

What's funny is that my wife and I drive to Atlanta once or twice a year to visit her parents and I have never seen anyone open carry.

spent a week in Tucson and a week in Mesa and never saw anyone open carry, although AZ is a big OC state.

I know what you mean. I have been working in North Dallas for 10 years and have yet to see a cowboy on a horse there; and Texas is suppose the be a big cowboy state. Go figure.

Have a nice day.

[wgoforth]

What's funny is that my wife and I drive to Atlanta once or twice a year to visit her parents and I have never seen anyone open carry.

spent a week in Tucson and a week in Mesa and never saw anyone open carry, although AZ is a big OC state.

I know what you mean. I have been working in North Dallas for 10 years and have yet to see a cowboy on a horse there; and Texas is suppose the be a big cowboy state. Go figure.

Have a nice day.

I think it is a little easier to carry your gun in Wal-Mart than to ride a horse to it??

[Conagher]

What's funny is that my wife and I drive to Atlanta once or twice a year to visit her parents and I have never seen anyone open carry.

spent a week in Tucson and a week in Mesa and never saw anyone open carry, although AZ is a big OC state.

I know what you mean. I have been working in North Dallas for 10 years and have yet to see a cowboy on a horse there; and Texas is suppose the be a big cowboy state. Go figure.

Have a nice day.

I think it is a little easier to carry your gun in Wal-Mart than to ride a horse to it??

I agree, but I'm still disappointed I haven't seen any cowboys! Do you have any cowboys in your neck of the woods? By the way, I lived in Tucson for a little over a year and saw several people open carry.

Have a nice day.

[gregthehand]

I agree, but I'm still disappointed I haven't seen any cowboys! Do you have any cowboys in your neck of the woods? By the way, I lived in Tucson for a little over a year and saw several people open carry. Have a nice day.

Drive out into the country. People around our ranch ride them all the time on the side of the road.

[wgoforth]

What's funny is that my wife and I drive to Atlanta once or twice a year to visit her parents and I have never seen anyone open carry.

spent a week in Tucson and a week in Mesa and never saw anyone open carry, although AZ is a big OC state.

I know what you mean. I have been working in North Dallas for 10 years and have yet to see a cowboy on a horse there; and Texas is suppose the be a big cowboy state. Go figure.

Have a nice day.

I think it is a little easier to carry your gun in Wal-Mart than to ride a horse to it??

I agree, but I'm still disappointed I haven't seen any cowboys! Do you have any cowboys in your neck of the woods? By the way, I lived in Tucson for a little over a year and saw several people open carry.

Have a nice day.

We used to live in Vernon, TX...home of the largest (by contiguous acres) ranch in the US, the WT Waggoner Ranch so I have seen a fair share. Abilene and Brownwood are both supported by a rural economy and I am a 4-H club manager so I see many many through that means. I always dress western... even preach in western suits and boots.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

wgoforth:

I thought the King Ranch in Kingsville, Texas, on the coast, was
the biggest ranch in Texas.

Perhaps it is not contiguous, though.

I have been to the King Ranch museum in Kingsville. It's situated
in a former ice factory. They have a lot of cool items from the ranch
such as photos and an early 1950's hunting car modifed with shooting
chairs on each of the front fenders.

The funny thing about the museum though, was that they did not have
one map of the ranch showing its boundaries.

SIA