*Upsetting Situation Tonight*

[Jack Ryan]

As hard as I am working to become an LEO, I am not a "wannabe". That did make me smile though

Oh yeah baby, yer Jonesing heavy for that badge there officer W. Annabe.

Try bark'n out those orders in front of the mirror while ya quick draw. You'll be intimidating low income old ladies in no time.

 

[PatriotPride]

Might as well get it out of your system now. Any more insults to hurl my way?

 

[buffalo-springfield40]

no insults here Mr.Pride...just not thinking LEO is your cup of tea....i mean if a old lady yelling at you while her husband and 3 neighbors are taken her down,,,and you still feel like you almost had to"draw down" on her...ya might think of another line of work...

 

[nobody_special]

While i'm not going to sit here in judgement,since I wasn't there.
A couple of things i would like to point out.

1) At 50 years old she could have inflicted a lot of damage,even on an able bodied male.
Ask the St.Joe county police about what kind of damage a crippled cane wielding 80 year old can inflict on the human body.
2) While I agree that open carrying according to state law is legal,concealed carrying can also be your friend in such a situation,for the simple reason that if the police ask her to describe the weapon,she really couldn't since she hadn't seen it opposed to open carrying where everybody can see it's a black gun. jmo

 

[AuntieBellum]

As I exited my building, the gentleman's wife was ~20 feet away. She started to curse and scream at me profusely. Her husband told her several times to go into the house. I asked "is there a problem maam?" politely.

I think I would've went back back inside ASAP instead of addressing her and called the cops myself if she didn't quiet down quickly. I'm not saying you were completely wrong, and it's hard to say how I'd actually react in such a situation, but I find that I'd prefer to get out of the situation as quickly as possible. But, I can see how the fact that the husband had already approached you with a problem put you smack in the center of it. Move out ASAP. Your neighbors are unstable and know where to find a gun now.

 

[Roadie]

 

[E5RANGER375]

the end fact remains that he DIDNT DRAW, so no matter what he was thinking, he still refrained from drawing which shows me he does have self control. he might be young and not as experienced as some, but honestly WE ALL WERE UNEXPERIENCED AT SOME TIME IN OUR LIVES. and no matter how old you are you will NEVER know it all, and you WILL still make mistakes. its easy to judge a younger guy when your a little older and "seen it all". man i wish i knew what i know now when i was even 21. even a year of your life is a BIG time of learning. we realy shouldnt be so hard on the guy. at least hes being honest and upfront, and he has balls for posting and asking for critisism, and hes asking for our opinions so he learns for the future. if he had said: heres what i did, i was right, it was awesome, i cant wait till i get to shoot someone. then id be worried about him becoming a cop. but he even said he was worried and upset by this. give the guy a break.

 

[PatriotPride]

I welcome the criticism---constructive or otherwise. Thank-you everyone for posting your thoughts. I will always have room to improve, and I appreciate any and all suggestions.

 

[XDinmyXJ]

I would have said I'm not moving when you can't park then shut the door! They can try to hit my doors all they want with a car door it won't affect my 3/16" rock rails.

We have a parking problem here and Nobody will do anything about it but god forbid I drive my Jeep over the 3 feet of snow so I can get over it to get to the sidewalk. The neighbors pretty much keep to themselves so I don't say anything about their parking to them. There are some questionables that live here, Like the guy downstairs.

 

[buffalo-springfield40]

kudos for not drawing....just saying that what happend to him seems to have upset him alot..[as it should]..but facts are what happend to him would be considered a easy night for LEO...seems he can't leave his apt. without making a choice on having to draw down on anyone..just don't think law enforcement as of right now.. may not be for him..seems alittle high strung.....

 

[SSGSAD]

I welcome the criticism---constructive or otherwise. Thank-you everyone for posting your thoughts. I will always have room to improve, and I appreciate any and all suggestions.

Well, I will be the first to admit, that I am no expert, but you did "exactly" what the "experts" on TV, do, raise your left hand, yell stay back, and have your right hand, gun hand I am guessing, at chest level, you do not say if you moved your shirt, or any clothing or covering... to me it sounds like you did everything just right....

Now for the humor, do we watch the same TV shows ?????

 

[Bubba]

Seriously, my Firefox must be broken because I apparently didn't read the same OP as some folks around here.

To the OP, in my opinion you did ok but if we're all determined to rip you a new one, here's what you need to improve: Tunnel vision. Cutting through all the symptoms, the root issue with tonight's situation (and maybe from the deal with the "gangbanger" but you didn't explain much) is that you failed to think under stress. I can't tell from your post if you literally experienced the visual effects of tunnel vision(though I suspect you did if you have "adrenaline overload") but certainly your mental faculties were locked into the situation and you were not able to think your way out. See, the ugly truth about the OODA loop is that once you observe, orient, decide and act, you have to LOOP around and do it again. It's really easy to sit here all fat, dumb and happy on our metaphorical couches and tell you that you're a wannabe or a paranoid for not just walking away from the lady, but it's not that simple.

Let me present my theory of the case: You walk outside a little embarrassed, a little annoyed, and started the walk to your car with all the focus and awareness you use to eat your cheerios. Out of the blue, some whacko head case comes screaming at you catching you completely by surprise. This unexpected abuse is so completely outside what your brain was prepared to process your conscious mind just stands there slackjawed in a long :wtf: moment.

While your higher brain functions are doing their best "deer in headlights" impersonation, your subconscious kicks in and starts firing off police commands. Whether the words came from LEO training or CHiPs reruns is completely irrelevant, because you weren't exactly firing on all eight cylinders at that point in time. Hearing your mouth start talking all badarse, your conscious mind thinks "That's a great idea!" and just keeps at it.

Now, after the first "Stay away" or "Leave me alone" or whatever it was you said, most of us clear-headed couch commanders would have just walked away or retreated to our apartment and invited the old man to either put his woman on a leash or take a long walk off a short pier. I imagine someone used to dealing with this kind of abuse, such as a seasoned LEO, would be able to mentally disengage from the situation to figure out how to do that, too, but you didn't. You were in the midst of a situation that caught you completely unawares, and riding the best adrenaline high this side of skydiving that just kept you standing there repeatedly spouting commands that weren't having the slightest effect.

I'm not saying that this is something wrong with you, or that you are broken or incompetent, simply that your natural fighting instincts got the best of you, focusing your vision on the perceived threat, focusing your mind on preparing to fight, disconnecting your higher brain functions so that you can react more quickly, etc. You're in a decent starting place, but clearly you need to find a way to think in a more detached way under stress.

 

[Roadie]

Well, I will be the first to admit, that I am no expert, but you did "exactly" what the "experts" on TV, do, raise your left hand, yell stay back, and have your right hand, gun hand I am guessing, at chest level, you do not say if you moved your shirt, or any clothing or covering... to me it sounds like you did everything just right....

Now for the humor, do we watch the same TV shows ?????

Great point. I have watched a Self Defense class that taught just that. Weak side arm up in front of you, backing away, into cover if possible. If threat continues, inform aggressor that you are armed and to stay back...etc

 

[EvilleDoug]

Why not LE. I don't think all of the cops out there right could have handled the situation any better prior to their training. THE only thing I see wrong was the allowing the crack heads to see his sidearm. That, according to the OP, seems to have really set them off.

You'll be fine once the LEO training is complete, a little knowledge can make all the difference.

 

[buffalo-springfield40]

Seriously, my Firefox must be broken because I apparently didn't read the same OP as some folks around here.

To the OP, in my opinion you did ok but if we're all determined to rip you a new one, here's what you need to improve: Tunnel vision. Cutting through all the symptoms, the root issue with tonight's situation (and maybe from the deal with the "gangbanger" but you didn't explain much) is that you failed to think under stress. I can't tell from your post if you literally experienced the visual effects of tunnel vision(though I suspect you did if you have "adrenaline overload") but certainly your mental faculties were locked into the situation and you were not able to think your way out. See, the ugly truth about the OODA loop is that once you observe, orient, decide and act, you have to LOOP around and do it again. It's really easy to sit here all fat, dumb and happy on our metaphorical couches and tell you that you're a wannabe or a paranoid for not just walking away from the lady, but it's not that simple.

Let me present my theory of the case: You walk outside a little embarrassed, a little annoyed, and started the walk to your car with all the focus and awareness you use to eat your cheerios. Out of the blue, some whacko head case comes screaming at you catching you completely by surprise. This unexpected abuse is so completely outside what your brain was prepared to process your conscious mind just stands there slackjawed in a long :wtf: moment.

While your higher brain functions are doing their best "deer in headlights" impersonation, your subconscious kicks in and starts firing off police commands. Whether the words came from LEO training or CHiPs reruns is completely irrelevant, because you weren't exactly firing on all eight cylinders at that point in time. Hearing your mouth start talking all badarse, your conscious mind thinks "That's a great idea!" and just keeps at it.

Now, after the first "Stay away" or "Leave me alone" or whatever it was you said, most of us clear-headed couch commanders would have just walked away or retreated to our apartment and invited the old man to either put his woman on a leash or take a long walk off a short pier. I imagine someone used to dealing with this kind of abuse, such as a seasoned LEO, would be able to mentally disengage from the situation to figure out how to do that, too, but you didn't. You were in the midst of a situation that caught you completely unawares, and riding the best adrenaline high this side of skydiving that just kept you standing there repeatedly spouting commands that weren't having the slightest effect.

I'm not saying that this is something wrong with you, or that you are broken or incompetent, simply that your natural fighting instincts got the best of you, focusing your vision on the perceived threat, focusing your mind on preparing to fight, disconnecting your higher brain functions so that you can react more quickly, etc. You're in a decent starting place, but clearly you need to find a way to think in a more detached way under stress.

yea!..what he said!!

 

[HICKMAN]

SORRY MA'AM, I CAN'T HELP YOU!!!!

is all you would have heard from me as I went back in to my apartment....

 

[rev500ss]

never been to your neck of the woods so I don't know your situation. Doesn't your apartment complex have handicap parking which would allow enough space for wheelchairs and what not to be utilized around a properly parked vehicle? Why are your neighbors double parking for, if there is not handicap parking then it sounds to me that the management needs to do some work on their parking areas.

Anyways back to your other comments, I'd look at getting out of your lease and moving on. I wouldn't worry about any report, I'm sure they already have that info if a report was made. They can ask you questions if they want more detail.

I would work on keeping your cool, don't get too excitable over small situations such as the one you went through tonight. Your better off removing yourself from the situation even if that means going back inside your apartment and telling the ladies husband that you'll move your car when she calms down and goes back inside their apartment.

I'd have to agree with some of the other comments, pertaining to disarming yourself. If you where uneasy about the 10 or so other neighbors during the incident what made you feel that you'd be alright while you wait on the police. if there's a legitimate threat then you would not want to disarm yourself until LEO's where on the scene.

Best of luck in your job search endeavor, hope everything works out for you in the end.

 

[XDinmyXJ]

And Keep that gun hidden! Nobody in my apartment complex knows I carry minus my brother who lives with me! I plan to keep it that way too!

 

[PatriotPride]

kudos for not drawing....just saying that what happend to him seems to have upset him alot..[as it should]..but facts are what happend to him would be considered a easy night for LEO...seems he can't leave his apt. without making a choice on having to draw down on anyone..just don't think law enforcement as of right now.. may not be for him..seems alittle high strung.....

Thank you. Yes it was upsetting, as it should have been to any responsible gun owner placed in that situation. I entirely agree with you regarding being an easy night for LEO. If she had done that with a LEO, chances are it would have been cuffs, take a seat, NOW let's talk. Seeing as I did not want to touch her in any way nor touch my weapon, I resorted to walking backwards away from her. I'll be the first to admit that living where I do causes me to be high-strung at night. Between averting a mugging in the span of 60 days, crack-addicts roaming the sidewalks 24/7, and the aforementioned incident, you would have to be dangerously stupid to not be a bit "on-edge". I try to avoid going outside at night here, and unfortunately I made a stupid mistake when I parked incorrectly.

 

[IndyMonkey]

What reading level are you guys at? I'm pretty sure he said nothing about pulling his gun on anyone.

2nd grade with the grey goose and cranberry that I have been drinking.

I may of mis read the Original post but the results are the same. Op invites drama into his life.