I have been carrying and teaching firearm classes for more than 20 years. In all that time, I have never had to pull my firearm on anybody.
Until 2 weeks ago.
My husband and I were working in our office and noticed that a vagrant kept walking by the door.
He opened our door and asked what day it was. My husband told him, but he stood there looking around the office for a minute before leaving. He made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
Neighboring businesses called to tell me that he was tearing up my flower baskets on the sidewalk, but I was on the phone with a client and busy, (and the flowers were getting old anyway) so I didn't do anything.
About 30 minutes later, he was back, looking into our window. He saw my security camera and freaked out....came running through the door and into our office screaming that he wanted the video footage and that we had no right to film him, etc...
My husband calmly told him that it was a traffic camera (which it actually is), but he went after the camera system and jerked it out of my wall.
My husband came out from behind his desk...and the guy charged him.
Without even a conscious thought, my training kicked in and I drew my gun. I moved to the side as my husband was between us and I needed to have a clear shot.
(I was later very surprised at how quick my reaction was.)
He looked past my husband and looked straight down the barrel of my gun as I had him sighted in.
He threw his hands up quickly...stating, "I don't want any trouble." but he kept moving forwards towards my husband.
His eyes were creepy. He looked very much like a young Charles Manson.
Of course at this point, my husband had his back to me still and thought the guy was reacting to him...thinking himself terribly intimidating. (When he turned around later and saw me there, he was sorely disappointed!)
I backed the guy out the front door and held him there as he kept trying to get back in. My husband called 911.
I was able to lock the door, but he stood there making faces and taunting me, rattling the doors and threatening to kick them!
The police station is actually about 100 feet from our door, but the 911 dispatch re-routes to a neighboring large city and then back to our small town.
It took 8 minutes after calling them for them to get there, with me holding my gun on him until they arrived.
I was asked if I wanted to press charges and I said yes...with no hesitation. They took him to jail ...and he was out and back the next day. Apparently the judge was told that I didn't want to press charges, so he was let out.
Now, he shows up often and stands across the street with his arms folded staring at my office.
The police Chief has now notified me that if he is seen again, he will be kept in jail. (He also has recent arrests in Eugene for menacing, stalking, Illegal use of a weapon and trespassing.)
Regardless, I have now upgraded my office security to include an under-desk mounted .40 cal.
It took about 3 days for the adrenaline to wear off!
Until 2 weeks ago.
My husband and I were working in our office and noticed that a vagrant kept walking by the door.
He opened our door and asked what day it was. My husband told him, but he stood there looking around the office for a minute before leaving. He made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
Neighboring businesses called to tell me that he was tearing up my flower baskets on the sidewalk, but I was on the phone with a client and busy, (and the flowers were getting old anyway) so I didn't do anything.
About 30 minutes later, he was back, looking into our window. He saw my security camera and freaked out....came running through the door and into our office screaming that he wanted the video footage and that we had no right to film him, etc...
My husband calmly told him that it was a traffic camera (which it actually is), but he went after the camera system and jerked it out of my wall.
My husband came out from behind his desk...and the guy charged him.
Without even a conscious thought, my training kicked in and I drew my gun. I moved to the side as my husband was between us and I needed to have a clear shot.
(I was later very surprised at how quick my reaction was.)
He looked past my husband and looked straight down the barrel of my gun as I had him sighted in.
He threw his hands up quickly...stating, "I don't want any trouble." but he kept moving forwards towards my husband.
His eyes were creepy. He looked very much like a young Charles Manson.
Of course at this point, my husband had his back to me still and thought the guy was reacting to him...thinking himself terribly intimidating. (When he turned around later and saw me there, he was sorely disappointed!)
I backed the guy out the front door and held him there as he kept trying to get back in. My husband called 911.
I was able to lock the door, but he stood there making faces and taunting me, rattling the doors and threatening to kick them!
The police station is actually about 100 feet from our door, but the 911 dispatch re-routes to a neighboring large city and then back to our small town.
It took 8 minutes after calling them for them to get there, with me holding my gun on him until they arrived.
I was asked if I wanted to press charges and I said yes...with no hesitation. They took him to jail ...and he was out and back the next day. Apparently the judge was told that I didn't want to press charges, so he was let out.
Now, he shows up often and stands across the street with his arms folded staring at my office.
The police Chief has now notified me that if he is seen again, he will be kept in jail. (He also has recent arrests in Eugene for menacing, stalking, Illegal use of a weapon and trespassing.)
Regardless, I have now upgraded my office security to include an under-desk mounted .40 cal.
It took about 3 days for the adrenaline to wear off!
