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View submission: Guns and protection
Have you ever really “needed “ a gun? and for people who carry all of the time Have you ever had a moment where you were so happy you did have your gun at your side.
I've actually had multiple different situations where I came extremely close to needing to use a firearm but thankfully didn't need to use it. In my opinion firearms are the absolute last resort. If you don't use it you either will die or be laying in an ICU bed that's my line in the sand. I don't want to hurt anyone but I'm also not going to let myself end up in an ICU bed.
For reference I'm a 24M 5'5 170 pounds so I'm a smaller dude. I live in a medium sized US city and I've worked in Public Safety in some variety since I was 19.
Situation 1:
I'm a community service officer for a local University. I wear a police looking uniform and drive a car that says University Public Safety. We respond to a ton of non emergency calls while campus Police officers respond to emergencies requiring a police officer. We are identical to our police officer counterparts uniform wise. I'm on the afternoon shift 3pm - 11pm.
We've had issues with a certain middle aged male assaulting elderly homeless people, Asian and Jewish students over the course of several months. He's been repeatedly arrested for simple assault, robbery, burglary but he's always released a few hours later on a non monetary bail and he's right back on campus. I've been on the scene of his arrest on multiple occasions. Each time he fights with law enforcement. One night after I got off work and while mostly out of uniform I walked to a nearby on campus bus stop so I could catch a shuttle to the garage my car is at. While standing at this bus stop the same guy walks toward me up the street with a woman less than 10 feet away and within ear shot says "that's that cop, I'm going to fuck him up". Prior to this we've never even spoken to each other I've just responded to assist the police officers with securing the crime scene and gathering statements from witnesses. Right after I heard that I walked away in the opposite direction quite haste. This man followed me for three blocks at 11:30 at night after I made several left turns. My phone was nearly dead and the 911 emergency line was on hold. He started shouting profanities in my general direction and was nearly jogging in my direction. At that time I pulled my firearm into a low ready and shined my pocket flashlight toward the man. He shouted "FUCK YOU" then walked off in the opposite direction. Push come to shove i would've used lethal force. The man is known to carry knives and other sharp objects. He was known to fight off multiple police officers and he put multiple innocent people in the ICU. I had no backup and the police weren't on the way and I couldn't get a hold of 911.
Situation 2:
I was hanging out with friends at a popular bar in the strip / flats area of my city where a ton of popular bars and restaurants are situated. I DON'T DRINK but my friends do and they drink heavy I typically go out as a sober friend. Toward the end of the night around 1am I ordered an Uber. The driver information was a white woman. She has no prior reviews or trips. When the SUV (three rows of seats) pulled up I walked up from behind it. The windows were completely tinted. When I got inside the vehicle the driver was a black man. He said that the Uber account was his girlfriend's and that they Uber on the same account (RED FLAG) but whatever I just wanted to go home. I stupidly didn't check my surroundings which was an error on my part but I was tired. After driving for a few blocks a voice from behind me asks "what's your name". The driver asks me not to freak out and says that his brother comes along for Uber rides (RED FLAG). The male voice from behind me then says "don't worry we're not going to kidnap you". Following this we almost immediately hit a stop sign and I hit the unlock button, opened the door and booked it. I ran for several blocks before calling the police then reporting the driver. This entire time I was armed and if the door was child locked and they wouldn't unlock the door a firearm would've been presented. There have been multiple kidnappings, robberies and murders both ways in my area with Uber/Lyft.
I have a few more close calls while actually at work where direct armed police intervention was required but these are the two interactions I've had as a CCWer.
There's nothing here!