Guy beating up his girlfriend on the street

[einbert]

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Thanks. I'm glad the desire to protect myself make me less respectable.

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Well I apparently misunderstood your post. For some reason I read it as "well I'm gonna get a gun so I can go around and solve these problems myself instead of having to call the cops!" like you were going to become some kind of crimefighter or something.

But even you said you were joking, so I can't see how you can fault me for responding with disgust to your original statement. Of course I didn't know it was a joke when I first read it.


In any case, I think you handled the situation on the street really well. Even if you were carrying a gun, do you really think it would have been a great idea to wave it around and tell the guy to stop? Sure, most of the time that will resolve the situation immediately. But what about the times he pulls out his own gun, or does something else unpredictable? A decent percentage of the time (even if it's as low as 5% it's still so important) someone is going to get seriously hurt in this kind of situation. I guess you could say you took a bullet for the girl, but as others have suggested chances are that she has been beaten by this guy before and she is subjecting herself to this kind of repeat abuse.

I can see situations where it would be helpful to own a gun. But in my opinion, carrying a gun will bring up far more negative situations than it will turn bad situations into good situations. And using a gun to become a crimefighter, IE breaking up this and other similar situations by waving your gun around, is bound to result in really really bad things sooner rather than later. I think it would have been pretty stupid to brandish your gun in this situation, all things considered.

[tonypaladino]

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Thanks. I'm glad the desire to protect myself make me less respectable.

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Well I apparently misunderstood your post. For some reason I read it as "well I'm gonna get a gun so I can go around and solve these problems myself instead of having to call the cops!" like you were going to become some kind of crimefighter or something.

But even you said you were joking, so I can't see how you can fault me for responding with disgust to your original statement. Of course I didn't know it was a joke when I first read it.


In any case, I think you handled the situation on the street really well. Even if you were carrying a gun, do you really think it would have been a great idea to wave it around and tell the guy to stop? Sure, most of the time that will resolve the situation immediately. But what about the times he pulls out his own gun, or does something else unpredictable? A decent percentage of the time (even if it's as low as 5% it's still so important) someone is going to get seriously hurt in this kind of situation. I guess you could say you took a bullet for the girl, but as others have suggested chances are that she has been beaten by this guy before and she is subjecting herself to this kind of repeat abuse.

I can see situations where it would be helpful to own a gun. But in my opinion, carrying a gun will bring up far more negative situations than it will turn bad situations into good situations. And using a gun to become a crimefighter, IE breaking up this and other similar situations by waving your gun around, is bound to result in really really bad things sooner rather than later. I think it would have been pretty stupid to brandish your gun in this situation, all things considered.

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I agree, it would be an improper situation to bring out a gun. I took your post as saying you lost respect because of gun ownership in general.

[2+2 wannabe]

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In Canada this is so easy. You get involved.

In most of the US [censored] no.

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[El Barto]

The girlfriend may not have appreciated your calling the cops. She chooses to be his girlfriend afterall, and now he will be pissed at having the cops called, and he will blame her for that happening.

If she wants you to call the cops, then fine, but she wasn't in serious danger from what you describe, and she may not appreciate your meddling. What do you know about what their relationship is?

[fnord_too]

I think you intervened in the best way possible there.

[jaydub]

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Thanks. I'm glad the desire to protect myself make me less respectable.

[/ QUOTE ]
Well I apparently misunderstood your post. For some reason I read it as "well I'm gonna get a gun so I can go around and solve these problems myself instead of having to call the cops!" like you were going to become some kind of crimefighter or something.

But even you said you were joking, so I can't see how you can fault me for responding with disgust to your original statement. Of course I didn't know it was a joke when I first read it.


In any case, I think you handled the situation on the street really well. Even if you were carrying a gun, do you really think it would have been a great idea to wave it around and tell the guy to stop? Sure, most of the time that will resolve the situation immediately. But what about the times he pulls out his own gun, or does something else unpredictable? A decent percentage of the time (even if it's as low as 5% it's still so important) someone is going to get seriously hurt in this kind of situation. I guess you could say you took a bullet for the girl, but as others have suggested chances are that she has been beaten by this guy before and she is subjecting herself to this kind of repeat abuse.

I can see situations where it would be helpful to own a gun. But in my opinion, carrying a gun will bring up far more negative situations than it will turn bad situations into good situations. And using a gun to become a crimefighter, IE breaking up this and other similar situations by waving your gun around, is bound to result in really really bad things sooner rather than later. I think it would have been pretty stupid to brandish your gun in this situation, all things considered.

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Actually I would say the situation gets far more complicated with a concealed weapon and should make one less likely to want to get involved.

First off, you cannot simply draw the weapon unless the woman is in mortal danger. Do so improperly and an arrest will occur.

Second, getting into any kind of physical altercation with a concealed weapon is a tricky proposition. As mentioned, you cannot simply draw yet you are in a position where you are in a fight that can easily turn lethal. You need to worry about him grabbing the weapon, which is a lot easier since ccw holsters are not designed for retention like cop holsters. While it's possible that he will never know you have a weapon, bad things can happen if he does.

[HopeydaFish]

You did the right thing. Don't try to personally intervene in these situations. Let the police handle the situation, that's what they're paid for and trained to do. You don't want to get yourself in the middle of a domestic dispute -- that would be a good way to get yourself killed.

Apparently, the law-abiding citizen that had a concealed handgun license is OBVIOUSLY that jackass beating up on his girlfriend, and he's gonna draw and shoot you dead as soon as you say, "Hey, stop that!"

... yeah. The people I know with CCW permits are some of the most well mannered people I've ever met. Cause/effect, blah blah, but its quite true. Considering that I've become the latest poster-boy for the anti-gun crazies out there, I feel the need to drop off my $0.02 [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Assume I have my concealed handgun license, and assume I'm carrying my Glock 19, loaded w/hollow points and one in the tube. Assume that I'm Tony, and I walk outside to stumble upon this scene.

What in the hell makes you think I'm gonna pull out my gun and aim in at this guy? There are many, many laws that govern rules of engagement, and though I don't know them inside and out right now, I'm 95% sure I'd be going to jail right alongside the moron beating his wife... and my CHL would be revoked.

I would have done the exact same thing Tony did. My gun's sole purpose is to protect me and my family. Not to protect some broad from her crazy drunk boyfriend. That's what the cops are for.

Apologies for the semi-hijack.

Being results-oriented I'd say your play was good, as the cops got there quickly and no harm done to your person.

I do think the least you could have done was shout in their direction. I think this would subdue the guy just a bit, knowing that someone sees this.

I would shout without getting TOO close and then call the cops. You are probably right, he was probably drunk and you just don't want to get involved in that crap.

Anyone over the age of 25 has too much to lose over something like this! If you are under 25, I'd say being a hero is much more feasible.

This, of course, is just a huge generalization. All-in-all I'd say good play by you.

[kyro]

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I went outside to get some air and smoke a cigarette.

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Good one.