Ok, so yesterday a what if scenario popped into my head and I think it stands as something that I'd like to share and get everyone's opinion on. Let me set the stage:

Yesterday for Memorial Day some friends gathered at a local establishment for drinks, a jukebox, and some darts. This establishment is in a neighborhood that I grew up in and is generally safe, but there are aspects left to be desired. The establishment is right on the NW corner of a four way intersection. Across the intersection at the SW location is another small business, a quick mart or bodega type store. Parking is along the street as its a residential area. And me and the wife parked right south of the storefront. It seems, unfortunately, that the local baddies or want-to-be's are using it for a hangout. During, our few hours there, I heard locals make comments about the kids hanging out front and about how they hate it. I also witnessed at least one drive up and handout delivery, along w/ special handshakes. This is where my what if starts to take shape as eventually we will be leaving, and may have interaction walking back to our car. (There were no kids hanging out front when we pulled up)

So, let's say that while leaving we are accosted. The situation goes south quickly, when multiple tangos decide to tangle. Lets say shots are fired putting down at least one bad guy. Some tangos run. Now my first thoughts are to secure my position while calling the police and awaiting their arrival.
This is where the options come in and also where I'd like to know everyone's thoughts. I'm imagining response time being 2-5 minutes. That can be an awful long time out in the middle of the street. My biggest worry is for my wife so I would tell her to go back to the bar. My concern is that the tangos will come back looking to get me. Standing in the middle of the street seems like a bad move. Multiple avenues that I'd have to cover.
I don't want to sit in my car as that is also hard to defend as well. Also, I don't want to make it seem like I'm leaving the scene.
My thought is the best place to wait is back at the bar.
What are your thoughts?



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I would wait inside the store, if it's open.

Prosecution may have a field day with you waiting inside a bar, whether or not you've partaken.

I would run like a scared jackrabbit with my family to the car, have my wife drive us away while I called 911. She's less amped on adrenaline than you are so she's probably a better candidate to be driving.

the 911 convo would go like this: I was just robbed at the convenience store, I'm a CCW permit holder and I shot at the guy, we have fled the area in our car because I have my family with me and I wanted to make sure they are safe. I'm the passenger in  DESCRIBE CAR with LICENSE PLATES and we're currently going N/S/E/E on STREET. What do you want me to do?

If the answer is "drive back to the scene", tell the nice lady on the phone that you will do so as soon as there are cops there. really, I would prefer to just pull over and have them come to me, and as a cop I would prefer the same. When the good guys show up, have the gun NOT in your hand- holstered, on the floor of the car, on the ground, on the trunk, there's pros and cons to everything, but not in your hand and everyone's hands up and in plain sight are all good things.

Expect a "high risk traffic stop" response. Everyone should get pulled out of the car, everyone will get cuffed and stuffed for a minute until they figure out what happened.

Mike


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Yep. You need to give a very brief (very, very brief) overview of what happened, then request an attorney and politely decline to respond to further questions about the event. Be advised that routine questions like identifying information, CCW status, etc, are not questions covered by Miranda. Onky questions about the potential crime are. When in doubt, shut your mouth, but be reasonable about it. "What's your address?" is completely different from "so what was the time interval between when you saw the gun and when you shot him?"

Mike

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Is it reasonable to respond to the standard identifying questions by politely handing over your DL and CHL? Do they need more info than they can get off those documents before you get an attorney?

In SERE school, we referred to the practice as "John Wayne." Give only Name, Rank, and Serial Number. It was not recommended.