Black "fake" revolver pointed at me on campus today
- Thread starter conw
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Travis Lee
Member
People get SHOT for that in the real world.
Dismantler
Member
conwict, I think that you have handled this well. Your letter is good, and it is the correct response.
I am sure that if this was a real threat, without people giggling around the gun wielder, that your response would have also been correct.
Unfortunately, we do not always react with clarity when we are offered insult, and then we think, "I should have said/done..." Your reaction was normal, and your follow-up good. Turn up the heat if you have to.
I am sure that if this was a real threat, without people giggling around the gun wielder, that your response would have also been correct.
Unfortunately, we do not always react with clarity when we are offered insult, and then we think, "I should have said/done..." Your reaction was normal, and your follow-up good. Turn up the heat if you have to.
Thanks Dismantler!
As another poster said, it was a sobering reminder that if it had been a real gun, I would have likely been dead (unless the guy missed
)...I think my situational awareness will be forever raised to "high yellow" from "regular yellow."
I'm actually glad I didn't see those people or the teacher after I came back out of the library, because I was cussin' mad. My adrenaline wanted to do something for me.
As another poster said, it was a sobering reminder that if it had been a real gun, I would have likely been dead (unless the guy missed
)...I think my situational awareness will be forever raised to "high yellow" from "regular yellow."I'm actually glad I didn't see those people or the teacher after I came back out of the library, because I was cussin' mad. My adrenaline wanted to do something for me.
mnw42
Member
People have been shot and killed over such a stunt.
It would be bad enough to draw on anyone, for any reason. I shudder at the thought of shooting someone and finding out it was a "fake" gun.
Damn! That is Darwin level stupidity!
It would be bad enough to draw on anyone, for any reason. I shudder at the thought of shooting someone and finding out it was a "fake" gun.
Damn! That is Darwin level stupidity!
NASCAR_MAN
member
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2007
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- 179
I think you over-reacted.
I think you over-reacted. Mellow out and get some perspective.
NASCAR
I think you over-reacted. Mellow out and get some perspective.
NASCAR
doc2rn
Member
I would have filed a police report against the student and school administration who let this happen.
Treo
member
At first I though Conwict over reacted as well. But, if you read the OP it still wasn't apparent when he wrote the letter that the gun was a training gun. So as of right now we're fairly certain it was a training aid but it might have been the real deal.
Considering recent school shooting I don't think a letter to the teacher is over the top.
Considering recent school shooting I don't think a letter to the teacher is over the top.
IMHO you were correct to write a letter, and should be determined to follow up on it.
The professor and his student(s) need some education in the handling of real and fake firearms.
If you righteously pursue this (as I think you should), you may have a convert, or you may give an anti a taste of their own medicine.
The professor and his student(s) need some education in the handling of real and fake firearms.
If you righteously pursue this (as I think you should), you may have a convert, or you may give an anti a taste of their own medicine.
Sato Ord
Member
Since everyone else has told you that you had a right to react the way you did I won't beat a dead horse.
However, don't keep us hanging for ever, when you get a reply let us know. Keep us updated.
However, don't keep us hanging for ever, when you get a reply let us know. Keep us updated.
SEMO Shooter
Member
I don't think you over reacted, and I think your letter is well written. ADULTS should know better than pointing guns (real are not) at anyone. This situation should be addressed. A criminal justice student should be better trained, and as an ex-Leo the instructor is failing in his teaching.
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Cougfan2
Member
Meaning no disrespect, but for the people that say conwict over reacted, as for myself, I'm armed 24X7 and if someone points a real looking weapon at me, I'm not going to wait to see if they are really going to shoot me. I will shoot until slide lock. This a**hat needs AT LEAST a good chewing on from the police if not arrest for menacing. The prof needs to be suspended if it is determined that he had any part in this. 
Funderb
Member
probably would have avoided saying the,
"what I could have done in retaliation" part.
Those kind of things can be misconstrued as threats.
"what I could have done in retaliation" part.
Those kind of things can be misconstrued as threats.
It's one time I'm glad I was unarmed. I would like to hear what anyone who disagreed with me writing the letter would have done, particularly if they had been armed at the time they were threatened (unintentionally or not, which is debatable). This is also kind of a "Strategies and Tactics" topic because we all have to balance our reflexes against the possibility (however slight) of being menaced by a fake gun by someone who is...I don't know, young, or mentally deficient, or whatever the guy who did it to me was.
As far as the "threatening" part of the letter, I think I did a good job of keeping that low-key in this context. I am fairly confident that this college will not take the prof's side to the point of trying to get me in trouble. I am starting to think he may be pulling a card like that as he hasn't responded and he read it at 8 pm last night, but I am not worried. I didn't do anything wrong, and I also said (in essence) that the purpose of the letter was to get an apology and make sure he didn't abuse his privilege as teacher any more. I think most people would agree that my assessment about undercover agents or ex-military is accurate, and thus it's more a statement of fact than a threat. I didn't go into any great detail, and I pointed out that it would be tragic if anyone had gotten hurt. I even went so far as to say that any personal embarrassment on my part was beside the point.
As far as the "threatening" part of the letter, I think I did a good job of keeping that low-key in this context. I am fairly confident that this college will not take the prof's side to the point of trying to get me in trouble. I am starting to think he may be pulling a card like that as he hasn't responded and he read it at 8 pm last night, but I am not worried. I didn't do anything wrong, and I also said (in essence) that the purpose of the letter was to get an apology and make sure he didn't abuse his privilege as teacher any more. I think most people would agree that my assessment about undercover agents or ex-military is accurate, and thus it's more a statement of fact than a threat. I didn't go into any great detail, and I pointed out that it would be tragic if anyone had gotten hurt. I even went so far as to say that any personal embarrassment on my part was beside the point.
To summarize, I am satisfied thus far with the letter, and I appreciate all the responses I've gotten on here.
As far as my further actions, I will simply forward this letter to a few choice administration members if he does not respond by 4 pm. I think it's perfectly reasonable to expect that of him. I would have been happy with a simple "I'm sorry, it was a lapse in my judgment. If you would like to speak in person I am willing to do so" from him. That wouldn't take 60 seconds out of his day.
As far as my further actions, I will simply forward this letter to a few choice administration members if he does not respond by 4 pm. I think it's perfectly reasonable to expect that of him. I would have been happy with a simple "I'm sorry, it was a lapse in my judgment. If you would like to speak in person I am willing to do so" from him. That wouldn't take 60 seconds out of his day.
SEMO Shooter
Member
We may all say that we would have done this or that in your situation, but none of us really know how we would have reacted or what we would have done. I think you handled the situation well given your circumstances that day.
conwict,
I think you're handling this excellently. I think the fact that you didn't get an immediate response goes to show a lot of on the professor's side of things, and I think you do need to let some of the people higher up the chain know about this incident. It's one of those things were the incident itself isn't really grounds to do much of anything (administratively at least....like I doubt they'll fire him or anything), but sometimes patterns of poor choices can lead to some disciplinary actions.
It's just like when people have an incident out in public....generally it's a good idea to file a police report, even if you don't expect any immediate action to come from it. It's always good to have that documentation, because you don't know when you're going to need it again in the future.
I think you're handling this excellently. I think the fact that you didn't get an immediate response goes to show a lot of on the professor's side of things, and I think you do need to let some of the people higher up the chain know about this incident. It's one of those things were the incident itself isn't really grounds to do much of anything (administratively at least....like I doubt they'll fire him or anything), but sometimes patterns of poor choices can lead to some disciplinary actions.
It's just like when people have an incident out in public....generally it's a good idea to file a police report, even if you don't expect any immediate action to come from it. It's always good to have that documentation, because you don't know when you're going to need it again in the future.
TCUGLOCKER
Member
That Letter is pure class. Thanks for being a credit to the firearms community, you're quite right to demand some accountability and correct a teacher who it seems is passing on dangerous levels of ignorance to their students.
IllHunter
Member
I agree with your actions
My instinct is to wallop but I also chose to override the ovewhelmng to choke the cra. outta the mug. I had a real but emptygun pointed at me and I detached the rifle from him and castigated him on several levels without reverting to profanity. Then his dad came over and jumped me for talking thusly to his son. I tore him up verbally for allowing his teen to play with guns without his supervision, without the required FOID card and for not teaching him the first rule of gun handling. I wagered the long odds that the gun was unloaded and walked into the muzzle and scope stare across @75' and an escalator to disarm the kid and it was a very very uncomfortable travel. The store management guy who was walking with me, complimented me on not going "postal" and keeping my cool. I truthfully don't know how I didn't swear there somewhere.
Good work, great letter, don't let it fade, the instructor should know better.
My instinct is to wallop but I also chose to override the ovewhelmng to choke the cra. outta the mug. I had a real but emptygun pointed at me and I detached the rifle from him and castigated him on several levels without reverting to profanity. Then his dad came over and jumped me for talking thusly to his son. I tore him up verbally for allowing his teen to play with guns without his supervision, without the required FOID card and for not teaching him the first rule of gun handling. I wagered the long odds that the gun was unloaded and walked into the muzzle and scope stare across @75' and an escalator to disarm the kid and it was a very very uncomfortable travel. The store management guy who was walking with me, complimented me on not going "postal" and keeping my cool. I truthfully don't know how I didn't swear there somewhere.
Good work, great letter, don't let it fade, the instructor should know better.Evil Monkey
member
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So conwict, you had what you assumed to be a real firearm pointed at you and all you did was type a letter?
I would've RAVAGED that school. I would've called the cops RIGHT AWAY, and hope they'd bring a SWAT team. I would've done anything I could legally to destroy that kids life, the professor, the dean, any conspirators who were in on it if there were any. I'd probably get the local news there if I could.
Could you imagine the headlines?
"Liberal colleges outlaw CCW but OK for students to threaten others with fake gun"
"Local college professor gives student fake gun to threaten others with"
"CCW on campus? After last weeks incident, experts say "good idea!"
"Professor and student conspire to kill students: Dean approves"
OK so maybe that's wishful thinking. But somebody WILL pay.
I would've RAVAGED that school. I would've called the cops RIGHT AWAY, and hope they'd bring a SWAT team. I would've done anything I could legally to destroy that kids life, the professor, the dean, any conspirators who were in on it if there were any. I'd probably get the local news there if I could.
Could you imagine the headlines?
"Liberal colleges outlaw CCW but OK for students to threaten others with fake gun"
"Local college professor gives student fake gun to threaten others with"
"CCW on campus? After last weeks incident, experts say "good idea!"
"Professor and student conspire to kill students: Dean approves"
OK so maybe that's wishful thinking. But somebody WILL pay.
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