Silverhair
Member
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2008
- Messages
- 5
These really happened to my wife.
Location: A major Texas city in a very high crime, run down, industrial, area of that city. Warehouse/factory with office space. Has been burglarized multiple times, despite bars on windows, alarms, etc.
Warehouse is on the East side of a street that is about 70 feet wide. North end of the block the street crosses a major street. The South end of the block has one narrow street that goes East for one block and then connects to a significant street. No South or West outlets.
There are no residences. The other buildings on the street are warehouses for the business that we will discuss.
Background: My wife would arrive at 6AM every weekday morning and open the steel door, step inside and lock the door. The area around the door is clear for about 100 feet in all directions. There is nothing close that anybody can hide behind in that distance. A little further North on the West side are some trees. Directly across is a truck partking lot. To the South, on the same side, about 100 feet from the door are some columns. The door is almost flush with the wall.
Twice she has arrived with a burglary in progress. She didn't have a CHL at the time. Once I was with her with a .45, Sig-Sauer P-220. I pulled my gun and the burglar dropped his loot and ran. I didn't shoot, nor did I pursue. The other time the police got there in time and captured the burglar.
I told her that she had to get a CHL. Sooner or later, probably sooner, somebody was going to notice that she opened the door, alone, daily, at 6AM and would be waiting for her. Once he forced her to open the door, he would have to silence her, so she was in deadly danger as I saw things.
The block is ALWAYS completely deserted at 6AM.
Block has lights, and there is a street light above the door.
About 100 feet to the North on the West side of
My wife: At the time she was 59, 4' 10". She had, and has, a CHL. (Texas for CCW.) Carries a .38 S&W airweight w/ Crimson Trace, loaded with alternating Glazer (first shot) and hydrashock, carried in a Thompson Gunny Pack. Although the gun is concealed, to a street smart person a woman with both a purse and a "fanny pack" screams GUN.
Tactics: Enters the block from the side street at the South, drives the car past the door, makes a U-turn so her lights can sweep the area, then drives past the door and makes another U-turn so her lights can again sweep the area. If anybody is seen, she leaves.
Parks car about 30 feet North of the door - required by company, can't park in front of door. Gets out of car with her hand inside the gunny pack, hand on gun in ready position, finger beside trigger. Looks around again, walks to door, looking around as she does so. Taps in door code, looks around again, enters office, door auto closes and locks, turns on lights, makes an inspection of the offices with her hand still on the gun. Once satisfied, starts to work, but stays alert for odd noises. Others arrive at 7AM. (Office space is locked off from the rest of the factory.)
I have taught her that if it ever happened, because the perp would have to start his approach from 100 feet away, if she saw him first, he would tell her some sort of story as to why he had to come up and talk to her. She was trained to NOT engage in any converstation but to only give the warning, "Stay away !" At about half way across the street she was to draw and present the gun, repeating, "Stay away !" If the perp continues to approach - SHOOT.
First incident: Happened about three months after she got her CHL. Temperature was about 28 degrees. She went through her approach drill, saw no one, got out of the car, hand in gunny pack on gun. A young male, dressed in light weight clothing, street hood style, stepped out from behind a truck in a parking lot across the street, about 120 feet away. Walking very quickly, he approached her. She quickly saw him, turned to face him and placed her back against the wall, yelled, "Stay away !" He continued to approach, claiming he needed directions to the bridge where the homeless people stay. She said, "I don't know. Go away !" He stopped about halfway across the street, at about 40 feet from her, paused, then fast walked away.
Second incident: About four months later. Weather was moderate. This perp was dressed about the same as the first one. This time he stepped from behind one of the trees to try to approach her. He claimed to be panhandling. She did the same as before. He stopped at about the same place, then understanding dawned on him. He threw his hands in the air, backwalked away, saying, "Lady, I ain't got no gun. I ain't got no knife." Then he turned and ran.
Your opinions please BTW - She doesn't work there anymore. The place went bankrupt. Anyway, what is your opinion? I realize that it is impossible to know for certain, but do you think she was in serious danger in those two incidents. What likely would have happened if she had not been armed?
We have talked about them, and she has said that at the time, she knew that she would be able to pull the gun and shoot if they had kept coming. She describes it as a calm determination settling on her that she was not going to be an easy victim. We had drilled with airsoft guns with me playing the bad guy, and she was about to let the drills take over if the guys had made another couple of steps. We are glad that the perps ran away, no shots fired.
Your opinions?
Location: A major Texas city in a very high crime, run down, industrial, area of that city. Warehouse/factory with office space. Has been burglarized multiple times, despite bars on windows, alarms, etc.
Warehouse is on the East side of a street that is about 70 feet wide. North end of the block the street crosses a major street. The South end of the block has one narrow street that goes East for one block and then connects to a significant street. No South or West outlets.
There are no residences. The other buildings on the street are warehouses for the business that we will discuss.
Background: My wife would arrive at 6AM every weekday morning and open the steel door, step inside and lock the door. The area around the door is clear for about 100 feet in all directions. There is nothing close that anybody can hide behind in that distance. A little further North on the West side are some trees. Directly across is a truck partking lot. To the South, on the same side, about 100 feet from the door are some columns. The door is almost flush with the wall.
Twice she has arrived with a burglary in progress. She didn't have a CHL at the time. Once I was with her with a .45, Sig-Sauer P-220. I pulled my gun and the burglar dropped his loot and ran. I didn't shoot, nor did I pursue. The other time the police got there in time and captured the burglar.
I told her that she had to get a CHL. Sooner or later, probably sooner, somebody was going to notice that she opened the door, alone, daily, at 6AM and would be waiting for her. Once he forced her to open the door, he would have to silence her, so she was in deadly danger as I saw things.
The block is ALWAYS completely deserted at 6AM.
Block has lights, and there is a street light above the door.
About 100 feet to the North on the West side of
My wife: At the time she was 59, 4' 10". She had, and has, a CHL. (Texas for CCW.) Carries a .38 S&W airweight w/ Crimson Trace, loaded with alternating Glazer (first shot) and hydrashock, carried in a Thompson Gunny Pack. Although the gun is concealed, to a street smart person a woman with both a purse and a "fanny pack" screams GUN.
Tactics: Enters the block from the side street at the South, drives the car past the door, makes a U-turn so her lights can sweep the area, then drives past the door and makes another U-turn so her lights can again sweep the area. If anybody is seen, she leaves.
Parks car about 30 feet North of the door - required by company, can't park in front of door. Gets out of car with her hand inside the gunny pack, hand on gun in ready position, finger beside trigger. Looks around again, walks to door, looking around as she does so. Taps in door code, looks around again, enters office, door auto closes and locks, turns on lights, makes an inspection of the offices with her hand still on the gun. Once satisfied, starts to work, but stays alert for odd noises. Others arrive at 7AM. (Office space is locked off from the rest of the factory.)
I have taught her that if it ever happened, because the perp would have to start his approach from 100 feet away, if she saw him first, he would tell her some sort of story as to why he had to come up and talk to her. She was trained to NOT engage in any converstation but to only give the warning, "Stay away !" At about half way across the street she was to draw and present the gun, repeating, "Stay away !" If the perp continues to approach - SHOOT.
First incident: Happened about three months after she got her CHL. Temperature was about 28 degrees. She went through her approach drill, saw no one, got out of the car, hand in gunny pack on gun. A young male, dressed in light weight clothing, street hood style, stepped out from behind a truck in a parking lot across the street, about 120 feet away. Walking very quickly, he approached her. She quickly saw him, turned to face him and placed her back against the wall, yelled, "Stay away !" He continued to approach, claiming he needed directions to the bridge where the homeless people stay. She said, "I don't know. Go away !" He stopped about halfway across the street, at about 40 feet from her, paused, then fast walked away.
Second incident: About four months later. Weather was moderate. This perp was dressed about the same as the first one. This time he stepped from behind one of the trees to try to approach her. He claimed to be panhandling. She did the same as before. He stopped at about the same place, then understanding dawned on him. He threw his hands in the air, backwalked away, saying, "Lady, I ain't got no gun. I ain't got no knife." Then he turned and ran.
Your opinions please BTW - She doesn't work there anymore. The place went bankrupt. Anyway, what is your opinion? I realize that it is impossible to know for certain, but do you think she was in serious danger in those two incidents. What likely would have happened if she had not been armed?
We have talked about them, and she has said that at the time, she knew that she would be able to pull the gun and shoot if they had kept coming. She describes it as a calm determination settling on her that she was not going to be an easy victim. We had drilled with airsoft guns with me playing the bad guy, and she was about to let the drills take over if the guys had made another couple of steps. We are glad that the perps ran away, no shots fired.
Your opinions?
ught to be required reading despite anti-gun comments.Also 'Strong on Defense':same "Heed yer gut" advise & neutral on guns.