My story Defensive use of a firearm #2,000,002

[sturmruger]

I want to thank all of the THR members, and Oleg for starting this great place to hang out online. It has helped me learn to be alert and aware of my surroundings. Before THR I hung out on TFL, but it got shut down a month or two after I joined so I wasn’t there very long. I had a run in tonight with a scumbag. We were never were within 50 yards of each other, and we didn’t speak a word, but it happened he knew it and I knew it.

My wife and I were over at my parents house tonight for dinner. My parents live in NE Minneapolis. It is a nice neighborhood that unfortunately borders some seemly sections of town. We left my parents right around 10:45 to go find a gas station before we made the 40-minute trip back to River Falls, WI. I recently signed up for a Speedpass device. It is a small device that you place on your keychain that allows you to buy gas without any sort of plastic or paper currency. You simply wave it at the pump and start pumping gas. I got it in the mail on Fri and have been dying to try it out. I remembered from my searches online that there was a Mobile station with Speedpass on East Hennepin just east of 35W a block or two. Since this station is just two minutes from my parents I thought it would be a good place to fill up. As I was driving down Hennepin looking for the Mobil station I accidentally drove right by it. It is a small gas station that is not up to par with modern standards. It looks like an old service stations you would find in a small town. The lights were all out and there were several parked cars sitting next to the station. The only way I knew I could get gas was one of the pumps was all lit up. I pulled in turned off the car and hopped out to pump the gas. I waved the keychain at the pump, and it lit up like a Christmas tree indicating I could start pumping gas.

While I was taking care of the mechanics of getting gas I started intently observing my surroundings. Ever since I drove up I had an uneasy feeling. I didn’t know if it was because of the lack of lighting around the station, or the fact that the area is a little rougher then I am used to. At first I thought that the two guys across the street were the cause of my discomfort. They were messing around with stuff, one grabbed a tire iron the other one had something in his hands, but eventually they started working on a car and ignored me completely. While the gas was filling up I handed the keys back to my wife and told her to start the car. It was then that I noticed about a block away was a dark shape walking very quickly towards us.

My first instinct was to think that it was just a person out running or walking for exercise as they were moving rather quickly. As the shape got closer I could see that the figure was dressed in some clothes that were obviously too baggy to be running or jogging. Gas pump said 8 out 16 gallons were now in the car. I scanned the rest of the area and then glanced back behind me to check out the guy that was in a hurry. I noticed he was no longer in such a hurry, but he was still walking my way. At this point my alarm started to go off. I started thinking about all of the possible scenarios and what I could do to proactively assert myself. I decided to physically move away from the gas pump and move to the rear of the car where I could make it obvious that I was watching him. I also put my hand on my holstered Steyr S40 that was covered up by a sweatshirt.

As I started to make it obvious that I am looking at him his body language began to change. He was no longer confidently walking towards me. He stopped turned around like he was going to walk away, then turned back so he was facing me and continues on towards me. Then he stops again looks at me some more then turns around and starts to walk the other way really fast. At this point the gas is done. I whip out the gas pump hose, slam it back into the pump run around to the other side of the car and get the hell out of dodge. It felt good to be back in rural WI after a situation like that.


Maybe I scared the crap out of some good law abiding person I guess I will never know. It is the second time that my internal alarm has gone off like that. The last time was in Vegas when my wife and I were walking on a less then great portion of the strip and we had two little shadows that kept following us. I reacted the same way; I didn’t act scared or worried. I tried to be as obvious as possible that I had noticed their presence and acted confidently enough to make them think I had a plan. In Vegas I was unarmed the other night on Hennepin I was armed. It is amazing how much more secure I felt with my trusty S40 on my hip.

I don’t know if anyone will learn anything from this, but it has made me even more committed to staying aware and always being able to protect my wife and I. Josey was 2,000,001 , I guess I am Defensive use of a firearm # 2,000,002.

 

[sm]

First I'm happy you shared with us all.

You again show that being aware of surroundings and listening to your gut is wise. Second the gun grabbers do not understand how many times the CCW-er does NOT have to actually produce or use a firearm to defend or stave off a "situation". Really no way to produce the numbers for review.

Yes - gas pumps makes one vulnerable, especially with passengers or especially kids. In my case I had my mom sitting in the truck, verbally " I want to see your hands" made the fella decide to turn and leave. Later caught , this fella was the one matching desciption of grabbing purses from ladies vehicles while pumping gas. No one noticed my hand was close to a CCW under jacket...except the fella upon hearing my verbal commands.

 

[goalie]

A lot of stuff goes down in that area (and a lot more just a little to the east of there). I have actually witnessed people shooting at other people twice while driving into Abbott Northwestern Hospital at night for work, both times outside Sonny's Bar on Lake and Chicago. The sound of gunfire is a common occurrance in that neighborhood whenever the weather is warmer than about 50-60 degrees. Three times people have walked up to my car and tried to open the passanger door (I keep them locked) before I could drive off from a red light at Chicago and Lake, so now I drive in to work on a different route to avoid a left turn at that intersection and I keep my SP101 on the seat until I hit the parking ramp.

Glad to hear you were all right. Situational awarness pays off again for someone.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Good call on your part. Your "gut" is there for a reason.

I had one similar to that: Out for a walk at night in my neighborhood after working the night shift. Had a guy follow me for five blocks. He kept the distance a little close for comfort, made every corner I did followed me across the street in the middle of the block at one point.

I finally did an instant 180 to face him and gripped the butt of my SP101 in my pocket and looked directly at him. At this point I hadn't pulled yet, but you could see the wheels turning in his head. He stopped, locked eyes with me for about 30 seconds, then turned and walked off in the oppisite direction without saying a word.

Like you I had no idea as to this persons intentions, my gut said "trouble!!" Had he taken one more step he would have been looking down the muzzle.

You and I are just 2 more defensive uses of a firearm you'll never see in the media.

 

[Josey]

I know that there is a lot of press and hype about crime stats. The fact is, crime declines against persons when shall issue CCW passes. The BGs simply don't know WHO is a victim and who is a warrior. I enjoy hearing these stories. A friend used to call them True Stories of the Gun.

 

[PALEFACE]

i remeber one day i was on my way home from shopping with my wife, we had been arguing so i was paying enough attention and i accidentally cut someone off. i didn't give it much thought as we pulled up to the stop light. next thing i know their is a really pissed off guy wealing a crow bar in my direction,as he comes up to our car still screaming i show him my usp40 compact. well he didn't want any of that and quickly left.

another time i was visiting my brother, i had got a new sound system and he wanted to check it out. it was about 9pm and were in the parking space when i see 4 would be thugs approaching my car very very fast, i grab my usp and step out of the car puting myself between the door and driver seat. one of them starts in on my brother ,so i let them know that i was armed and willing. they also left fast, later i found out that two of them had pistols and were out to settle some problems with my brother.

 

[4v50 Gary]

"Use the force"

You certainly used the force and projected it too. It kept you and Josey in one piece and the naughty man well behaved.

 

[sturmruger]

I know what you mean Goalie. I lived up by Abbot Northwestern right off of Penn for 6 months. It wasn't by choice my parents had a fire and a friend had a place for us to live for a few months. That was one of the scariest 6 months ever!! Our friend now lives in the place we were staying. Luckily he has enough guns for small army.

 

[clubsoda22]

Yes - gas pumps makes one vulnerable

I disagree. If someone tried to mug me while i was filling my car at a gas station, i'd probably hose him with gasoline.

Go ahead, shoot me now. I dare ya.

 

[sturmruger]

That is a good plan Club. The problem is that damn sensor they have in the end of the hose I don't know if I would be able to get the gas to spew out. The other problem is if the guy is doused in gasoline the best thing he could do is run and give you a big bear hug.

*Note to self* never light a man on fire if he is hugging you.

 

[clubsoda22]

The problem is that damn sensor they have in the end of the hose I don't know if I would be able to get the gas to spew out.

Yeah you would, the sensor is overfill protection. You can spray it like a garden hose if you wanted to.

Currently, i don't carry, so sparying him with gasoline is probably the best thing i could do. Basically, it's a good reason for him not to shoot me. Also, if he's on fire, he's probably not gonna be thinking straight or running straight enough to catch me and put me in a bear hug.

 

[sm]

Yes I wrote:

Yes - gas pumps makes one vulnerable, especially with passengers or especially kids.

Allow me to clarify with my experience. Please note I am single, however I was raised with sibs, have been married and did have a stepson. I also have taken mom, my wife at the time, one of my neices or nephews various places, and some persons do actually ride with me.

The last thing I want to do is get into a situation where I do not have an out. I don't pull up to the bumper of the car in front of me at a stoplight for instance. I really do put effort into NOT appearing as easy prey, I use situational awareness. "IF" at a stoplight a situation occurs I have the "option" of getting out there...even if it means running a light, backing up ...whatever to use the vehicle as a weapon.

One of the most vulnerable times a person has is when they are exiting or entering a vehicle. The engine is off, usally means it is parked and could mean even if they did jump back in - they could not immediatley leave due to vehicles parked in front, back, traffic of parking lanes or even busy residential traffic. Not always a safe haven in a locked car...might be more of a prey contained in a box.

So you have your mom sitting in passenger side and a thug approches with hands in pockets on her side. My hands are off the pump and letting it pump itself.

I am responsible for mom's safety am I not? There is a vehicle , vacant in front that backed into the pump area in front of me...too close, I can't safely back out blindly because of 4 lanes of traffic. So in my case the gaunlet was thrown to do something. I had to "stand my ground". I'm not going to run and leave mom sitting there - am I?

Lets say I have my adorable neice. We have a "Morgan Nick Alert" here in AR becasue of the abduction of a child at a ball park some years ago...she has never been found. "Amber Alert" is what most states call it and we have adapted the name along with the Morgan Alert. She is six y/o now...but even younger she noiced "this" Uncle" did not let her run around , get of of vehicle at the gas station to get a soda by herself. Kids don't want the soda as much as the act of using a machine and spending money. Kids also by nature dilly dalley getting out of a vehicle...it takes time to get out of a safety seat, and when the adult [me] has my back to the public to un-buckle her...especially if she is asleep. I'm vulenerable and so is she.

She has learned, being older , and my lessons to sit tight, pay attention and keep doors locked while I pump gas. Yep she will blast that horn [ as agreed] if she thinks something is not right.

How about a drive thru for a pharmacy. Take a person sick as can be with cancer, to get chemo, radiation and there you sit with a poorly designed drive thru NOT affording escape. The passenger is so weak and sick they are helpless. Easy prey with a credit card, and I'm responsible am I not? So do I leave them in vehicle and go in leaving them sit outside, or take the drive thru? Not uncommon for thugs to hit drive thrus and snag purses , money and wallets...especially the poorly desined ones with high curbs, no outside lane and vehicles fore and aft. There is a reason why I do not go to a certain BK and others...more than once and thug or two pointed a gun, reached in grabbed a purse, wallet and ran...so quick and fast nobody could get a description or do anything.

I have diven to many states alone. So there I sit at a gas station with AR plates in PA, WVA,OH, KY, TN, GA, FL, OK ...and who knows how many others. I may not know "the neighborhood". I pump gas and go in to pee, get coffee... I gotta watch 360* ...because I am advertising by my plates I'm not from around here..."fresh meat"...So I did what I did by using verbal commands here at home.

I also watched the young mom in West VA with a baby when the thugs were eyeing her as we both pumped gas. I let it be known I was watching them and allowed my hand to go inside my jacket. I made it very clear the young mom was to drive to front of store to pay for her gas. I had paid for mine with a CC...I offered to use my CC to pay for hers and let her pay me cash. Problem was she needed to go inside and chnge the baby's diapers.

Yep, we both pulled to front of store with thugs still watching a bit closer than before. Yep I stayed in the gas mart until her diaper changing was done. I showed her my ID and remained polite, suggest she call the police...ended up me following her thru OH since I had to go that way anyway, and did until her exit.

There are those times passengers are the ones that makes things more easy for thugs- by myself I have options. I can just imagine pax has a lot more input and experience than I toting 5 boys around by herself. By ourselves we could simply run. With passengers I can't and I doubt very seriously pax would.

Just my thoughts, I could be wired wrong tho'.

 

[sturmruger]

Those are very good thoughts SM. I do not have any children yet, but I like the idea of having the kids honk the horn if they are worried about something.

The other night when we were stuck at the gas pump I gave the keys back to my wife for two reason one so she could stay warm, two because I wanted to be able to get the hell out of dodge if the situation warranted it.

 

[pax]

I do not have any children yet, but I like the idea of having the kids honk the horn if they are worried about something.

Well, that is certainly a better idea than giving birth to little savages who honk the horn because they think it's funny to make you bump your head on the hood of the car while you are changing the oil...

sm, my thought on the matter is that I fill up during the day, at known stations, as much as possible.

Unless it is after dark or at an unfamiliar location, at least one of my kids usually does get out of the van, because I am an old-fashioned girl who thinks the males who are accompanying me should be the ones to pump the gas -- even if said males are pre-pubescent and need to be helped to work the controls.

I don't drive with less than 1/4 tank of gasoline except in truly dire emergencies, I try to fill up during the day or (on the road) right before it gets dark while the pumps are still busy, I pay attention to what's going on around me ... and I don't worry about things, much.

My kids do all know that "get down" means "get DOWN right this very minute and don't lift your head until I say so no matter what you hear." The younger one think it's a game we play, the older ones know the truth but still think it's funny -- and there's no hope at all that my little herd of turtles could outrun trouble in most circumstances, so I generally plan to stand and deliver if it comes to that.

Do what you can and don't worry about the rest.

pax

 

[sturmruger]

Safety First

Pax you do raise a good point about the keeping the tank full, and filling up in daylight. In most cases I would have never stopped at the station I did. My eagerness to try my new gizmo clouded my common sense when thinking about our safety. I hate to think of the scum of the earth making us all change our lives around when it is safer to get gas. It would have been a lot smarter to just fill up in WI then to wait until I was in inner-city Minneapolis.

 

[Quartus]

The last thing I want to do is get into a situation where I do not have an out. I don't pull up to the bumper of the car in front of me at a stoplight for instance.

For the life of me I cannot understand why anyone pulls up tight. They do it routinely here in Virginia. Even on hills. Great - what if the guy in front has a stick shift?

Hello, idiot! It doesn't get you there any faster!



Good job, sturmruger, though I'd have passed on the fill-up in that neighborhood. Just asking for trouble. I keep it above the 1/4 mark so I have options open.

 

[sm]

Yes I keep the tank at least 2/3 full , in the winter 1/2 full at all times. And yes I do fill up during the day at known pumps here in the city. Had to get mom to quit using certain stations because of purse snatchings and stolen vehicles. Some at gunpoint some were just too easy...folks walking off after finishing , leaving the keys in ignition and walking in to pay since no CC dealie on pump...one has to wonder if not a set up...

Little heathens, ah yes I try to forget the sibs this eldest one toted around...paybacks are hell they say...

My adorable blue-eyed blond neice, is a bit Tom-Boyish at 6 y/o , bit of a ham, and likes theatre. She is into T - ball...humor does not describe...anyway she had seen the Morgan Nick dealie and the cop told the students what to do if a stranger attacks.

Next Day I see her and she is having trouble hitting the ball...Well Uncle Steve gave lessons...Uncle Steve really took notice of her wooden T ball bat.

We get the stance and all the basics covered and she starts hitting regular. I sent her home to her [ the youngest brat sib of mine] with a dealie I made she attaches to clothesline pole and can practice batting all by herself.

Now being a guy and all, I have no problem if a girl wants to learn how to do stuff like pump gas, check the oil...

We also discussed her Cop Talk about staying safe...kids are well kids...

So word is the adorable Neice is practicing "batting" ...the momma [ sib in -law] gets a bit concerned when she gets closer and hears " knees, groin, go for the wee wee"....I understand my name was used in vain...oh when her momma had to buy gas...a certain little girl was helping...with T ball bat in hand...I'm a bad Uncle...

 

[Ryder]

cannot understand why anyone pulls up tight

You must have a pickup truck? Cars fill in the rear. They park where they can stand in front of the pump to read the numbers while filling. That's going to mean crowding your bumper if you park a truck's fill even with the pump. I find it better to pull a truck past the pump a little then stand in front of the pump (between the fill and the rear tire). Can't recall having anyone crowd me doing that.

 

[Chuck Dye]

Hmmmm. Never thought of it THAT way.

Since moving to Oregon, where thou SHALT NOT pump thine own gasoline, I have only been annoyed at the practice if I have given it any thought at all.

 

[P95Carry]

I could be wired wrong tho'.

Steve .. I'd say that your wiring was well put together!! As for ''bad Uncle'' ... Bwhaha .... that's cool - ''bat in hand'' LOL!!

 

[Quartus]

You must have a pickup truck? Cars fill in the rear. They park where they can stand in front of the pump to read the numbers while filling. That's going to mean crowding your bumper if you park a truck's fill even with the pump. I find it better to pull a truck past the pump a little then stand in front of the pump (between the fill and the rear tire). Can't recall having anyone crowd me doing that.

Check off an "Ooops. Wasn't following the context." for yourself, Ryder.

We were talking about leaving options open when stopping in traffic.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

My family is now 3 generations deep as auto mechanics. So here's some unsolicited advice for those(like me) that normally never go under 1/4 tank.

Gas is not clean or pure, this is why your vehicle has a fuel filter that gets dirty. Every 6 months or so I would recomend that we run our tanks all but dry. Why? To help pull all the sediment and junk out of the tank that we put in there when we fill up. Doing this just prior to a scheduled fuel filter change is best.

The last thing you want is a tank full of junk to plug your filter when you have to run the tank dry for some reason.

 

[Ryder]

Check off an "Ooops. Wasn't following the context." for yourself, Ryder

Oh. Darn midnight shifts. Thanks, I see that now. Good thing I was cordial.

 

[morganm01]

I disagree. If someone tried to mug me while i was filling my car at a gas station, i'd probably hose him with gasoline.

I know a guy who did just that. BG burst into flames....cigarette. Messy.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Was this supposed to be the oft-cited "blood bath in the streets" the leftist extremists promised when Minnesota passed its CCW and shall issue laws?