On the morning of December 23rd last year, I was approached by a county police officer in a major grocery chain store. Here is the original report I posted on another website along with a few followups. I would like to emphasize the fact that it was VERY clear and apparent to me that by his actions and demeanor, the officer thought his having check me out was nonsense. He used three sentences to cover the subject encounter and then the rest of the very short time was spent with the three of us kidding around about showing ID's when buying beer or wine (at our age).
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Well in 16 1/2 years of carrying on a regular basis, with the past 4 1/2 years being overwhelmingly open carry, I had a first-time experience around 11:45 this morning.
I was in Wegman's just west of Gainesville on route 29, looking for something I couldn't find in some other stores. As I was paying at a register, a man in a uniform walked up to me and said, "Excuse me sir. We received a call about a suspicious person with a gun." I was both shocked and thought he was kidding (I had not determined initially that he was a county officer). I patted him with my open left hand on his upper arm and said, "You're kidding", then saw the county patch on his jacket.
The whole time he was smiling so I did think he was kidding and maybe knew me. He then asked if I normally open carried to which I responded that I do both but mostly open carry because I have osteoarthritis in both knees. Then we (he, myself, and the cashier (an older man) joked about showing ID's for beer purchases (I was buying some wine along with something else). He asked where I lived (not an address, just a general area) and I told him, we bid each other good day and Merry Christmas, and he left. He never asked for an ID, was as pleasant as can be, smiled the entire time, and for some reason I got the very distinct impression that he didn't really want to approach me but felt he'd do the minimum just so he could report back. And the minimum was all he did.
I guess I'm not totally surprised knowing what kind of people frequent Wegman's. There seems to be a higher percentage of folks from out of state; Maryland, New York, and New Jersey seem to be the most common out-of-staters (I take notice of license plates when I go there). Plus the demographics of their customers are more to the left I would wager. And the place was packed this morning.
But this was a first for me. I would have loved to have know if the person making the report was an out-of-stater or someone not native to Virginia.
A Poster's question and my followup:
As big as Wegmans is, how'd he know it was you they called about? What were you doing - or reported as doing - that was suspicious?
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Don't have a clue. I was wearing a grey light jacket and jeans. I was wandering the store looking for something and the place was packed. Knowing the kind and type of people who patronize Wegman's makes me believe it was likely an out-of-stater or someone who moved here from someplace else. Of course, I don't know this to be fact.
It was pretty clear to me that the officer would much rather not have approached me. My guess is when he saw me he probably thought, "Yeah, real suspicious. Ok, I'm going to get this over quickly". It was almost as though he was embarrassed for having approached me. The time spent mentioning my sidearm was less than a minute at best with perhaps not more than three or four sentences. Then the three of us kidding a little bit and I went on my way. The officer thanked me for speaking with him (I got the impression that he knew I didn't have to do that). Really, I do think he thought it was pretty petty and ridiculous to approach me once he saw me.
More Followup:
The pat on the arm was the sort of thing one might do if an old friend came up to you unexpectedly and you, turning to see him, patted his arm as a friendly gesture. That is what I did. Also, I don't know if the officer had observed me prior to my reaching the checkout counter but if he did, he waited until then. I was in the wine section and there was no one else in line at either of the counters, so I suspect the officer probably felt this would be the least embarrassing point to approach me. The only other person around was the older checkout man. To a casual observer, it would have appeared that the three of us were having a pleasant conversation with a bit of humor thrown in.
I really did get the impression that the officer did not want to bother me or probably not even approach me. The mention of the call and my sidearm took perhaps three or four sentences at best and less than a minute and then the conversation was off to something else.
The officer left before I had completed my purchase, perhaps by about 15 to 30 seconds. When I was leaving I noticed him talking to a citizen and it later occurred to me that maybe that was the person who called in the complaint. Don't know that for a fact.
Still more followup:
People don't like to be proven wrong or made to appear petty or worse, being silly or stupid. And they don't like getting caught in a situation where they have to back down and lose face. I have no idea what the 911 operator said when receiving the call but I could imagine it might have gone something like this.
911: "911, what is your emergency?"
REP: "I'm at the Wegman's in Gainesville and there's a man in the store walking around with a gun on."
911: "Is he holding the gun?"
REP: "No, it's in a holster on his side."
911: "What is he doing?"
REP: "He's just walking up and down some isles, back and forth."
911: "He hasn't removed the gun from his holster?"
REP: "No."
911: "Well he can carry a gun out in the open like that in Virginia."
REP: "Really?"
911: "Yes, there are no laws against doing that."
REP: "Well.... he just looks suspicious. I mean he just keeps walking around and he doesn't have a cart or basket."
911: "Ok."
REP: "I mean he really looks suspicious. Can you just send an officer to check him out?"
Of course, I have not idea what transpired because I did not request a FOIA. Had the officer been aggressive, had he detained me, or if he had presented an attitude I would have pursued this further. But he issued as best as I can recall two sentences on topic, then when on to joke about showing an ID for my wine purchase and beer purchases at grocery stores. He said (memory serving);
LEO: "Excuse me sir, we've received a report about a suspicious person with a gun."
ME : "You're kidding." [this is when I patted his right upper arm]
LEO: "Do you normally open carry?"
I answered that question and then we went on to talk about other things for perhaps 30 to 45 seconds and he left. I was pretty clear to me at the time that he most likely thought the call was ridiculous after having seen me. He was smiling and lightly laughing the entire time and I really thought he just wanted to do the absolute minimum so that he could report back that he had approached the individual in question and there was no problem or concern.
Oops, he did ask one more question come to think of it so that means three sentences were expended by him during his time in my presence. "Do you live in the area?" to which I responded in what part of the area I resided. Didn't ask for an ID or my name or address or anything of the sort.
I have had LEO's do a wave-salute at me, a thumbs up, and one even pointed at my sidearm and said, "Now there's a real American" when I have been OC'ing. That last one happened in Wendy's and the officer was off duty. He, his lady, and I sat across an isle from each other and continue interesting conversation while we ate.
Most of the comments I get when OC'ing are positive and commonly inquisitive as well. A few have told me they were scared when they saw my sidearm and I should note, the majority of them had accents common to New York City, New Jersey, and Boston.
There is a Costco I frequent and as is normally the case, it is most often pretty crowded. There have been a few comments there but once again, all positive. One lady and her husband were shopping and as she turned a corner and saw me she said, "I like that!". Once while waiting for that store to open an elderly lady asked, "Is that a gun?" to which I responded, "Gee I hope so, otherwise I picked up the wrong thing" (she was smiling when she asked the question). She then told me she was going to stand closer to me because she "felt safe".
