Open Carry Deters Armed Robbery

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jahwarrior

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http://www.examiner.com/x-5619-Atla...8-Open-carry-deters-armed-robbery-in-Kennesaw


Open carry deters armed robbery in Kennesaw

Two customers displaying holstered pistols deterred an armed robbery in a Kennesaw Wafflehouse recently.

There is some debate raging in Georgia about whether people should conceal their holstered handguns while in public. Some believe that wearing handguns openly will result in a loss of the element of surprise during a criminal attack, such as an armed robbery, while others believe that wearing handguns openly deters criminal attack. For Matt Brannan and J.P. Mitchell, who carry openly as a routine, the issue is no longer academic.

Matt Brannan and J.P. Mitchell were dining in the Wafflehouse on Barrett Parkway at I-575 in Kennesaw at 4:45 in the morning recently when a scout for an armed robbery crew entered the restaurant to case it. At the time, Matt and J.P. thought he looked a little suspicious, as he was wandering around the small restaurant like he was looking for someone. Unknown to Matt and J.P., two cars full of armed robbers where parked behind the restaurant waiting for the scout's report.

The scout saw that two of the customers were wearing holstered 1911 Springfield Mil-Spec .45 pistols, and he immediately turned and left the store.

Meanwhile, conscientious Cobb County Police Officer D. Lowe had noticed suspicious cars sitting behind the restaurant in the dark and decided to investigate. He caught men with masks and rifles who had been preparing to rob the Wafflehouse. The criminals informed the police that they had changed their mind upon discovering armed customers and were waiting for Matt and J.P. to leave. Ironically, the police car was pulling in to the parking lot just as Matt and J.P. were driving away. In other words, had Matt and J.P. not been armed, the robbery probably would have occurred before the police intervened.

Captain Jerry Quan, the Commander for Precinct One, where the Wafflehouse is located, confirmed Matt Brannan's story as one in which the open display of a pistol deterred a well armed robbery crew.

Matt Brannan is making an Open Records Act request, and there will be an update to this story when more information is available. The case number is 09-133500. There will be updates and follow up articles as more information becomes available.

well, it's a good thing they gave up the tactical advantage, huh?
 
I love the photo from the story. Who can't like a button saying "Guns Save Lives"!

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I am glad that the decided to "case the joint" otherwise it may have ended in a gunfight and innocent lives may have been lost. Not so innocent lives may have been lost too, and I can live with that :)
 
Question for High-Roaders: Let's say you were carrying concealed in this situation and the scout gives the signal for "two carloads of armed robbers" to enter the restaurant. I say you'd be armed enough to deal with a lone robber if he started getting trigger happy, but not a lot you could do when massively outgunned.

This story really makes a great case for the benefits of open carry.
 
I put this on another board; open carry in N.C. is legal but rare as hens teeth. I have been thinking however of trying it just to see what kind of reactions and/or comments I would get. If I decide to do it I will let everyone know what happens.
 
That waffle house is right in my backyard. One thing to note though unlike North Carolina, you have to have a Firearms License to open carry or carry a gun at all in the state of Georgia.
 
That blog/news source is quite pro-gun. Here's another story:

http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-...TV-western-shows-folly-of-citizen-disarmament

SigP229R said:
I put this on another board; open carry in N.C. is legal but rare as hens teeth. I have been thinking however of trying it just to see what kind of reactions and/or comments I would get. If I decide to do it I will let everyone know what happens.

Check if there are open carry groups. We have unloaded open carry groups here in California. Their purposes include (1) exercising their gun rights while being in the safety of a group and (2) making a statement to educate the public. In a group that's well-dressed, etc., you're less likely to get arrested by an ignorant cop that's power tripping. Even carrying with one other buddy may be your group. It can be an undue hassle dealing with the cops by yourself.
 
Really? Two car loads of armed guys to rob any place they want and they picked Waffle House? Wow.

:D
 
Question for High-Roaders: Let's say you were carrying concealed in this situation and the scout gives the signal for "two carloads of armed robbers" to enter the restaurant. I say you'd be armed enough to deal with a lone robber if he started getting trigger happy, but not a lot you could do when massively outgunned.

The safety of me, and my family if they are with me is my #1 concern. If I were alone, and this happened. I would in all likely hood try and be invisible until it was over, or until I determined that I had to fight to survive.

I would not just take up upon myself to save the waffle house. Free breakfast or not.
 
Sigp229, I'm from Rowan County, NC and I open carry almost on a daily basis (it's more comfortable than IWB)! I agree it is rare to see someone doing it but there are others who did it as well.
 
The safety of me, and my family if they are with me is my #1 concern. If I were alone, and this happened. I would in all likely hood try and be invisible until it was over, or until I determined that I had to fight to survive.

I would not just take up upon myself to save the waffle house. Free breakfast or not.

Jules%20Winnfield.jpg



I would give them my wallet.
 
No one has mentioned it yet, but isn't Kennesaw the town that mandated all residents to own firearms? Strange place for a criminal to plan a robbery let alone a Wafflehouse.
 
^^ Further, is your wallet the one that says "Bad Mother@*#$er" on it?

ETA: It's interesting to see how much of a deterrent effect just two guys with pistols can have on some armed robbers in larger quantities with bigger guns. It goes to show that the bad guys prey on the helpless, and reconsider things greatly when there's just a chance that a couple of them may not survive the encounter....

Maybe mister nine millimeter here really is the shepherd, after all...
 
What comes to my mind is this....were the BG's waiting to ambush the two OC'ers when they came outside? Two loaded 1911's would be a much better score than the piddly amount of cash in the register. Not to mention wallets with credit/ATM cards.

And what if the BG's decided they had the tactical advantage of rifles and larger numbers, and came into the restaurant anyway? They already knew of the two guys that were armed, and could have walked in shooting or at least disarmed the diners right away.

JMHO, but I'd rather keep mine hidden, thank you very much.
 
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