Three unarmed men and you

[1911Tuner]

3 on 1

Three unarmed men meet the "Disparity of Force" criteria. If their actions and/or proximity would lead a reasonable man to believe that they meant to stomp a mudhole in him, a lethal response is justified. A draw and warning?
Depends. If you have the distance to safely do so...do so. If you don't...
Well...Like Tuco said: "If you have to shoot...shoot! Don't talk!"

21 feet is the generally accepted line of departure.

Three unarmed, 90-pound twelve year-olds and a 6'4" 250-pound defender don't meet the disparity of force criteria, though.(Thought I'd cover that before the reply drew a "What if" response.)

 

[david_the_greek]

If these "men" are within any decent distance it would be pretty hard to unlock the door and and jump in. just for fun I gave getting my gun out of my holstered waist (more of a crotch gangster slip in holster) in my car and found in incredibly akward and would probably get it stuck in my shirt while sitting if I where rushed. I'm 150lbs and very athletic so my personal size is not even an issue. deciding or shooting at one of three targets with breaking glass around you would probably just miss/leave the others to grab and subdue you. and opening a car door and closing can seem like an hour if your panicked. you most definately would need electric unlock. Draw your weapon before hand. You don't neccesarily need to blast away as fast as you can but a police/militant like response to "get on the $&*%ing ground mother #$#@er" or something along the lines of impersonating an undercover police officer. Putting distance between you and them wouldn't hurt (unless you reversed the situation and ran up with the gun at one of the BGs heads but I think that is probably a questionable idea). please excuse my implied harsh language.

 

[pete f]

I have had this happen. walking out of a NBA basketball game. HUGE parking garage. like 7 stories and three city blocks, I was walking my daughter to the car. out from between two parked SUVs come walking two non fit in people, and from behind me i here a foot scuff. I elbowed my daughter and handed her the keys and the fob with the lock opener. I turned to place myself between the two sets of people, one was a pair of young men, not dressed to fit in with the crowd. The other was a couple similarly dressed. I had my hand in my jacket with my thumb opening the snap on the shoulder holster. they both stopped in place now mind you there was four or five SUV and higher end cars in the row across from my car and a mercedes SUV two slots down from my car. no others. The girl says " i told you the car was not over here...." and the other two guys were like "what the......huh?" and took a step. I just said real loud, "can i help you? " with a real snarling tone, and the girl just said "no wrong aisle." At this time i heard the toot toot of my cars doors unlocking and i backed up and got to my door. My daughter pushed the door open. Using the door as a shield i drew my pistol and ducked into the car and locked the door. I looked behind the girl and her freind and a older man and young hottie who had had a couple too many drinks were walking toward the MB Suv past us. I stepped out of my car and yelled down to him "Hey Are you going to follow us to the club?" He was at least wise enough to look at me and then four others standing there and say "ahhh yeah I forgot how to get there". they walked past me and got in their car, once I got back in the car my daughter just shaking and in the driver seat, I said just drive the car right past them they will not do anything with people around and they just glared at us as we pulled by the guy in MB gave me a nod and wave and took off quite fast for another exit.

I called MPLS PD and reported the incident, leaving out the gun seeing that they had not seen it.

 

[Nitrogen]

I asked my fianceé this question. Apparently, being a woman, she's faced this.
Her answer: Walk back into the store and grab a security person if possible.

If they start following, then start with the "STAND BACK, I DO NOT WANT YOU FOLLOWING ME."

Anything after that will pretty much telegraph their intentions.

 

[answerguy]

A couple of years ago in Vegas I had a potentially bad encounter. My wife and I had parked our rental car in the MGM Grand parking garage to go see a show. As we got out of the car I had noticed that we were the only ones there, and I thought that strange, it being such a popular destination and all.

We were heading for the elevator, which was located in the middle of this level. As we approached the elevator I noticed an older model Cadillac with dark tinted windows, thought it was kind of neat looking. Just as we passed it all four doors opened up and four teens to early twenties 'gentlemen' jumped out and headed for the elevator also, right behind us. Let me put it this way; they didn't look like they would have been fans of Rick Springfield.

Although I had a Michigan CPL, I wasn't carrying because of what I thought would be the hassle of transporting a weapon through the airlines. Also I beleive it's illegal to carry in the casinos in Vegas.

My immediate thought was, "we're not getting on this elevator with these guys". I scanned the garage and saw a stairway several hundred feet away, grabbed my wife's arm, said "Don't look back, just keep up with me" and headed for that stairway at a much quicker pace than before..

They didn't follow us. Maybe they meant us no harm. But they had to realize that the four of them jumping out of their car all at once would scare us. The fact that they had been sitting in this car for at least a minute while we strolled from our car to the elevator, tells me they were up to no good.

Once we hit the stairway we could see other people and after joining in with the crowd our anxiety level was reduced.

One thing I thought of later is that if I was carrying I may have felt brave enough (dumb enough) to have gotten onto the elevator with them. I don't think that type of close encounter would have been very good.

 

[Dirty Bob]

Distance is your friend

Lots of good posts here.

If you can't get into the vehicle, you can try to put it -- or another vehicle -- between yourself and the BGs. Along with verbal warnings, it shows that you're aware of their intentions and are not going to go easy.

If it gets really ugly and you have to run, why not run for the exit, howling like a burnpit screamer ("Boy and his Dog" reference ) and tossing your keys under a nearby car. That way, they won't have the keys when/if they catch you, and a carjacking's a lot harder without the keys.

I had a 2-goblin mugging team target my wife and I in a stairwell. I had only a sliding utility knife with me. I gripped it in my pants pocket, ready to use it on the guy blocking our way (his partner had been a long way off when we entered the stairs but had sprinted to appear above us as soon as we started down). The blocking BG saw my hand -- and my intent -- and stepped aside. We got the heck out of there.

I don't think I would have been all that effective with a utility knife vs two BGs, but it wouldn't have been easy for them. BGs don't go into mugging for hard work or risk of injury, but because it's "quick" and "easy" money.

I used it as a valuable lesson. I'm more careful than before and have not had a similar encounter. I've also obtained my CHL and carry religiously.

Regards,
Dirty Bob

 

[progunner1957]

I don't think I would have been all that effective with a utility knife vs two BGs

I would think if you laid one of them open and he started bleeding like a butchered hog, he would cease and desist and his cohort would hit the road.
Though not very big, a utility knife can be very deadly.

Just a thought...

 

[michiganfan]

Yes three aginst one i belive could put you in real fear of your life.

 

[Tokugawa]

Tell them to STOP RIGHT THERE. If they keep coming, draw and aim. If they keep coming, shoot. You do not have time to engage in a protracted discussion. .In fact, a conversation is exactly what they want, to distract you as they close the distance.