Leadcounsel has a thread going here asking "Who has used a gun in self defense". I believe that before you can answer that question you first have to define what exactly constitutes "using" a gun when it come to self defense or defense of another innocent person.
I say this because many years ago in Houston Texas while working in a furniture store we had an incident where two suspicious men came off the street and frighten us. Neither did anything overtly threatening but we could tell they were casing the store as if trying to decide to rob us or something. I held a gun in my hand behind my back where they could not see it as I stood behind a desk and called the police. One of the men looked at me and then whispered something to the other and they then both left.
They had been gone hardly more than a minute or two before a policeman showed up. We gave him their description and told what happened. The next thing I remember I looked out the front door and saw the two men, in handcuffs, in the back of the patrol car. They then drove away and we never saw them again.
Also, the police never took a statement or asked us to file a complaint or anything. Apparently the police had enough cause to arrest them and that was that.
I cannot be absolutely sure but I am about 80% to 90% certain that having the gun dissuaded them from trying to commit a crime. If that is so then you don't always have to even directly threaten a criminal from attacking you for a firearm to be useful in SD situations.
I wonder how often, if much at all, criminals defer from trying to commit a crime for fear that the intended victim may be armed. If it is often ( at least in places where SD firearms are common ) then it is true what they say "Guns in the hands of law abiding citizens prevent crime".
What you ya'll think
I say this because many years ago in Houston Texas while working in a furniture store we had an incident where two suspicious men came off the street and frighten us. Neither did anything overtly threatening but we could tell they were casing the store as if trying to decide to rob us or something. I held a gun in my hand behind my back where they could not see it as I stood behind a desk and called the police. One of the men looked at me and then whispered something to the other and they then both left.
They had been gone hardly more than a minute or two before a policeman showed up. We gave him their description and told what happened. The next thing I remember I looked out the front door and saw the two men, in handcuffs, in the back of the patrol car. They then drove away and we never saw them again.
Also, the police never took a statement or asked us to file a complaint or anything. Apparently the police had enough cause to arrest them and that was that.
I cannot be absolutely sure but I am about 80% to 90% certain that having the gun dissuaded them from trying to commit a crime. If that is so then you don't always have to even directly threaten a criminal from attacking you for a firearm to be useful in SD situations.
I wonder how often, if much at all, criminals defer from trying to commit a crime for fear that the intended victim may be armed. If it is often ( at least in places where SD firearms are common ) then it is true what they say "Guns in the hands of law abiding citizens prevent crime".
What you ya'll think
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