You're at a house and some dingus puts a gun to their head
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I saw it once. After high school graduation some kids were gathered at a picnic place beside the river. My wife knew some of the girls so we stopped by. Yes, we were young, too, and newly wed.
A young man had a small automatic and was trying to impress the girls by waving it around and pointing it at himself and others.
I grabbed my wife’s arm and in a low voice said, “We’re out of here. Don’t ask. Don’t argue.”
She started to ask why and I shut her up with as mean a look as I could muster. She hadn’t seen the gun while chatting with friends. As we drove away I explained.
No one got hurt or killed but even though I was very young I knew it was about as stupid an act as I had ever seen.
I made certain that the guy was never included in our circle of friends.
A young man had a small automatic and was trying to impress the girls by waving it around and pointing it at himself and others.
I grabbed my wife’s arm and in a low voice said, “We’re out of here. Don’t ask. Don’t argue.”
She started to ask why and I shut her up with as mean a look as I could muster. She hadn’t seen the gun while chatting with friends. As we drove away I explained.
No one got hurt or killed but even though I was very young I knew it was about as stupid an act as I had ever seen.
I made certain that the guy was never included in our circle of friends.
pbearperry
Member
I would find some new friends real fast.
The Bushmaster
Member
You asked for an "Option C"..."Can I help you pull the trigger?"
Spencer_OKC
Member
+1. Do not pass go, do not collect $200...leave immediately. At best this is an irresponsible stunt and removing yourself help remove some of the audience. At worst this is a mentally ill person whose instability may spill over onto you.
If I had the feeling the person was in a state of mental crisis I would leave the house and then call for help.
Bhamrichard
Member
I've had this happen actually at my apartment. Though he wasn't drunk, a friend of mine thought it would be funny to put my cocked .38 to his head.. fortunately I was within 2 feet of him at the time, and I instinctively put my hand on top of the revolver with the skin between my thumb and finger in between the hammer and the cylinder.
He was verbally abused for 15 mins by myself and others that were at my home, and invited to leave until such time as he realized what he'd just done.
The model 15 was unloaded, but he had no way of knowing that, as he had not looked.
He was verbally abused for 15 mins by myself and others that were at my home, and invited to leave until such time as he realized what he'd just done.
The model 15 was unloaded, but he had no way of knowing that, as he had not looked.
Pharmacology
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At the very least, start shouting at them.
A guy I knew in High school, "John Wales" was the kind of guy so desperate for attention that he was always attempting "shock humor"
Apparently he tried to get a laugh at a party by putting the home-owner's revolver to his head and pulling the trigger.
Nobody laughed.
A guy I knew in High school, "John Wales" was the kind of guy so desperate for attention that he was always attempting "shock humor"
Apparently he tried to get a laugh at a party by putting the home-owner's revolver to his head and pulling the trigger.
Nobody laughed.
If a gun appears around anyone other than very good friends, I get the heck out of there. And if there's been drinking going on, I RUN the heck out of there.
I'm not going to try to grab a gun, or tell someone with a gun what to do. I'm going to leave!
I'm not going to try to grab a gun, or tell someone with a gun what to do. I'm going to leave!
mgmorden
Member
Just leave. Not worth getting involved.
Not had this same thing happen, but something somewhat similar. I was over a one of my friends houses on a weekend. We like to go over and drink, watch TV, etc. Just have a good time. Since I know I'm likely to be drinking a bit (I usually sleep over), I don't carry a weapon with me. A few months back we were over doing our routine. His neighbor from two houses down is in his back yard. My buddy has talked to him a few times - they live two houses from each other afterall. So he gets invited over to hang out. When this guy gets there he's obviously WAY more intoxicated than we realized. Not just a little, but that barely conscious type of drunk.
Anyways, after about 45 minutes the neighbor reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small derringer and starts waving it around. Not intentionally (I think his original intent was just to pull it out and show if off), but a drunk guy is still sweeping about 4-5 of us with a loaded weapon. We immediately tell him to put it away but he just says "It's JUST a derringer." as if that makes it non-lethal or something. Then he starts telling this sob story about how he saw he mother beaten up as a kid and has to carry this around all the time now. After a bit of talking by buddy finally got him to hand him the gun. Not knowing much about handguns (my friend has several shotguns but has never even fired a handgun), my friend gave the gun to me to unload. After I did we gave him back the gun (empty) and asked him to leave. He doesn't get invited back anymore.
Not had this same thing happen, but something somewhat similar. I was over a one of my friends houses on a weekend. We like to go over and drink, watch TV, etc. Just have a good time. Since I know I'm likely to be drinking a bit (I usually sleep over), I don't carry a weapon with me. A few months back we were over doing our routine. His neighbor from two houses down is in his back yard. My buddy has talked to him a few times - they live two houses from each other afterall. So he gets invited over to hang out. When this guy gets there he's obviously WAY more intoxicated than we realized. Not just a little, but that barely conscious type of drunk.
Anyways, after about 45 minutes the neighbor reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small derringer and starts waving it around. Not intentionally (I think his original intent was just to pull it out and show if off), but a drunk guy is still sweeping about 4-5 of us with a loaded weapon. We immediately tell him to put it away but he just says "It's JUST a derringer." as if that makes it non-lethal or something. Then he starts telling this sob story about how he saw he mother beaten up as a kid and has to carry this around all the time now. After a bit of talking by buddy finally got him to hand him the gun. Not knowing much about handguns (my friend has several shotguns but has never even fired a handgun), my friend gave the gun to me to unload. After I did we gave him back the gun (empty) and asked him to leave. He doesn't get invited back anymore.
oldpuppymax
Member
Although not all of my friends are physicists, I've never kept company with anyone THAT goofy.
Strong disagreement with the "hang on a sec" group here. Strong disagreement.
Any time you witness someone doing something stupid with a gun, you have an opportunity to instruct them in good handling techniques. As people who are interested in maintaining our rights, it is in our interest to promote safety.
Every time some idiot misuses a gun, it makes all gun owners look bad. Maybe you won't be able to fix the problem, but you should try if you can.
Just like that.
Any time you witness someone doing something stupid with a gun, you have an opportunity to instruct them in good handling techniques. As people who are interested in maintaining our rights, it is in our interest to promote safety.
Every time some idiot misuses a gun, it makes all gun owners look bad. Maybe you won't be able to fix the problem, but you should try if you can.
Just like that.
John Wayne
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I have actually seen people I would have otherwise thought responsible do just that. More often than not, they think it's funny, or want a reaction out of you.
You're really in a tough position, and can't do anything more than tell them to stop. If you intervene, you just got yourself into a situation where you may be struggling with an idiot over a gun. Also, if they did actually shoot themselves (intentionally or unintentionally), you are now involved.
Given a choice though, I would much rather an idiot be pointing a gun at his own head rather than mine.
You're really in a tough position, and can't do anything more than tell them to stop. If you intervene, you just got yourself into a situation where you may be struggling with an idiot over a gun. Also, if they did actually shoot themselves (intentionally or unintentionally), you are now involved.
Given a choice though, I would much rather an idiot be pointing a gun at his own head rather than mine.
None of my friends are that retarded.
I know, the dreaded R word. Apt, though, if you're pointing a weapon at yourself and your friends. There's something wrong in your head.
I'd never make a sudden move at an armed man, especially if he was displaying irrational or suicidal behavior. That's a recipe for tragedy.
At the same time, I wouldn't stand by and say nothing or leave. There are tremendous social pressures in a crowd. So many have been socialized to mind their own business, stay quiet, he must know what he's doing, etc. Kitty Genovese, Bystander Effect, whatever you want to call it -- speaking up when there's a crowd of people accepting a behavior is hard. If not you, then whom?
Well, I'll be that guy. You should, too. Make your disapproval clear in your voice and expression, speak loudly, take charge. If they're impervious, make it clear (vocally!) that you won't be around someone that dangerous and leave, hopefully you'll take anyone with sense with you. Lead the pack of people who are too afraid to speak up.
I know, the dreaded R word. Apt, though, if you're pointing a weapon at yourself and your friends. There's something wrong in your head.
I'd never make a sudden move at an armed man, especially if he was displaying irrational or suicidal behavior. That's a recipe for tragedy.
At the same time, I wouldn't stand by and say nothing or leave. There are tremendous social pressures in a crowd. So many have been socialized to mind their own business, stay quiet, he must know what he's doing, etc. Kitty Genovese, Bystander Effect, whatever you want to call it -- speaking up when there's a crowd of people accepting a behavior is hard. If not you, then whom?
Well, I'll be that guy. You should, too. Make your disapproval clear in your voice and expression, speak loudly, take charge. If they're impervious, make it clear (vocally!) that you won't be around someone that dangerous and leave, hopefully you'll take anyone with sense with you. Lead the pack of people who are too afraid to speak up.
rygould
Member
I read this story this morning, and what a sad situation.
Sad that he had access to a gun without supervision, and did not have the good sense to leave it alone.
It is amazing the things that teens will do to get attention or a laugh, or just for a good time. I find myself constantly amazed that a young person's mind can't fathom the stupidity of their decisions or the degree of danger they will casually place themselves in.
I teach my kids to leave, even though they are taught to properly handle firearms. The do not need to be there. However, leaving is only half of it. They need to contact an adult or someone of authority immediately!
It is a shame that none of the other kids had enough sense to get out and get help. This could have ended very differently if everyone this young man was attempting to impress got up and ran away and called for help.
Sad that he had access to a gun without supervision, and did not have the good sense to leave it alone.
It is amazing the things that teens will do to get attention or a laugh, or just for a good time. I find myself constantly amazed that a young person's mind can't fathom the stupidity of their decisions or the degree of danger they will casually place themselves in.
I teach my kids to leave, even though they are taught to properly handle firearms. The do not need to be there. However, leaving is only half of it. They need to contact an adult or someone of authority immediately!
It is a shame that none of the other kids had enough sense to get out and get help. This could have ended very differently if everyone this young man was attempting to impress got up and ran away and called for help.
This always reminds me about "The Deer Hunter" where DeNiro grabs the gun and says "You wanna play games!" I know I will never ever mess around like that especially if I don't want it pointed at myself.
To answer OP's question, well it does depend on the person, but I don't hang out with people I hate so I would yell at them to not do that.
To answer OP's question, well it does depend on the person, but I don't hang out with people I hate so I would yell at them to not do that.
Carne Frio
Member
Post # 5 has the best answer to your question.
devildog32713
Member
A, if he is close enough and I know I can do it, just leave if he's across the room and there's now way I could get to him. And I would probably call someone who works with mental cases, hey, and I'm one of those "dumb teenagers", although I would NEVER pull a stunt like that. NEVER in a thousand years,
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cleardiddion
Member
I have to say I'd just leave. Don't need no freaking idiots like that in my mind. Plus, I rather like my clothes and last I heard blood and brains don't come out too easy. If he wants to do something like that the way I see it, fine, but I'm not going to stick around to deal with any of that.
Darwin Award Candidates
There is no best answer for this. What I would do would depend on who else was there. Sometimes you can't just leave. There may be others there who are not aware of the danger. My only concern would be for innocent bystanders. If the person is suicidal, he could easily become homicidal. As far as I'm concerned suicide is homicide.
There is no best answer for this. What I would do would depend on who else was there. Sometimes you can't just leave. There may be others there who are not aware of the danger. My only concern would be for innocent bystanders. If the person is suicidal, he could easily become homicidal. As far as I'm concerned suicide is homicide.
mljdeckard
Member
I saw the story and thought about it.
The truth is, there are a lot of factors we just don't know. Did he do it suddenly, or was he messing around for a long time? Was he joking, or serious? Are the eyewitness accounts accurate, or were they modified to minimize embarrassment and culpability? Was it a situation where you could have grabbed the gun, and the guy would struggle with you? (WITH BOTH OF YOUR HANDS ON A GUN THAT WAS POINTED AT HIS HEAD?)
A lot of this is situation dependent, and the truth is, we have no idea what the situation was.
edit: watching the news right now, the gun was stolen.
The truth is, there are a lot of factors we just don't know. Did he do it suddenly, or was he messing around for a long time? Was he joking, or serious? Are the eyewitness accounts accurate, or were they modified to minimize embarrassment and culpability? Was it a situation where you could have grabbed the gun, and the guy would struggle with you? (WITH BOTH OF YOUR HANDS ON A GUN THAT WAS POINTED AT HIS HEAD?)
A lot of this is situation dependent, and the truth is, we have no idea what the situation was.
edit: watching the news right now, the gun was stolen.
buck460XVR
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I'm gone. Don't need that s%#t. Someone wants to act reckless with a firearm, they can endanger themselves. Folks that stupid would probably miss and hit me.
The way I am I find it hard to imagine the kid ever getting the gun anyware near his head. Upon seeing a gun come out I immediatlly would have slapped him so hard,while grabing the muzzle away from him, that he would have dropped whatever he had in his hand. As I have seen my uncle, "an ex marine DI" do to young men years ago when teaching proper firearms saftey procedures to us younger generation nephews. If you hesitate in a situation like that when seconds count, something bad will almost always happen.
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