The video proves the gun worked. As soon as shots were fired, the mob backed off. They screamed and ran...
Based on the audio, they knew he had a gun before they attacked him. His gun didn't keep him from being attacked and injured. He ended up having to fire and that did stop the attack, but not everyone ran. The person videotaping was not intimidated and stayed within easy gunshot of Baca even after shots were fired.
And, most importantly, Baca is now in jail facing a number of serious charges. It looks like they have dropped the most serious charge, but he's still facing prison time. Does anyone here think he feels like he made a good decision by getting armed and going to the protest instead of staying home?
Everyone here can make the choice he wishes he had made.
Denying that the people in the car constituted a riot all themselves doesn't make much sense.
It makes perfect sense. A riot isn't a car full of guys with hammers. It just isn't. Even if there's a riot going on in a town at the time that the car full of guys with hammers chases someone, the car full of guys with hammers still isn't a riot. It's a car full of guys with hammers.
My comments are about how ill-advised it is to intentionally get into a riot/mob with the idea that, if necessary, a pistol will extricate you with no problems. And how easy it is to NOT get into one. And how unlikely it is that one would get into one unintentionally with even a tiny bit of situational awareness engaged.
Getting chased by a car full of guys is not the same as being in a riot even if the unrest that led to the riot is related to the reason the guys are in the car looking for victims.
I'm not denying that sometimes the unrest that leads to riots can also cause other issues in the broader general area of a riot, but pretending that any criminal activity in the same general region of a riot IS the riot and is taking place WITHIN the riot just doesn't make sense.
He was on a pre-determined truck route, as set by his employer's company as to the route to take.
In other words, Denny was doing (or had been doing) his delivery job when rioters first surrounded his slow-moving truck, jumped the door and assaulted him inside, then he pulled him out onto the pavement, where several thugs then proceeded to crush his skull with concrete blocks while end-zone dancing around his body.
The fact remains that he drove into a riot zone voluntarily. People are suggesting that he's a good example of how a person can be caught up in a riot without warning.
That's ridiculous. Whatever his reasons, he drove into it knowingly--it's not like he suddenly found himself in the middle of it with no warning.
As far as it being his job, I can't imagine that his company's appreciation for his dedication made up for the injuries he suffered as a result. I know that if I had to choose between my company's undying gratitude and not getting beaten senseless by a mob (or having to shoot someone to avoid such a fate), it wouldn't take me any time to make the choice. I would hope it's a similarly simple decision for everyone else here.
It's very easy to make a wrong turn or get funneled into an area you don't plan to visit.
Cars turn around. They back up. It's very easy to keep track of riots via news coverage. This is four times now--I'm not saying it can't happen, but it's not the kind of thing we need to worry about. Riots are easy to avoid. They move slowly, they are very obvious, they are the subject of lots of news coverage. Getting out of one can be difficult and dangerous. Not getting into one is easy.
.. tries to turn a victim of mob violence into a 'volunteer.'
The two things are not mutually exclusive. He was certainly a victim. It is also clear that he went in with his eyes wide open. We make choices and our choices have consequences. That doesn't absolve those who commit crimes against us of responsibility, but understanding the risk can help us avoid being victimized in the first place and that is certainly a good thing.
Look, I don't know why this seems so hard to understand.
Let's start with some context.
Someone made the comment that they were kitting up with body armor, knives, a 10mm pistol (so they could shoot through the first person and into the second in line) and extra mags so that if they drove into a riot in their semi they would be prepared.
Now, I could have just let that stand without saying anything. But I figured maybe some folks would find it useful if I provided a slightly different perspective. So I did and here it is--with some bonus content too:
1. Don't drive into riots. They're easy to avoid.
2. In the extremely unlikely event that you find you unintentionally drove into a riot in a semi, dismounting and doing battle with your "shoot through 2 people caliber" handgun might not be the best possible strategy.
3. Don't spend a lot of time worrying about accidentally getting caught in riots. Every news station and reporter in the state will be breathlessly telling you exactly where they are and what they're doing in great detail and in real time. Just pay attention. Avoid the smoke rising into the air. Drive away from any crowds you see. Maybe even just avoid the areas where the riots are likely to happen (or the places they happened last night) altogether, just for good measure.
4. If you end up in a riot and have to shoot your way out of it, don't count on getting out unscathed. Don't count on getting out of it without some serious legal jeopardy. Don't count on everyone else being unarmed. Don't count on everyone being afraid of your handgun--even if it is a 10mm. Don't be surprised if things you posted on the internet about your riot defense strategy end up being a factor in the aftermath.
That's it. Can't make it any clearer or simpler than that. If you don't get it, I guess that's just the way it is.
