And some people wonder why some of us choose to carry.

Here's another one.

March, 2009, report of an armed robbery in a Wal-Mart parking lot:
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090320/NEWS/90320009

I clip these when I see them. Guys have been held up or shot and killed picking up their dry-cleaning, buying groceries at an Albertsons (domestic violence), and in a downtown supermarket parking lot in a shopping center in Denver, CO (couple shot and killed in a car-jacking). These are all armed encounters in broad daylight, good parts of town, involving regular folks not engaged in drug trade or other 'predispositioning' factors. The fact is that armed encounters occur in seriously random locations.
 
Some things I want to point out before everyone starts complaining about SC not allowing OC. First is that all five people were killed in a place where it was perfectly legal for them to be armed and either open or concealed. Although he might this murderer has shown no tendency to attack anyone in the open or on the street. Now for thee quotes from the leaders of the county:

Residents have "their guard up and their gun handy," said state Sen. Harvey Peeler, R-Gaffney,
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"We had a 15-year-old girl shot; he killed an 83-year-old woman," Blanton said. "The good people of this community don't deserve that."

The sheriff reminded people they have a right to protect themselves and advised salesmen and others to avoid knocking on strangers' doors with so many on heightened alert.

"People are going to start shooting at shadows," Blanton (Cherokee County Sheriff Bill Blanton). said.
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I am not sure if this has been mentioned (could not find anything about it) but this is a perfect example of why I choose to carry a firearm
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Yeah, I read about it in todays newspaper. I said the same thing to my wife, " and people wonder why I carry a gun "
 
The local news has been reporting widely that people in Gaffney are arming themselves and they aren't putting a negative spin on it. We're a relatively small, rural and conservative area where even the media recognize the natural right to self defense.

One local business owner said that she now has three guns in her store where she did have only one and that most of her customers are armed these days. Another local said, "this 'ole boy is gonna run up against the wrong person and that'll be the end of it."

My prediction is that this guy is going to get caught like the D.C. snipers if he doesn't quit, move or get shot first.
 
Interesting PBP, I'm headed their in a week...

I wonder how all this is going down? Is it a sniper type situation like we had here in DC or is someone just gunning people down in their homes? Hope they get this guy.
 
My prediction is that this guy is going to get caught like the D.C. snipers if he doesn't quit, move or get shot first.
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I just hope that the one that gets shot is the one that deserves it. I like how the sheriff said that if you are a door-to-door salesman then you either need to change areas or take a vacation. Don't go knocking on doors in Gaffney.
 
The sheriff reminded people they have a right to protect themselves and advised salesmen and others to avoid knocking on strangers' doors with so many on heightened alert.
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That's a good sheriff.
 
I saw a news report this afternoon that someone matching the killer's description and driving a car that matches that described as the getaway car was killed in a confrontation with police officers. Requires confirmation.

Do any of you worry about that "shooting at shadows" line? People now arming themselves without training, without advance thought of how they will handle an intruder. I just hope some kid doesn't get shot by her dad for coming home after curfew or something. There certainly is potential for tragedy only tangentially related to the actual killer.
 
Do any of you worry about that "shooting at shadows" line? People now arming themselves without training, without advance thought of how they will handle an intruder. I just hope some kid doesn't get shot by her dad for coming home after curfew or something. There certainly is potential for tragedy only tangentially related to the actual killer.
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You took the words right out of my mouth. However, it does go against the wisdom in my sig line. :)
 
Do any of you worry about that "shooting at shadows" line? People now arming themselves without training, without advance thought of how they will handle an intruder. I just hope some kid doesn't get shot by her dad for coming home after curfew or something. There certainly is potential for tragedy only tangentially related to the actual killer.
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Absolutely yes, as I posted earlier.
 
Is it a sniper type situation like we had here in DC or is someone just gunning people down in their homes?
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He's not a sniper. These killings have been up-close and personal, although the police aren't releasing many details. The first victim was a prominent peach farmer found dead in his home. The next two were an 83 y.o. woman and her 50 y.o. daughter. They were tied up and shot in the mother's home. The other two were a father and daughter shot in the family's furniture store. He was DRT and she died a few days later in the hospital.

ETA - NEWSBREAK

Police in Gastonia, NC (about 30 mi. from Gaffney) shot and killed a burglary suspect who fits the basic description of the serial killer. A vehicle matching the description of the suspect's vehicle was found at the scene.

http://www.examiner.com/x-15540-New...obbery-suspect-may-be-linked-to-serial-killer
http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=8009566&page=1
 
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Do any of you worry about that "shooting at shadows" line? People now arming themselves without training, without advance thought of how they will handle an intruder. I just hope some kid doesn't get shot by her dad for coming home after curfew or something. There certainly is potential for tragedy only tangentially related to the actual killer.
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This is the sort of thing the average person doesn't think about until they've started arming themselves. I attribute this to the fact that guns are, to a large degree, taboo in modern society. Once the gun enters the equation, people start having to think about it, as they should.

It's sad that many people don't "get into" firearms until things like this happen, but if some nutjob in their community is leading people to become responsible gun owners, then more power to them; and future nutjobs won't last nearly as long.
 
interesting

It's interesting this a**wipe picks on close family members - mother and daughter and father and daughter.
 
This is the sort of thing the average person doesn't think about until they've started arming themselves. I attribute this to the fact that guns are, to a large degree, taboo in modern society. Once the gun enters the equation, people start having to think about it, as they should.

It's sad that many people don't "get into" firearms until things like this happen, but if some nutjob in their community is leading people to become responsible gun owners, then more power to them; and future nutjobs won't last nearly as long.
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A very valid point but one positive thing it that in this area most residents have been raised around guns or at least been around them whether or not they have one or carry one. It is much different than all of a sudden arming an urban neighborhood of people that don't know which end of the gun the bullet comes out of. Many of the recent gun sales were to people as an additional one or one for a spouse. They interviewed one preacher who said he had changed his sermon for yesterday and had his gun in his office while doing it. Don't think that just because many of these are arming themselves for the first time that they don't know how to use it. :D
 
I'll still wonder why you carry. After all, how many people have ventured out before or since the posted incidents without issues? More than likely never will and the gun will be dead weight.

Now don't get me wrong, I'll support your right to carry till the day I die and if the sheriff in our "may issue" county wasn't a liberal anti gun SOB than I'd have a CCW (More out of convenience for transport and hunting). But 99.9% of the people that CCW will never need it. Going around seeing the boogie man around every corner don't sound like much fun.

Less than 1/2 of 1% people every year face violent crime of ANY SORT. Most of the so called violent crimes mentioned are robberies which no one was hurt and your CCW would be better served to stay in it's holster. You have a .006 of 1% chance of being murdered and .03 of 1% chance of rape. The murder stats also include the stupid SOB's that think it's cool to be in a gang and kill someone else for selling drugs on their street corner or living on the wrong side of the tracks. While I can't find stats to back it up a vast majority (not all) of murders happen in places that you shouldn't be anyway. Many of the remaining murders are by family members or close friends where your CCW is likely to do you little good. In other words it would take 166 years for 1% of the population to be murdered at the current rate and some of the victims are as bad as the killers or there is a good chance that CCW would make no difference at all. Tell me again why you carry?

Go ahead and carry. It's your right and the more people doing it should deter crime. But don't pull out a couple news stories and tell me you have to carry.
 
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I was down there when it started. My state has reciprocity for every state I go through. My wife made sure I was carrying everytime we went out.

Beentown
 
I'll still wonder why you carry. After all, how many people have ventured out before or since the posted incidents without issues? More than likely never will and the gun will be dead weight.
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It is not very likely you will be in a car accident either. Do you wear a seatbelt? In all my years I have never heard someone say "darn, I wish I had not been prepared when that bad thing happened to me."
 
Was just there last week replacing airbags on my motor home at Freightliner Custom Chassis. :eek: Took about 3 days. Had my Kel-Tec P-32 in my hip pocket all the time. (They don't call it an always gun for nothin'.) Would have slipped my Kahr PM-45 in a pocket when downtown if I'd known! ;)

Having a gun doesn't guarantee you won't become a murder victim, but it does even the odds a bit if you couple it with adequate situational awareness!
 
Well...yeah

This is why we all carry. Bottom line is that it is better to have a gun and not need it than it is to need a gun and not have it.
 
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