It happened again

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George Hill

Staff Alumnus
I wasn't going to mention this:
Sunday morning I was at a do it your own dang self car was with our "Big-Ass Van" which is what my wife calls her full sized conversion cruise liner sized Chevy. I was in the process of vacuming this beast out with one of the places monster sized shop vacs.
My level of awareness was down. Not lowered. Down. Scope was off. I was numbed by the fact I am in Salt Lake with its low crime rate and I have had little problem here compaired to other places I have been - so I was not even concerned. The machine was LOUD, and I couldn't hear the approach. My head was in the van and I could see the approach. I did notice the sensation of my wallet being yanked out of my back pocket. I spun to face a very large Tongan fella that looked 3 times as broad as myself and 3 inches taller. He said that I was going to let him borrow some cash. I said nothing at that point as he flipped through the wallet. In the front of the wallet - first thing you see is my CCW. He saw it. He looked up suddenly. He knew he was in trouble. I asked for the wallet back. He asked if I had a gun. I answered with Roshambo (a swift kick to his jewels) and a punch draw. I carry my PPK/S on my left side angled for a cross draw... in this case I punched open palmed into his chest with my right and drew left handed. I was much faster than I would have expected. My punch sent him backwards and the kick to the groin stunned him. When he hit his head on the curbing - well, it probably about knocked him out. He was on his back before the Walther was skinned, dazed and confused. I was able to ask again for my wallet over the barrel of the little gun, a little more convincingly than the first time. I told him to drop the wallet and crawl away. Which he did.

I know there are a lot of other ways I could have handled this... But my choice of actions seemed most prudent at the time. I went back home and had eggs and OJ.

Like I said - I didnt want to mention it as I will likely get a little singed from some light flaming because I didnt do things a certain way. Like call the police - hold the guy - or shoot the guy... All I wanted was 1. Get my wallet back - a trip to the DMV is something I wouldnt wish on someone I hate. And 2. Return to the warmth of my family.
#2 being my priority. Spending time talking to a Police Officer all morning wasnt what I wanted to be doing.

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"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
 
Gawd I love happy endings! ;)
Glad you posted it cause this is one of those unreported 2 million plus instances that Sarah and company don't like to mention. This Tongan Turd will prob head for sunny warm Kali to heal his sore coconuts.

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CCW for Ohio action site.
http://www.ofcc.net
 
To my mind you handled it just right. Maybe, a good boot to the head while he was laying there....but, maybe that would have been over kill. I agree w/ not calling in the police. You'd probably be there for an hour or better running the whole thing through again and again. I will say you showed great restraint in not beating the s**t out of him. Glad it turned out like it should have.. :)

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RKBA
www.southernparty.org
 
After I retrieved my wallet - I got in the van and went home. Situation Over.

That was the whole point- End the Situation.

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"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
 
George:

Damn good for you! I'm sorry you were put in this situation, but you just proved everything I totally believe in!! (In that situation, armed, I possibly would have handled it -- but the adrenalin "rush" afterwards would have left me shaking like a leaf.)

We've just had an "incident" here in Perth -- a 50-year-old University lecturer and his wife going home on the train after being to a restaurant in the city. At their suburban railway station, nearly home, they were confronted by a group of 20 Aboriginal youths, who demanded the man's wallet.

When he demurred, they knocked him to the ground and took turns kicking him -- just in the head, nowhere else. Pulped his nose, permanently damaged his right eye, broke his jaw, and caved in his cheekbones. He's lucky there's no brain damage.

He should have drawn his .... damn!! I forgot. We're expressly forbidden by law, on penalty of jail up to 10 years, to possess a firearm for self-defence, aren't we!

</bitter mode off>

B

And PS, George: I'm damned glad you mentioned it!
 
George: Good for you! You came away with your person and property intact and managed to put a hurt on the bad guy, to boot. I doubt that I would have done nearly as well in that situation.

Could you tell us a little about what sort of martial arts training you've had, and how well you feel it worked in this instance?
 
George, sounds like you did the right thing, all the way around. I wouldn't want the police involved, either.

Most importantly, you walked away from it. The wallet was a distant, distant second (or further down the list). To me, it's the invasion of my space and life that would make me angry. Stuff is stuff, I can always get more, but I'd have been PO'd at someone who thought just because he was bigger than me, he could take what was mine.

Also, I think he'll think twice before picking another "victim". I think he knows he's only breathing today because you let him continue to do so.

You should have asked for his wallet.

After all, you did Roshambo him for it!! :) :) :)

Maybe we should start calling you Cartman ;)
 
George:

You did the right thing.. you survived! Funny I was just thinking about a similar situation last night and I wondered if I should hold the BG in place for the cops or just tell him to get the hell out of there. I feel the goal is to stay alive and unharmed, first and foremost. If the BG gets a trip to the county Hilton, thats a bennie but not the objective.

Fred
 
Nice to read the ending. It is a lesson that not because we are carrying a gun and we are attacked, we immediately use it.

That is the importance of martial arts as a substitute when the gun is not needed most. Besides its a Headache again if police came in.

Was it a karate or aikido being used? tell us so that we can put to practice to.
 
That's what happens when you mess around with "bears"! ;)
Thanks for the uplifting story George. A good way to start my day.
 
George, First I am glad this worked out for you and noone (well no good guys) got hurt too bad. However, I will say that you should have called the police and reported the incident for two reasons:
1. To allow them to "BOLO" (be on the lookout) for this guy in the evnt that he attempts - which he will - to do this with someone less prepared than you; and
2. To prevent a claim aginst you of Assault and Battery with a deadly weapon. You see, the people that you are dealing with understand in a very real sense how the legal system works, and will claim that a good guy misused his power and authority to "harm" them. You, as the "victim" of a crime must report the crime to prevent the bad guy from claiming that you tried to rob him (or worse) at gun point - and he has the physical evidence (bruises and swollen other parts) to "prove" what he says happened.
Anyway, I am glad you went home to enjoy breakfast - as I tell rookie officers, the most important rule in law enforcement is: "First, I AM going home tonight!"
 
George, after your well placed KICK, there's one guy that can now do a very good impression of Mike Tyson !...LOL ;)
Here's a (whump), cyber slap on the back for ya bud. :)
Good guys: 1
Bad guys: 0


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"The Gun from Down Under !"
http://www.para1911fanclub.w3.to/
Alternate E-mail
HS2000@ausi.com
 
Tactical Awareness: "D"
Tactical Recovery: "A+"
Overall rating: "A+" (it's impossible to live in constant Condition Yellow).

Would have liked to have seen you press charges, though I can't say I'd have acted any differently. Perhaps the Kodiac "Tire Iron Dance"? ;)
Rich
 
George ... I think you're reaction was a perfect example of what happens when we fail to recognize and embrace the beauty and richness of the cultural diversity we are blessed with in this country. You obviously missed the Tongan Special earlier this month on the Discovery Channel. Had you seen it, you would have known that Tongan's engage in this exact behavior as a matter of greeting those previously unknown to them. In this manner, they are bypass the western norms of ritual handshakes and greetings. He was not actually asking for money but seizing your Id to facilitate the greeting process. Perhaps you misunderstood his true intentions and it was your preconceived notions of Tongan culture which led you to believe you were being threatened.

Your striking him in the manner you did will undoubtedly set back U.S./Tongan relations for minutes, if not hours to come. I suggest you re-reflect on your actions and by all means watch the re-broadcast of 'Tonga, Getting to know you' on Discovery.

Other than that, I think you handled everything perfectly. :)

Regards, Chris..
 
George,

I have followed your many posts over the last months -- and I'm VERY glad this incident worked out so well. Please accept my sincere congratulations on a job well done, and do not accept any "second guessers" -- they were there and the facts speak for themselves.

Delighted you went home for breakfast and the BG (I hope) is nursing his "jewels" for a few days.
 
Maybe we should start calling (George) Cartman

Oh man... I can just see it now... the inimitable Kodiac screaming at the goblin, "You will respect my authori-tie!"

This made my day. Kickass!

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"Janet Reno is the fire that ignites my loins."
--Joe Cartoon
 
George,

Wow! I'm really glad to hear that things turned out as they did. I also think you did the right thing.

As an aside, my mom lived out in that area for a few years in the late 80s/early 90s (in Tooele (sp?)). She often related to my siblings and I accounts of the massive size and toughness of some of those Tongans. Not to be trifled with, that's for sure.

Once again, very glad it worked out like it did!
 
Chris, you are a stitch. ;)


George, I think you handled it perfectly as well. Tough call on bringing in the LEO's. Here is the problem as I see it, and considering the training and debates I've had: You call the LEO's, they arrest the guy or at least take the complaint. There were no witnesses (I gather). They find the guy, and ... he now claims you assaulted him (with a deadly weapon, BTW), and he has the bumps to prove it. From what I hear, this is not an unlikely scenario.

The way things stand now, this guy has just become a believer in concealed carry laws. He's wondering how many folks like you there are in your state. Perhaps he'll even check or hear the number. Then, even his feeble mind will begin to wonder how he determines who has a firearm and who doesn't. His mediocre IQ will perhaps help him realize he can't reliably tell who's carrying. He may begin to consider a career change. These are good things, obviously.

Your story is especially relevant here in Phoenix. We had a young (33?) CPA murdered recently in a similar situation, at a $0.25 car wash. About 10:30pm one night, as I recall. Killed execution style by some scumbag 16 year old. Probably never heard them coming up on him. So, I've added self-serve car washes to ATM's and some other situations that can entail additional risk.

Very glad to hear you're OK. Thanks for 'training' another BG. We're all a bit safer because of good men like you.

Regards from AZ
 
Ok I'm showing my ignorance here who/what is a Tongan????

Glad to see you came out on top of your encounter with a "goblin." Mabey he will think twice before doing it again.

The bottom line is you went home to the family and that is really what counts.

Now for the flames ;) Got to play devils advacate just a tad.

Personally I think, (yes think as I've never had a encounter like yours and therefore do not know how I'd react)

You should have called the police and pressed charges. This would get him off the street for a short time and might give him serious thoughts about doing it again. Not that a swift kick in the jimmy and looking down the buseness end of a PPK/S is enough to make him think twice.

What if he was to try and press charges against you for hurting the poor little guy as he tried to "get a loan" from you??? Stranger things have happened.

What if he got a look at your address before you Roshambo'd him and he remembers it? This would be extremly ugly with him ending up on a slab, if you were to report it (car wash encounter) then their would be paper on your attempted robery, this then would help establish grounds for you to leagelly "slab" him if the worse cace senario came into play.
 
Joey,

A Tongan is someone from Tonga, an island nation in the South Pacific.

George,

Well done! I have spent a lot of years in Utah (I went to school in both Provo and Ogden) and while on the surface, all appears to be peaceful, there is an underside as ugly as that in any large city in the country. Tactical awareness at all times is the key.
 
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