Jacket rode up over holster at a Wedding, escorted out by five police officers

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I thought churches ,etc. Were off limits for cc.

I would not feel good about carrying at a wedding or something similar
just my 2¢
 
Places of worship being off limits vary by state. One needs to know the local law.

The incident was a screw up all around. Also, relationship advice isn't our mission.

5 cops - did they over react? There have been church rampages. So when a dispatcher gets a call - should they err on the side of more?

Best answer - check yourself.
 
Adamc, the church thing varies by state. To me, any large event is when you need to carry anymore, especially if emotions of other people can get involved. A church service is a great target for a shooter, as is a wedding. The wedding also runs the risk of a jealous ex showing up and trying to start trouble. I'd feel no different carrying at a wedding than while going to the store.
 
It sounds like the cops handled it well. They could have sent a SWAT team, cuffed and detained the OP and let the lawyers sort it out. Instead it sounds like they were reasonable.

They did give you back the P7, flashlight, etc afterwards, correct? No charges filed, correct?
 
Yes, the police gave back the magazine and the flashlight. They never saw the P7 because it was in the vehicle. The police did not arrest me, or file any charges. I am really lucky everything worked out as well as it did.

I am really sorry I embarrassed my date. I sincerely hope nothing else bad comes of this. I dislike all types of drama. This experience, for me is unique.

I opened carry in quite a few places in the last two months and occasionally someone would ask a question but otherwise everything was ok.

The only reason I would open carry is just to get the public used to seeing firearms, but it seems to be an uphill battle and tactically there is no advantage to open carry.

Regardless, the wedding was supposed to be concealed carry. Again, the moral is to do a visual check not just "pull down on jacket."
 
I know they put it into some states laws but doesn't forbidding carrying in church violate the seperation of church and state? It sure would if you wanted a manger scene or the states land.
 
Adamc, the church thing varies by state. To me, any large event is when you need to carry anymore, especially if emotions of other people can get involved. A church service is a great target for a shooter, as is a wedding. The wedding also runs the risk of a jealous ex showing up and trying to start trouble. I'd feel no different carrying at a wedding than while going to the store.
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Me and Kycountryboy must be some kind of kin (true: my folks came out of Ky), . . . as his thoughts are mine.

The last two weddings I did not carry at was only because I was officiating, . . . and had enough on my plate to not want the worry of a 1911 also.

But, . . . when I am just a guest, . . . I either go armed, or I don't go. There are just too many truly loco's out there, . . . willing to make their point at a wedding, funeral, or other gathering, . . .

May God bless,
Dwight
 
454me said:
I know they put it into some states laws but doesn't forbidding carrying in church violate the seperation of church and state? It sure would if you wanted a manger scene or the states land.
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I think one could make a case for its violating church/state separation only if carrying weapons were actually one of the tenets of the religion.

Churches aren't exempt from legal regulation just because they're churches: a fire marshall, for example, can determine the maximum legal occupancy for the church hall, and the church kitchen has to comply with board of health regulations.
 
I think Miss Manners would say you should write a note of apology to the new couple but as it sounds unlikely that you will ever see them again (assuming you and your date are over) it may be best to let the situation die a natural death. The whole thing could have certainly been a lot worse. Sometimes, laws and social etiquette don't mesh as well as we would like. You learned and that's the important thing.
 
I think this is why many of us have more than one carry gun. If you had a small 38 in your front pocket, this would not have happened. Think about how difficult it would have been to dance at the reception with your current rig.

IMHO, a small, light 38 needs to be in everyone's collection.
 
I think one could make a case for its violating church/state separation only if carrying weapons were actually one of the tenets of the religion.

Churches aren't exempt from legal regulation just because they're churches: a fire marshall, for example, can determine the maximum legal occupancy for the church hall, and the church kitchen has to comply with board of health regulations.
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Shirley you don't think that's the same thing! A church is private property. Forbidding the church members by laws from carrying guns --rather than just allowing the church itself to ban weapons-- is IMHO a violation of the 1st Amendment freedom of association. Several states do it anyway; we've just grown accustom to the government violating our rights whenever dealing with guns. Not every illegal infringement involves the 2nd Amendment.

BTW, the church kitchen is exempt from health inspections and does not have to be licensed unless it prepares food for the public. We just went thru that about a year ago here in Minnesota. (the mobile kitchen that serves meals at disaster sites *does* have to be licensed and inspected) It may be different in other states, but I bet it's not that much different.
 
A person should always have a pistol for deep concealment. something like a NAA revolver or a ruger 380lcp. Stick it in or clip it to your pocket and its perfectly unnoticable.
 
zxcvbob said:
Vanya said:
I think one could make a case for its violating church/state separation only if carrying weapons were actually one of the tenets of the religion.

Churches aren't exempt from legal regulation just because they're churches: a fire marshall, for example, can determine the maximum legal occupancy for the church hall, and the church kitchen has to comply with board of health regulations.
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Shirley you don't think that's the same thing!
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Never said I thought that. My point is that the issue isn't one of separation of church and state: state and local governments do in fact have laws and regulations that apply to churches, including, in some cases, restrictions on carrying concealed weapons. Do I agree with those restrictions? No.

As to church kitchens, regulations vary from state to state and depend on how the kitchen is used. In many places, if a church holds community suppers that are open to the public, the kitchen has to be licensed and inspected.

But the issue is not one of separation of church and state, but of the difference between private functions and public ones.
 
Again, the moral is to do a visual check not just "pull down on jacket."
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I would say the moral of the story is never, ever forget that you are carrying. Everything you need to do to maintain concealment should then follow.

And I might send the apology note to the bride's mother who is your date's business friend, as I understood from your opening post. That is the connection to the family that might have suffered the most embarassment.
 
I thought there was always someone standing around a wedding with a shotgun.

Oh Well.

I carried at my wedding. I think about half the people there did.

Did have two cops (highway patrol) standing, one on each side of the door at the rear of the church.

I always got harassed about that.

They were on duty, one was a friend of mine, the other was a rookie he was training. Still looked funny though.

With tells everyone they were there to keep me from escaping.
 
I sent a note to the date, but I do not even know who to send the apology to the bridesmaid. That is probably not possible especially since I have not heard back from the the lady I went to the even. Knowing her I doubt I will hear from her again.
 
If the groom saw the firearm, odds are someone else may have too. The priest, organist, groomsman...anybody. To many, a stranger with a gun is not something they want at their wedding.....or their house of worship. So they asked you to leave and you did. Who called the cops doesn't matter. The reason they called was your fault. The little lady who invited you has a right to be mad....you embarrassed her and probably did not help her business relationship with the groom's mother. To the bride, her wedding day is supposed to be remembered for how beautiful her dress was or how fancy the reception was. Instead everyone will remember the guy with the gun that disrupted her day. It was an unfortunate series of events, initiated because of a little inexperience and lack of attention to detail.

I did not think it would have been THAT big of a deal for someone carrying at a wedding.

My thoughts are, should CCW'ers be so afraid of being "made out" that we have to be OCD about carrying a firearm?
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I think you now know the answer. Lesson learned. As others have said, you're lucky you aren't in a state where what you did could be determined to be illegal.
 
This is one reason I won't go to a wedding unless I or my wife is a close relative or friend of the bride or groom. A lot of stress floats around and reasonable people become unreasonable. Who invites a business associate to someone else's wedding?
 
Work on your CC, try it out in the mirror, maybe put a chair down and sit up and down with different outfits and see if your holster shifts or if your shirt rides up. Do this for a couple of hours and this will tell you a lot about the weaknesses of your current carry combo.

If you think the holster is the problem, try a couple of others.

I agree you are lucky, weddings are very emotional places. I still can't believe someone called the cops on you, thats just insanity.

If your lady friend won't talk to you again so be it, there are lots of fish in the sea. It is VERY important when you meet someone special they are like minded in some key areas. I am lucky that my wife loves to shoot, I read too many of these "My Wife/GF Won't let me own a gun or carry" threads.

Good luck
 
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