Well, I wasn't going to mention this experience until the fellow's court case was resolved, but he plead guilty to two counts of C-Felony Intimidation and one count of misdemeanor battery last week, so I guess I can open my mouth. I had a vagrant attempt to rob me around the holidays. I was armed. I ran away. I feel good about that decision.
I was loading a great hulking box of paper into the backseat of my car in my office parking lot when I noticed a man walking in my direction. He stopped about 5-7 yards away and asked me for money. I declined to give him any. He took that poorly, and stated that he was going to rob me while placing his right hand into his pocket...
I contemplated drawing and firing at that point, and I have had a number of lawyers tell me I should have done so and saved everyone else that now has to deal with this guy the trouble.
But I did not do so, although I was indeed in reasonable fear for my life. I figured I could hop into the driver's seat of my car and lock the door before he could close the distance. I thought that if he tried to close the distance at that point or presented a weapon, I could fire through the window or try to run him over. Either way, I figured at least attempting to escape was a better option.
It worked. He didn't try to close the distance, he just stood there with his hand in his pocket trying to look mean (really looking more like the sad, middle-aged, drug addict that he is), and I was able to drive briskly from the parking lot. Thanks in part to some of the excellent tips I received in my last hairy-situation thread (http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=385645), I was able to give the cops a very detailed description and they picked him up with little trouble.
Apparently, after I ran away, he tried nearly the same stunt with somebody else, and then randomly beat up some guy in a mexican restaurant, resulting in the additional intimidation and battery charges.
I thought he should have been charged with Attempted Robbery, as I think his crime satisfied all the elements of that charge, and I would have testified to that, but that's the prosecutor's call. I'll go down and speak at his sentencing, and hopefully he will receive a substantial sentence. I've heard he has quite an extensive and violent record, so that seems likely. Just figured I would share my experience. I've been told I would have been justified in shooting him, but I'm glad I at least gave escape a chance, and that it worked out.
I was loading a great hulking box of paper into the backseat of my car in my office parking lot when I noticed a man walking in my direction. He stopped about 5-7 yards away and asked me for money. I declined to give him any. He took that poorly, and stated that he was going to rob me while placing his right hand into his pocket...
I contemplated drawing and firing at that point, and I have had a number of lawyers tell me I should have done so and saved everyone else that now has to deal with this guy the trouble.
But I did not do so, although I was indeed in reasonable fear for my life. I figured I could hop into the driver's seat of my car and lock the door before he could close the distance. I thought that if he tried to close the distance at that point or presented a weapon, I could fire through the window or try to run him over. Either way, I figured at least attempting to escape was a better option.
It worked. He didn't try to close the distance, he just stood there with his hand in his pocket trying to look mean (really looking more like the sad, middle-aged, drug addict that he is), and I was able to drive briskly from the parking lot. Thanks in part to some of the excellent tips I received in my last hairy-situation thread (http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=385645), I was able to give the cops a very detailed description and they picked him up with little trouble.
Apparently, after I ran away, he tried nearly the same stunt with somebody else, and then randomly beat up some guy in a mexican restaurant, resulting in the additional intimidation and battery charges.
I thought he should have been charged with Attempted Robbery, as I think his crime satisfied all the elements of that charge, and I would have testified to that, but that's the prosecutor's call. I'll go down and speak at his sentencing, and hopefully he will receive a substantial sentence. I've heard he has quite an extensive and violent record, so that seems likely. Just figured I would share my experience. I've been told I would have been justified in shooting him, but I'm glad I at least gave escape a chance, and that it worked out.
