What to tell police if no shots fired?

As fate would have it, I was in a situation just like this just a few months ago. The only words out of my mouth were "I want my attorney." The officers then went on their way and I've not heard anything from my local LEA since.
 
9mm I have not herd back from them on the two incidents. Both happened several years ago. One was a guy with a bad case of road rage. The other were some guys triangulating me at night. The second was in an area where two other people that worked for the same company had been robbed. Both described similar situations happened before they were robbed.
 
Interesting responses, based mainly on locale.

I'm a cop from Louisiana and have been behind the badge for over 30 years. Louisiana is a gun-friendly state, to the point where I assume that half the people I interact with are carrying a gun, either on their person or in their vehicle.

Let me state for the record that in 30 years of practice, I have never had a problem with a law-abiding citizen carrying a gun. On the occasions where someone reports a crime and tell me that they pointed a gun at the offender, I ask the question "Did you shoot him?" That lets me know if I'm looking for a wounded offender, and to check the hospital emergency rooms. I'll ask basic information to complete my report, but I will not ask to see the firearm. Just whether the gun was a long gun, a handgun, dark or stainless, that sort of question to help me complete the report. "He pointed a shotgun at the offender and told him to leave the premises immediately."

I remember one little old lady who was known to carry a cap-and-ball revolver under the seat of her car. She pointed it at a fellow one day and he nearly crapped himself when she thumb-cocked the hammer.

But, the responses from the folks in less gun-friendly states is illuminating. I've never run into that mindset. Yeah, there are folks here who don't like the police, and cringe when they see a cruiser in their rear-view mirror, but that's based on traffic tickets, not 2A issues.
 
Pawpaw said:
Interesting responses, based mainly on locale.
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On the nose.

That doesn't even mean that if you live in NJ or Chicago and you have an interaction with local police that it will necessarily turn out badly. I believe we are less likely to hear about contacts that don't generate a problem. I worked in a rather anti-gun city, but I know many POs who wouldn't give anyone a problem for carrying, even before legal permits, unless the person was engaged in some other crime.

However, in these places one doesn't know which sort of individual a PO will be until he has that contact.

Pawpaw said:
But, the responses from the folks in less gun-friendly states is illuminating. I've never run into that mindset. Yeah, there are folks here who don't like the police, and cringe when they see a cruiser in their rear-view mirror, but that's based on traffic tickets, not 2A issues.
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Emphasis added. I note this because it is true and funny.

I am a middle aged man and suburban homeowner. I am bald and boring and ooze stability; POs don't see me as a problem and my interactions with them typically reflect that. However, when I was 17 and thought the only correct position for a gas pedal was all the way down, the police viewed me with appropriate suspicion.

When I see a car running radar, I still instinctively lift the pedal and think "Oh ****!". For a split second, I forget that I am no longer 13 and driving illegally. I wonder how old a fellow needs to get to shake that reflex.
 
I drew down on a guy once while I was stationed in Kodiak. My daughter was very young at the time and I had her in a backpack carrier while I was fishing (Mrs. JGCoastie needed a break, from both of us I presume).

Long story short, the guy made several threats against me and my daughter because she was being louder than he liked (yeah, small children make noise, whouldathunkit?). He started stomping towards me telling me he would shut that little @#$%! up one way or another and I drew. I wasn't about to get in a fistfight with my daughter strapped to my back...

I drew down, yelled at him a couple times, and he stopped, turned, and ran to his vehicle. Several bystanders called the State Troopers and MILPOL (joint jurisdiction area). The officers from both agencies took my statement and description of the guy, talked to all the bystanders (one had written down the license plate number of the guy), and then they left.

I was open-carrying at the time and not a single one of them asked me for my gun or asked to look at it. The only time they mentioned it was after I asked them what they wanted me to do with it.... They said to just leave it holstered and that would be fine with them...

Gotta love Alaska.:cool:
 
"When I see a car running radar, I still instinctively lift the pedal and think "Oh ****!". For a split second, I forget that I am no longer 13 and driving illegally. I wonder how old a fellow needs to get to shake that reflex"



Never... it's operant conditioning. Same reason I freeze for a second and think "holy cow, there's a cop and I'm carrying a pistol" even with my CCW firmly in hand.

Once we are trained to "feel guilty" it stays forever.


PawPaw... that was a superb post. The thing is that guys from down there (I lived in Houma for a while BTW) don't feel a twinge of guilt about carrying a pistol in their car. Pull them over in NJ as they pass thru and they don't have any hesitation about saying with all innocence "sure officer, I've got my pistol *right here*" and then get hauled directly to jail. It happens about once a year, or at least makes the papers once a year or so.



Willie

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Drawing is effectively the same as drawing and firing. Report immediately, Call attorney and respond the same as if you had fired.

1. in fear for my life.
2. shook up
3. Conduct interview later when you are coherent.
 
PawPaw... that was a superb post. The thing is that guys from down there (I lived in Houma for a while BTW) don't feel a twinge of guilt about carrying a pistol in their car. Pull them over in NJ as they pass thru and they don't have any hesitation about saying with all innocence "sure officer, I've got my pistol *right here*" and then get hauled directly to jail. It happens about once a year, or at least makes the papers once a year or so.
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Thanks, but that's the point, it's all based on locale. In New Jersey, evidently, it's against the law to carry a gun in your car. (Not bashing NJ, just sayin'). Here in Louisiana the vehicle is considered an extension of the home, therefore having a gun in your car is an absolute constitutional right. They teach us that in the police academy, whatever you can do in your home you can do in your car. SO, folks in Louisiana are ingrained with that in our heads. If I were driving thru another state and a cop asked.... Well, just last year I was driving thru Georgia and a cop stopped us. He asked if we had any guns in the car. I had to count on my fingers for a moment and told him "Yeah, four." H just shook his head and laughed.

I'm really saddened that my badge-toting brethren in other states hassle people over what I consider a constitutional right, an iron-clad constitutional right. But I blame that on The People. If The People want iron-clad constitutional rights you've got to work for them, you've got to agitate for them, you've got to politic for them and you've got to be smart about it. But, you've got to get The People on your side. That's the American way.
 
Frank Ettin said:
Report the incident promptly and truthfully.

If the other guy gets on the phone to the police first complaining about the nut job waving a gun at him, you'll start out telling your story in a hole you'll need to climb out of.
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Agreed.

"Police? I am at [location]. I was just assaulted by a [description] male/female who threatened me with a [weapon]. I have a license to carry and I displayed my carry gun, at which point the assailant ran away. What would you like me to do?"
 
Lost Sheep said:
Frank Ettin said:
And exactly what evidence do you have to support that assertion? Any actual examples?
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Since you ask,

I recall Meleanie Hain, a soccer mom in Lebanon, PA who had her concealed carry license revoked for carrying openly.
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/ind...at_prospe.html

Unfortunately her story was overshadowed by her later murder at the hands of her husband. But the judge who ordered the Sheriff to restore her concealed carry permit found the Sheriff's action without merit.
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Bad example.

Melanie's license was not revoked for drawing a firearm in self defense but not shooting. Her license was revoked because she practiced open carry (which was -- and is -- legal in Pennsylvania where she lived) and had the chutzpah to do so at her daughter's soccer game. Some other soccer mom got her knickers in a twist and complained to the sheriff, who got his knickers in a twist and pulled her license. Fortunately, the court spanked the sheriff and her license was restored.

Her case had nothing to do with the topic of discussion in this thread.

The irony was that PA allows unlicensed open carry (except in Philadelphia), so the net effect of revoking her license was to make it illegal for her to carry any other way EXCEPT open carry. I think her county's sheriff was hiding behind the door the day brains were handed out.
 
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I will try to keep it one topic - I would report it, I live in GA, but I understand why others would hesitate to report. I work in a large corporation, used to work with 1000+ people from all over the world. Because I talk with many people, really talk to them about the rights of protection with firearms, you would be surprised how many people feel you shouldn't have a firearm to protect yourself. These people I talk to say that because you have a firearm, that you are the one who is making it too easy for people to use force upon others. I tell them that I have never used force on others and only carry to protect myself and my family. They say that there are too many guns in American and it is because of me that there is crime in America. If the majority of people feel that I am the cause of all of this crime, then I, too, would feel a little uneasy announcing to the world that I used my big bad weapon to defend myself. I should feel proud that I stood up to this evil that chooses to use these weapons to further their gain illegally, but knowing that there are a large group that want all people disarmed, including people like me and you, yes, I can see how you may not want to put on a police report that you carry a loaded weapon that can instantly kill someone. All I am trying to do is keep myself protected to the full extent of the law.
 
bigalshootmupper said:
...If the majority of people feel that I am the cause of all of this crime, then I, too, would feel a little uneasy announcing to the world that I used my big bad weapon to defend myself....
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You're not announcing anything to the world. Your reporting to the police that you were the victim of a threat and that you lawfully and justifiably defended yourself. And you are doing so because it's your civic duty to report criminal conduct (the other guy's) and to head off and minimize the risk of a false accusation being made against you.
 
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