Real life experience self defense stories

[MikeyKahr]

Great list, BobR. Thanks for posting it.

Yup.

Be the first to call 911

State you were attacked

Point out any evdence the police might miss

State that you will file the complaint

Tell the officers you will give them a full statement after you consult your lawyer.

Those are the 5 basic rules.

[kahrseye]

what if you dont have a lawyer? ive never been in a accident in my life, a divorvce, or dated a pycho broad.

Gee, you must be a youngin. I've had multiples of those situations you listed.

[f44life]

im 24

[BobR]

I cannot take credit for what I posted, It is on the flashcard the US COncealed Carry Association hands out to every member, and it was written down originally by Massad Ayoob. I did forget the part about pointing out any witnesses to the police, before they dissapear.

You should consider joining the association, as they have a support network of lawyers, with referal cards, for locations throughout the country. Most people do not retain lawyers, but hire them at need. I have a cousin who is a lawyer who can give me competant advice about contract law in Massachusetts, but defending a person in a possible criminal case is very specialized.

You are currently prepared/are preparing to defend your life when Freddy the Felon tries to take it from you, but you should also prepare to defend your life *after* such an event as a self-defense shooting, should , God forbid, such a thing ever occur to you.

[ltxi]

what if you dont have a lawyer? ive never been in a accident in my life, a divorvce, or dated a pycho broad.

BobR makes a very good point and one I didn't really think about until you asked that question....because it's another thing that's second nature. I believe anyone who carries a lethal weapon, or even simply has one at hand for defense in their home, should make sure they have short notice access to a competent attorney; preferably but not essentially criminal. This applies not only to armed citizens but to professionals (who mostly already know this) as well.

A second comment is that anything that Massad Ayoob has to say wrt the mechanics and legal ramifications of self defense is well worth listening to...quite likely above the opinions of anyone else. I've been following his writings on the subject of lethal force since he began in the '70s; when I also lived in the "Live Free Or Die" state. I don't always fully agree with his advice, but I do take it to heart and recognize that I disagree at my own peril.

[ltxi]

sure, sometimes retelling it may relieve sum hidden pressure....i dont know.

Nah, j/k. Nothing of significant value that would help anyone and I'm past not being able to sleep at night.

Fwiw, I do appreciate your search for "grounding". I didn't do/have that at your age. Would have helped.

[JLeephoto]

OK - I've got one, and it's been years so I guess no harm in posting and some definite lesson's learned. This happened it what would be considered a very safe old neighborhood in a small town in the south. I had a CCW permit and had taken a few defensive pistol courses.
My dog, a young lab, awoke me barking at 0 dark 30 one night. I didn't think much of it, but my wife was as skittish as the dog and insisted I take my weapon and investigate. So, I go stumbling through my house with my Glock 26 in hand, and as I pass the car port I hear a loud noise. I don't really remember making the decision to open the door but I suddenly found myself standing on the steps of my carport with my weapon pointed squarely at the "FUBU" logo of the sweatshirt of a large man who was crouched at the bumper of my wife's car about 20 ft. away. Then my mind went into over drive. I was screaming at him to get down, or something to that effect. According to my wife, I was quite loud, and at that point she started dialing 911. I remember thinking that if he moves towards me, shoot, can't let him get in this house.. if he runs, let him go and to WATCH HIS HANDS. I couldn't see any sort of weapon but was completely focused on his hands which were balled at his side.

Then, he really surprised me, by running around the driver side of the vehicle, putting the car between us. I almost pulled the trigger then when I lost sight of his hands, but suddenly it hit me like a ton of bricks that HE HAS COVER, I DON'T. Furthermore, I was standing in a doorway, backlit. I immediately jumped behind the door frame. There was about a 2 beat with me trying to think what to do, when I heard the car crank, screeching tires, smoke, and he burns it in reverse out of the carport! I checked the keyholder inside the door and both sets of our keys were there.

Now I'm beginning to shake, but I slam & lock the door, take the phone from my wife and give the police a description of the perp and the direction he left in. Then I called my father who lived close by. I asked him to drive by the house and make sure there were no accomplices in the vicinity. (NOW I THINK OF THAT).

My father beat the police to my house and called me from his cell to ask if I had left or given chase. I told him no, and he asked where MY truck was? I told him it should be parked on the street, and he said that it was gone too! So there WAS an accomplice, and they got both vehicles.

When the police arrived, they found a crowbar in the driveway. The officer that took my statement couldn't believe that I didn't at least "try to shoot out the tires," and stated he would have shot the man as it was a felony in progress.
I am confident that holding my fire is something I did right, perhaps the only thing I did right.
I knew better, and had been trained not to confront a threat to my property, but to hole up in a "safe room" and protect my family. There's just to much that can go wrong like being blindsided by an accomplice, which turned out to be a very real threat. I put myself in an extremely dangerous position, and am fortunate it worked out as it did. I still don't know why I opened that door, maybe some kind of deeply ingrained stupid southern machismo. I hope I would do better if it ever happened again.

The police did spot the fleeing vehicle and gave chase into a wooded area that was evidently the rendezvous point because my truck was there as well. The perps got away on foot as the police were unwilling have a foot chase in the woods after dark without backup. I don't blame them. The vehicles were recovered with only minor scratches. It turns out, they had used our spare keys that were stashed on our back bumpers in magnetic key boxes. That's what the guy was doing crouched at the back bumper. Another lesson learned.

I have had one other "real life" experience as a concealed carrier where I at the last minute I found a way to retreat without shots fired but that will have to wait for another time.
Be Safe. JLee

[kahrseye]

JLee, I think you did the right thing. I can't believe the bg still stole your vehicle after you put a gun on him. I would have thought he'd get outta there as fast as possible without giving you a reason to pull the trigger. If this situation happened here in PA I wouldn't have shot either. In PA you must feel there is an eminent threat of serious bodily injury or death before you use lethal force. Thanks to our great (NOT) governor rendell, our Castle bill was shot down. Hopefully the new republican Gov. will sign it into law. It will definitely change the rules for carry in our state.

[mr. bggs]

when i turned 21 i was going to a store and thought id take my new glock 17 for a ride with me. just for fun more than anything else and wasn't thinking about anything unusual when i decided to throw it on the passenger seat. the neighborhood was ok, going down in the past few years but being a local, i figured that it wasn't gonna be a big deal. when i got to the store there were 3 bums outside. 2 guys and a woman. when i got to the door i noticed a no concealed handguns sticker that only seems to be posted on the doors of buildings i go to when im carrying. so with a wtf, i turned around passing the bums again to put my glock back in the car, not a good feeling trying to stash a full-size glock when 3 people watching you. anyways i did and went inside. what are the odds right? i used to have a habit after leaving a store of throwing my pennies on the ground outside. it helps make little kids lives interesting. idk, maybe i just didn't want them anymore. so im walking out of the store and as im walking to my car, im looking down flicking the pennies from my hand that still had change in it. as i walk past the bums one man yells " ****, i want some money". i turned and looked at him and laughed a little and kept walking, then i hear "hey mutha******, im talking to you!" i knew at this point that getting to the car was a good idea and i sped up. right when i got to the car, i hear "f*** this mutha******, give me my knife" i immediately went into overdrive, i dropped my bag, opened my door and pulled out my glock, i turned around with it in my hand. i never pointed it anywhere but down. the man who was now walking toward me with something in his hand(who now appeared to be about 6'4) saw what i had and stopped. he dropped the knife and put his hands up. "aw man i was just playing" i remember telling them i didn't have time for this ****. i don't know why, but it felt like i should say something so that's what came out. i jumped in my car and pulled straight thru with my glock on my lap, as i left i saw him pick up his knife and run away. that's the end. i know i should have called the police and maybe even took his knife away but all i could think was i wanna get the hell outta here right now! i have been back to that store 50 times at least since then and have never had another problem. it just goes to show that it can happen anywhere at anytime and being prepared can keep you and the ones you love safe. just having the gun kept the man from doing something that would have changed both of our lives forever. i saved the receipt from that day and look at it from time to time. funny thing is. i used my last $20 to buy $18.97 worth of groceries. he would have either lost his life or killed a guy at the store over $1.03. hope this helps someone who is trying to decide if they really need a gun or not. truth is you will never know until you do need it. might as well spend a little time getting a gun and learning to use it properly to defend yourself and the ones around you.

[Bawanna]

Good story Mr. Bggs, things happen fast in scenarios like that and it sounds like you did very well.

I would not have given the no concealed guns sign notice. It would have gone with me or I would have not gone to the store.

It's their store and they have the right to post and enforce that sign but I have a tendency to ignore laws that put me in danger.

Oviously, places that run you thru a metal detector I'm just not gonna go. I don't fly, I did do a cruise very nervously for a week but theres no getting around it.