TexasCHLforum.com

rotor wrote:This whole story doesn't sound real to me.

Yeah, I made it all up ... I wish ...

yeah, this all didn't happen, and I didn't have a racing heart for 12 hours afterwards and a sleepless night (I hope the same or similar happens to anyone who thinks I'm a "liar" and made this up, why would I even do that?).

Actually I shouldn't think that ... I would hope that more reasonable people wouldn't jump to conclusions and would maybe try to learn from the experiences of others (i.e. , keep in mind that things like this can happen anywhere, for any reason, or no reason -- so always be prepared and situationally aware!).

I hope that others will never experience being threatened with a deadly weapon (most won't, and I never imagined I would, outside of my military service).

Thanks for all the *helpful* responses, this is the first time I've checked back since the day I made the post (for one reason because of the post I quoted here, I knew that somebody like that would come along). Plus I've been really depressed about what happened, and am trying to not dwell upon it ( I think the doubting Thomases have never been there and can't relate).

I know it sounds bizarre, and that's one reason I didn't call the police afterwards (I was afraid they wouldn't believe me and might instead believe in whatever nonsense they might have come up with).

Actually, I have been *very* angry and depressed about what happened to me, and have been doing my best to just forgive and forget and move on (and it happened exactly as I described, except I'm not absolutely certain now as to how close the knife-wielding neighbor was to me, I think if I had been armed and prepared I would have been able to defend myself perfectly legally -- he was very close I know but perhaps not within slashing distance).

That's all unclear in my mind now, over two months later, and was even shortly afterwards (I guess maybe due to that "tunnel vision" thing I've seen others describe here). I replay it in my mind all the time though, him so near me, holding the knife out to his side, threatening to call the police on me -- as I tried to reason and apologize (though I had NO reason to) ...

I'm a home owner in the area (37th and University area, west-side, approximately), my family has lived here since 1970 (the tornado destroyed our house in East Lubbock), and I have been very saddened to see the "neighborhood" deteriorate to what it is becoming now. It's gone from being a neighborhood of older homeowners who knew each other and looked out for one another to what it is now (Tech students like these guys and other renters, mostly). It was never quite "Tech Terrace", but it was never like it is now.

I don't have my CHL yet but intend to get one soon, and will do my best to live up to the legal and moral responsibilities of that. I won't go looking for trouble with these "neighbors" , but I will not be told where I can and can't go in my own neighborhood, and I WILL exercise my rights to self-defense IF there is a next time -- for right now that is a cane, legal folding knife, or HALT! spray -- sometime in 2017 it will be a .357 .

twomillenium wrote:If your the type that displays a gun to make the threat go away and when it does you don't call the police, then you are the type that probably should not carry a handgun. When he calls the police to say you threatened him with a gun and you have not called because you felt you had to because you were in fear of your life or wellbeing, then you are already at a disadvantage when the police do show up.

I don't have my CHL yet, I'm just strongly considering it because of this incident. And I'm just trying to get a feel for how more experienced people holding CHLs might have handled something like this.

If I had displayed a legal firearm I definitely would have called the police as to cover yourself. I'll bet he's the type who would go crying to the police over such a thing -- instead of just taking his lumps and learning a lesson (i.e., don't threaten somebody with a knife).

I guess thinking about it over and over in my head I'm torn on the "shoot/don't shoot" aspects of it ... I know that you shouldn't pull a pistol unless you intend to use it -- but maybe in this case just seeing it pointed at him would have caused him to back off or drop it? I don't know .. just trying to learn from others here, forgive me for my ignorance on all of this.

suthdj wrote:I believe as soon as knife came out you could have shot. Someone else will be along shortly with more detail I am sure.

Thanks for the feedback. As the other response says, at the point he had the knife out and ready it might have been too late to pull a CCW, unless maybe I could have put some distance between us and gotten it out then (hard to do while trying to control my dog too).

However, I was aware that he seemed angry as he was running up to me, and I had already been confronted by the other one -- so would it have been legal to have my hand on the grip, or have it at "low ready" (if I had had a pistol on me) ? thanks for any more input on that ...

About 6 weeks ago I took my old dog (blue heeler mix) for a walk here in central Lubbock. I took a shortcut down an alleyway and along the way I snapped a quick picture of my dog as we walked, thinking nothing of it. Then I turned to walk down University towards 34th and a young man confronted me, asking "why were you taking pictures of my dogs?" I tried to explain to him that I took a picture of my dog in the alley, and apologized if I offended him, and told him there was nothing to be upset about. He asked me for my name, and I refused to give it to him (sorry, I'm only giving my name to a police officer) , and he said "ok" and walked away.

I continued walking another block or so, when another young "man" came running up to me, waving his arms, yelling "why were you taking pictures of my dogs!?!?" He got up close and I started to explain myself thinking he just wanted to talk like a normal person would and he pulled out a folding knife with the blade open and held it out to his side and up, at eye level. Again he asked the question, and I tried to explain to him that I took a picture of my dog, and that he had nothing to be upset about.

He had a crazed look on his face, and I had no idea if I was about to be slashed or stabbed or what (he was within distance to easily do that). His eyes kept going back and forth between me and my dog. While raging and threatening me with the knife he said "if I ever see you around again I'm calling the cops!" -- then he ran away (isn't that something, threatening to "call the cops" while committing a violent felony against a neighbor).

I don't have a CHL yet, but I plan to get one ASAP. I think that piece of trash was really lucky he didn't pull that stunt on the wrong person - I think it might have been perfectly justified to shoot him (maybe I'm wrong on that ?). I mean, he was within easy slashing/stabbing distance, and raging at me, acting as if he was about to do something. I also felt as if my dog was threatened (funny, he thinks someone taking a picture in an alley is somehow a threat to his dogs, but he had no problem acting as if he might stab mine).

I probably should have called the police , but didn't -- it all seemed so bizarre when it happened, and I had no witnesses, so I didn't know if anything could be done, or if the police would even believe me. And being the "I'll call the cops!" type of person I'm sure he would have lied and accused me of doing something I didn't do, and I was afraid I could end up being in trouble, when I did nothing wrong. Now I do wish I had called, just to have a report on file if nothing else, in case I have any more problems with this idiot and have to defend myself, or if he follows through with his "I'll call the cops if I see you again!" threat.

I kind of saw it as a "shame on me" sort of thing -- I should have been armed and ready to deal with the threat -- I think just displaying a gun would have caused him to back off, and maybe would have taught him a lesson. Now he may think he can treat other people the same way -- and it might not work out so well for him next time (is it bad of me to hope he gets "neutralized" if he ever does that again?).

Anyway, lesson learned, these things can happen anywhere, for any (or no) reason. Always expected that if I ever had a knife pulled on me it would be some thug wanting to rob me, not some trashy neighbor who had his feelings hurt over nothing.