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03Lightningrocks wrote:It is pretty easy to talk tough on a message board. It is pretty easy to sit and picture yourself being the hero from the comfort of a living room chair. It is a whole different game when the bad guy has a neck like a tree trunk and four buddies sitting in the get away car waiting for him.

I thought I made it clear that I'm NOT tough and NOT brave:

drjoker wrote:I'm not big and I don't look tough at all.

The point I was trying to make is that ANYONE can make a difference. You don't need to be tough nor brave.

speedsix wrote:...this thread keeps going in the same circle...from someone who would become involved, to someone who thinks he's stupid to do so, to someone who reminds us we're not cops, to someone who calls us Batman or ninja....

The point that I was trying to make was that there is a middle ground between hero/batman and doing nothing. You could yell at the thug, shine a flashlight in his eyes, etc. There are other things you may do to help unique to the situation you find yourself in. Just relax and THINK. What you need to do will come to you. Remember, your BRAIN is your most powerful weapon. 99% of the time, there is no need for violence and certainly no need to be a cop.

Mr.ViperBoa wrote:

Gunner21 wrote:

WildBill wrote:

Mr.ViperBoa wrote:What would you have done if you would have been able to do something about it? Just curious.

Call 911 and give a description of the persons and vehicles and watch from a safe place. Under the circumstances that you described, I wouldn't intervene.

I can't stress this enough. You are not Law Enforcement. Our CHL is there for personal protection. Call 911 file a witness report and move on.

I will probably be unliked for saying this but o well. Stand by and do nothing while the bad guy gets away and then move on. That just doesn't set well with me. Just because it doesn't say "Law Enforcement" anywhere on my shirt. I guess we are supposed to just "move on". Well if there was more enforcing going on then we wouldn't have to worry about it. I think that is what is wrong with our world today. To many people doing nothing and waiting for some one else to do something. While innocent people are the ones who pay the price of either being killed, beaten, or just having what belongs to them taken away from them. If I had been 1 minute later walking to my car and been where I could have done something about it, I don't think I would have just "moved on" as you put it. I would have made sure he would have thought twice about doing it again. Like I said, its just what I would have done. Even if you beat the snot out of the guy for being a punk, you would probably go to jail for violating the scumbags rights when the "law enforcement" shows up. So either way you lose. Thats just my opinion and no disrespect to any police out there. I have spent enough time working police and most of my friends are police and they know how I feel as well. I hope this isn't taken the wrong way, but it probably will be.

I agree with you. Where are all the real Texans? You know, the ones who would be deputized and join a "posse" to hunt down a fugitive to defend your neighbors? The ones who forged a hard scrabble living with his/her bare hands and defended it from terrorists/thugs with a six gun against all odds? Where are the men and women of action but few words?

Now, in their place we have men and women of no action and many words. People like greasy politicians and crooked lawyers use these words to put us down and away for many years just for doing the right thing. State-ists who wait for the "gov'ment" to do something FOR them is so laughable as to be comical. Look at Katrina. Did the government give the flood victims timely help or did they confiscate their guns and invade their homes? Look at Japan. Did the government give the radiation victims help or did they sit around arguing about it while people died? Look at the gulf oil spill. Did the government clean it up or did they just ignore it and arrest news reporters who tried to take pictures of the dire truth?

All these false "if then" scenarios where the only reaction to rape or robbery is whipping out your gun and making it go "bang" with disastrous consequences are just ridiculous excuses for inaction. Thugs look for easy prey. Just letting them know that you're there and ready for action will make 99% of them back off and look elsewhere for easier pickings. I saved a lady from a purse snatching in a similar situation just by yelling at the punks. And... no I'm not big and I don't look tough at all. Even when you do have to take action, you don't have to use your gun. A gun is the last resort and the least powerful weapon in your arsenal. Your BRAIN is the most powerful weapon in your arsenal. Another time, I stopped a robbery of a woman and her child just by shining a flashlight on the thug's eyes. It blinded him in the dark and he ran away. Gunfights are hard work. If thugs wanted to work hard, they'd get a job. That's why just letting them know you're there and willing to help the victim will make 99% of them run away. Remember, evil prevails when YOU do nothing.

How can the holocaust happen in Germany, an educated, civilized first world country? Because people did nothing to stop evil. You might be surprised to find that we need to take action and show solidarity in the face of evil or evil shall prevail.

HotLeadSolutions wrote:

austinrealtor wrote:Yall are focusing on details of theft vs. robbery and missing the more important point that the crime had ALREADY happened. There was no longer imminent danger to OP or the purse snatch victim and using deadly force to recover property on behalf of third person in this case is a very slippery slope.

Think of the situation like this: would you intervene if you were NOT carrying? Because unless the criminal commits additional crimes (I.e. you block the purse thief's exit and he escalates, pulling a knife on you) then you're most likely not justified to draw your weapon on him in this case.

Like AR said, you are focusing on the wrong issue. I did not say I would immediately draw down on the guy. I said I would pursue and try to help. As far as having the "Right to Pursue" you do not have to be a LEO to pursue and help, the law says:


Texas Code of Criminal Procedure
Art. 14.01. [212] [259] [247] OFFENSE WITHIN VIEW.
(a) A peace officer or any other person, may, without a warrant,
arrest an offender when the offense is committed in his presence
or within his view, if the offense is one classed as a felony or as an offense against the public peace.

That law seems pretty broad. I would say that purse snatching would fall under that category (offense against the public peace) or even a felony if the purse was one of the $600.00 to $1000.00 varieties. Not real sure I would even want to make a citizens arrest, I would be happy to just beat the snot out of the guy, roll the dice and see what happens legally. What is he going to say? "Hi, 911?? I stole a ladies purse, and this guy chased me down...beat my butt and now I need the police..." I don't see that call going well.

We all have to make our own decisions. I am aware of the consequences I may face. Today he is snatching purses, tomorrow he will be holding up people at gun point in some parking lot somewhere. I would rather stop it now before the next victim is my wife. I just can't sit by and watch things like that happen. It is not in my wiring. The only thing that has to happen for evil to prosper, is for good people to do nothing.

Living in condition yellow means that you always know where the anonymous exits are. Make it a habit to scan for cameras (ATMs, traffic, etc). Just because you carry a gun doesn't mean you have to use it to solve every problem that comes your way. That's a little melodramatic, don't you think? You can help others, but just be anonymous and discreet about it. One time, I saw an elderly woman walk out of Wal-Mart and two young guys with hoodies trailed behind her. I yelled, "Hey, lady, you need some help with your bags?" The two young guys turned around and left. In case you have to use force, as long as you've done nothing wrong and just want to avoid a frivolous lawsuit, you can leave discreetly.