TexasCHLforum.com

RoyGBiv wrote: Whoa.! That's a lot of assuming... Unless there's more facts in evidence than was presented in that linked article, I don't see how any judgment can be made about the victim's holster, or his behavior during this event...

The victim fought to keep the weapon, then gave chase after the weapon was stolen, before the BG shot him. What did I miss that would lead to any conclusions about gear or mindset of the victim? I could easily grab a weapon from your snap-top holster if you weren't paying attention... A "Condition White" mindset seems to be the only thing we can defensibly infer about the victim from the original article.

Well you missed a bit of what I said. I don't open carry--so there will be no grabbing from any holster of mine. If you get close enough to get at my holster (I carry thigh holster under a skirt/flash-bang--look it up!) then expect to find a pocket knife sticking out of you and a face full of pepper spray, because if you are that close of contact then you are WAY too close and personal and I am going to assume you mean more than a brush up against me. Condition white when OC-ing is a screw up, and one that led to a series of horrible events.

From the OP's link...

According to court papers, Smith took Tyler's gun during a struggle and shot Tyler in the chest after the victim chased Smith inside the store.

Yeah--unless you have a BUG, or at minimum pepper spray chasing an armed suspect around the store is a screw up too. I am not trying to be cold hearted. I am most sorry that anyone died. It is terrible and the one who is the most to blame is the perp. But you can be 100% right and still be dead. As a person who lives in a OC state (and 10 miles from the crime) I would just beg anyone who wishes to open carry to be as careful and as wise as they can be.

It is becoming more and more common here in VA, even in the burbs. I see it perhaps once a month or so (at lowes/grocery store/park/etc). Most of the time no one notices what you are wearing anyway--people are too busy with their own lives to worry about what is on a person's hip. I notice because I am trying to work on becoming more situationally aware. But for heavens sakes if you are going to open carry--especially in the city of Richmond--- RETENTION!!! Now when I head out to the counties I see it alot more often, and I imagine there would be alot less risk to having a less hardened retention system than in the city of Richmond (well except that you might lose your $500+ weapon if you tripped over a root out on the back 40) . I am glad I live in an OC state, but there is a reason I went through the trouble of getting my CHL. It makes life simpler.

speedsix wrote:...stupid with a gun is worse than just plain stupid...he sounds like he hadn't made up his mind that he'd USE it...and someone else HAD...

If you are going to carry a gun (especially openly!) you have to get that settled in your head. That said I am really sorry that he died, and even sorrier that his gun was used to kill others. I live about 10 miles from where he was killed. When I am not due any day now I carry concealed deeply--part of it for this very reason--the other part is that other ballet and flag football moms get bent out of shape if they see a gun--so it is better for me to just avoid the whole situation. Again just such a tragic confluence of screw ups that led to the worst possible outcome.

I am so sorry...Man! Living in VA, if you open carry you have got to have some sort of retention to prevent this very thing from happening.