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posting this to have something to do to calm down and also wondering What, if any, backlash should i expect for un-holstering my firearm due to an unknown threat

Today i was sitting at walmart (parking lot) waiting on a friend who i had been having problems with. to give her back a camera she placed in my possesion and had forgotten about. long story short i told her i would not deliver it to her and she said she would come get it.

at walmart 2 motorcycles pulled up to my vehicle and asked if i was (my name). i said yes and asked if they were there to get the camera blah blah blah. i handed them the camera and told them to tell her to delete my info cause i was done with her and he got defensive saying i dont need to talk that way about his sister (still dont know who this guy is).

i also noticed he had a gun on his hip just like i had mine

we went back and forth for a couple secs (me never making any threatening moves or leaving my vehicle).

he told me that he had every right to be there and proceded to remove his helmet and gloves, like he was getting off the bike.

THIS is where i un-holstered my firearm and placed it on my leg.

Did NOT point it at him.

Did NOT threaten him in any way.

There were 2 guys who i did not know and did not know what they had planned.

and i did NOT want them following me also.

he said he would call the cops if i didnt leave so i did him a favor and called first.

Cops came Checked us out and everybody ended up leaving (officer following me for my protection)

Sound like you were well within your rights, I think I would have tried to handle the situation differently once it started going south, but I wasn't there. Since the police checked everyone and all went on their merry way, I don't know of any backlash that would occur legally, but I would be more careful of my next choice in girlfriends. JMHO

the only reason i pulled it is because i didnt know these guys and didnt know what they were capable of (ive been followed to my house before so rahter not again).
i was already lied to saying to expect her so i was already defensive
and id rather have mine out first if he decided he had enough of me
drawing while standing up is faster than sitting in a car.

and i agree. i woman will never be around me again

Jusme wrote:Sound like you were well within your rights, I think I would have tried to handle the situation differently once it started going south, but I wasn't there. Since the police checked everyone and all went on their merry way, I don't know of any backlash that would occur legally, but I would be more careful of my next choice in girlfriends. JMHO

I am glad that everything worked out. If there is a next time, put the camera in a USPS priority mail box and ship it.
Meeting strangers in a Walmart parking lot is not the best tactic.

WildBill wrote: If there is a next time, put the camera in a USPS priority mail box and ship it.
Meeting strangers in a Walmart parking lot is not the best tactic.

probably will but thats also y i said walmart and not my house
and there is no next time with here
i had already had problems with her so didnt want her there anyway. glad i did or 2 more guys would know where i live (i like to stay private lol)

Jusme wrote: but I would be more careful of my next choice in girlfriends. JMHO

and on a lighter note.... i was single 5 years before her...
i can stay single again for 5 more to find the right one

So she doesn't know where you live? Seems odd that things would get that emotional over a relationship that hadn't yet progressed to the "come over too my house" stage.

Personally, at the point I felt threatened, I would have started the car and driven off. It sounds like your business with these guys was done as you had given them the camera. Of course if you were boxed in that may not have been a realistic choice.

Soccerdad1995 wrote:So she doesn't know where you live? Seems odd that things would get that emotional over a relationship that hadn't yet progressed to the "come over too my house" stage.

Personally, at the point I felt threatened, I would have started the car and driven off. It sounds like your business with these guys was done as you had given them the camera. Of course if you were boxed in that may not have been a realistic choice.

she knows where i live but i had made the choice of not wanting her on my property any more

but yes business is done. but like i said just needed to cool off mostly and make sure i wasnt going to get 15-20 lol

mmoore1545 wrote:

Soccerdad1995 wrote:So she doesn't know where you live? Seems odd that things would get that emotional over a relationship that hadn't yet progressed to the "come over too my house" stage.

Personally, at the point I felt threatened, I would have started the car and driven off. It sounds like your business with these guys was done as you had given them the camera. Of course if you were boxed in that may not have been a realistic choice.

she knows where i live but i had made the choice of not wanting her on my property any more

but yes business is done. but like i said just needed to cool off mostly and make sure i wasnt going to get 15-20 lol

OK that makes more sense. I was a bit confused by the whole scenario.

Since the police came and documented everything, I think you should be fine. I'm assuming the other guy had a valid LTC? If so, then you at least know that her "brother" is not a criminal.

Soccerdad1995 wrote:

mmoore1545 wrote:

Soccerdad1995 wrote:So she doesn't know where you live? Seems odd that things would get that emotional over a relationship that hadn't yet progressed to the "come over too my house" stage.

Personally, at the point I felt threatened, I would have started the car and driven off. It sounds like your business with these guys was done as you had given them the camera. Of course if you were boxed in that may not have been a realistic choice.

she knows where i live but i had made the choice of not wanting her on my property any more

but yes business is done. but like i said just needed to cool off mostly and make sure i wasnt going to get 15-20 lol

OK that makes more sense. I was a bit confused by the whole scenario.

Since the police came and documented everything, I think you should be fine. I'm assuming the other guy had a valid LTC? If so, then you at least know that her "brother" is not a criminal.

i presume yes on the ltc. (didnt see it but of course i wouldnt have since i wasnt the cop.)
i do know that her "brother" had a warrant out because the cops started asking him about it right before i left.

IMHO, once you knew that he was there for the camera you should have handed it over and departed. More time spent in that situation quickly raises the chance of trouble occurring. No more words are needed, no comments like you made about her deleting your info, nothing.

De-escalation, de-escalation, de-escalation. Constant mantra.

There are hundreds of thousands of cases of shootings, stabbings, fistfights, etc that could have been avoided if either party had just left. Add women into the mix and...

I'm glad things turned out okay in this case.

"Hey man, here's her camera, y'all have a good day."

[Put vehicle in drive, press on accelerator]

No guns, no cops, no worries.

I too would've shipped the camera with a received receipt signage.

Caribe wrote:Instead of Walmart, meet at a police station next time.

There it is! The winning suggestion!!!
My hat is off to you, Caribe.