close call

[roadrunner4man]

I had a situation happen last winter that still shakes me up pretty good when I think about it or have discussed it with my shooting buddies. I left the house to go to the pharmacy to pick up a script for my wife. It is close enough to our house that I can take a shortcut through an alley and then through a carwash and drive through the parking lot from the back, staying off of the main busy street out in front of the pharmacy. It was dark when I picked up her medicine, so I was driving carefully/slowly leaving out of the back of the parking lot. I guess that I was driving too slow for the young man behind me that was using the same cut through route. I scooted over to let him by about the time I got to the car wash. Apparently that was not good enough for him. He drove by me screaming and yelling and shooting me the finger. I just stopped to let him on through, but when he got just past me he stopped. He was at just enough of an angle that when he was getting out of his car my headlights were shining on him as I saw him reaching under the seat for something. I didn't think that I had enough time to put my pick up in reverse and back up. I could see myself getting shot through my windsheild. My mind was going into another gear it seemed like. I put my truck in park and could only think to open the door and get out and get the engine block between him and me. As I was getting out I unholstered my pistol with the full intention of coming over the hood and unloading the magazine. I have laser activated grips on most of my pistols so when I came over the hood the red dot was right at center mass. I still don't know how I kept from shooting this guy, but the chrome object I saw him pulling out from under the seat was a flashlight. He saw the red beam of light coming at him and looked down at his chest. He dropped the flashlight and jumped in his car, driving off as fast as he could. I reholstered my gun and called 911. I told the dispatcher what had happened and she sent a patrol car over. The city policeman that showed up took a report from me. I didn't get a tag number off of the car but it was a very distinctive car, paint job/low rider. I never heard anything from the police. This totally freaked me out. I came so close to shooting a young man armed with a flashlight. I was thankful I was carrying my Glock that night. I had just gotten a new pistol, 1911 .45ACP, but didn"t feel familiar enough with it to be carrying it yet. Knowing the .45 intimatly now, this kid would have been dead if I was carrying it that night. I don't know if he had been in the pharmacy and saw me leave, planning on robbing me or if it was a road rage thing. Not really sure. Have any of you had a close call/situation like this. This deal freaked me out so bad that I though about not carrying my pistol after carrying for years.

[Teamless]

roadrunner, sounds like you indeed had a very scary situation.

As you said near the end of your post, you don't know if he followed you from the pharmacy to rob you.
To work from the premise of

I came so close to shooting a young man armed with a flashlight

If I Monday morning quarterback this, it could be that this guy was just going to get out and use his flashlight to look at the side of his truck, possibly he thought you hit him?
It also could be that he was going to use his flashlight in a very bad manner, and bludgeon you to death with it.

From the information you had, possible road rage, driving yelling and giving you the finger, my guess is he was coming out of his car with bad intentions and that you felt fear for your life, especially when he reaches under his seat for something. If you had been a cop and he did that, he probably would have been shot, or least tazed if the cop were close enough.

While I can certainly understand your thought of not carrying a gun for years after this event, it could totally be that you having your weapon with you, saved your life or severe bodily harm. This is something that you will never know for sure, but I would say having it with you, is much better than not having it.

I hope this event does not make you second guess a scenario just like this in the future, to the point where you should have drawn and you don't.

[RoyGBiv]

Somebody cut you off after road raging at you in a dark alley at night, then got out of his car reaching under the seat for an unknown object. You managed not to shoot him and called the cops after he fled. Sounds like a good outcome. Don't beat yourself up about it. There's a very good chance your actions avoided a more serious conflict.

[Target1911]

+1 teamless VERY well said.

I have been in a few situations where I was faced with pulling the trigger. One time I did....I shot a bull dog that someone needlessly turned loose and told to attack me. Even though it was a dog, it still rattled me.
The office where I worked was also robbed (pm for more details)
Most recent was I witnessed a truck load of guys trying to run a car load of girls off of the road. He did ram her with his truck. She turned around and seeing me screamed for her (their) life. I have NEVER hear such fear in someones voice....... longer story short....with 911 in my ear (i LOVE blue tooth) I was forced to draw my 45 and threatened to shoot every one of them if they didn't get back in the truck.....3 were charging my truck as another was reaching under the seat. After this The girls were also able to call 911. The 911 op told me MATTER OF FACT that the guys did for sure have guns in the truck. (see reaching under the seat)

Yes the thought of taking a life can be bothersome. But the comfort of knowing that, if need be, you have the ability to protect you and yours. I think you did a great job and did the right thing. There WAS an immediate THREAT....you did what you had to defensively by drawing and placing the engine block between you and the BG. And even with all of the adrenaline pumping, you were still level headed enough to recognize the object in his hand.

Think of it this way.....there is a good chance you just educated a HOT HEAD and very possibly SAVED his life. I bet he will think twice before acting that way again.

Carry with confidence and dont second guess yourself.

[Pug]

Somebody cut you off after road raging at you in a dark alley at night, then got out of his car reaching under the seat for an unknown object. You managed not to shoot him and called the cops after he fled. Sounds like a good outcome. Don't beat yourself up about it. There's a very good chance your actions avoided a more serious conflict.

100%

[ddurkof]

First of all get past the idea that it was "only a flashlight." Why does he carry a flashlight instead of a club? Because when the cops pull him over he is not carrying a weapon, merely a flashlight. One is a crime, the other is not. He covers his tail by carrying a flashlight, not to check for damage or the oil or any other excuse.

Now lets get over the idea about having to shoot someone. Your response is based upon THEIR actions, not yours. You responded appropriately, don't be upset about it analyze you actions and reactions.

What could you have done that would have decreased the odds of the confrontation? Were you being followed from the drug store? When did you first notice the guy? Could you have gone a different route?

You can't live your life in a paranoid state that thinks that everyone is out to get you, but you can try to keep your situational awareness to a point that you are not totally taken by surprise.

You handled the situation well and no one was hurt, which is what happens more times than not with concealed carry situations. Don't second guess yourself.

What I would ask is 'Why" if you had been carrying your now familiar 1911 you would have shot him, opposed to not shooting him with what you were carrying? With all things being the same, why would carrying the .45 cause you to change the outcome? No laser dot on him to keep him at bay?

Good job.

[esxmarkc]

From this airmchair position I would say that this was a perfect outcome to what could have escalated into a very ugly situation.

If the guy indeed blocked you in and then jumped out of the car with a weapon in this hand (and make no mistake about it - I can assure you that there individuals who have been sent to the hereafter or permanently injured by just a flashlight) then his intentions justified your actions.

I think the fact that he didn't contact 911 is a pretty good clue that he got caught red-handed as a thug.

Now I'm sure that this is fuel for another thread but this is another +1 for a laser sight. For several reasons:

1. Had you been focusing down the sight picture at your oncoming assailant at night with the gun up in your face you may have not seen and identified the flashlight. Lasers are excellent in that they get the gun out of your face and sight picture and allow you to completely focus on the target.

2. The red laser on his chest was certainly a mind altering deterrent. I'm not saying that you can count on this response by any means but it certainly saved his life in this case.

Chalk this up to rule number 1045.7:
Never bring a flashlight to a laser sighted gunfight.


ETA: Did you get a nice chrome flashlight out of the deal?

[ELB]

First of all get past the idea that it was "only a flashlight." Why does he carry a flashlight instead of a club? Because when the cops pull him over he is not carrying a weapon, merely a flashlight. One is a crime, the other is not. He covers his tail by carrying a flashlight, not to check for damage or the oil or any other excuse.

Now lets get over the idea about having to shoot someone. Your response is based upon THEIR actions, not yours. You responded appropriately, don't be upset about it analyze you actions and reactions.

What could you have done that would have decreased the odds of the confrontation? Were you being followed from the drug store? When did you first notice the guy? Could you have gone a different route?

You can't live your life in a paranoid state that thinks that everyone is out to get you, but you can try to keep your situational awareness to a point that you are not totally taken by surprise.

You handled the situation well and no one was hurt, which is what happens more times than not with concealed carry situations. Don't second guess yourself.

What I would ask is 'Why" if you had been carrying your now familiar 1911 you would have shot him, opposed to not shooting him with what you were carrying? With all things being the same, why would carrying the .45 cause you to change the outcome? No laser dot on him to keep him at bay?

Good job.

+1

[steve817]

First of all get past the idea that it was "only a flashlight." Why does he carry a flashlight instead of a club? Because when the cops pull him over he is not carrying a weapon, merely a flashlight. One is a crime, the other is not. He covers his tail by carrying a flashlight, not to check for damage or the oil or any other excuse.

Now lets get over the idea about having to shoot someone. Your response is based upon THEIR actions, not yours. You responded appropriately, don't be upset about it analyze you actions and reactions.

What could you have done that would have decreased the odds of the confrontation? Were you being followed from the drug store? When did you first notice the guy? Could you have gone a different route?

You can't live your life in a paranoid state that thinks that everyone is out to get you, but you can try to keep your situational awareness to a point that you are not totally taken by surprise.

You handled the situation well and no one was hurt, which is what happens more times than not with concealed carry situations. Don't second guess yourself.

What I would ask is 'Why" if you had been carrying your now familiar 1911 you would have shot him, opposed to not shooting him with what you were carrying? With all things being the same, why would carrying the .45 cause you to change the outcome? No laser dot on him to keep him at bay?

Good job.

+1

+ 1 more

[johnson0317]

Before I got my CHL, I used to take a large Maglite on my evening walks. I didn't know if it would get the job done, but I knew I could give someone a hell of a headache. This guy could have ruined your year for you. Sounds, to me, like you done did good!

RJ

[Dragonfighter]

Before I got my CHL, I used to take a large Maglite on my evening walks. I didn't know if it would get the job done, but I knew I could give someone a heck of a headache. This guy could have ruined your year for you. Sounds, to me, like you done did good!

RJ

When in college I worked as a patrol supervisor for a security company. I always got out of the car with the MagLite in my left hand. I responded to break up a rowdy pool party and one of the guests got a little froggy. A gentle tap to the plexes shut him down and kept him away from me and my weapon.

I've turned Rottweilers with a MagLite and busted out a car window to get to someone in a wreck. Definitely a weapon...deadly too.

[Target1911]

Oh yeah....btw...I have knocked a guy out cold with les than a mag light. It was a surefire stinger. The bezel contacted him directly between the eyes. It was totally lights out for him....punn intended.

[PappaGun]

I was camping in NM once and the car I was driving lost power.

I was about 50 feet from the top of a hill.

It was a manual tranny so I figured if I could push it up it would clutch start on the other side.

Steep hill.

I pointed the wheels and pushed one foot at a time

To prevent the car from rolling back and to rest I used my 5 cell Maglite as a wheel chock.

They are tough. No damage and I still have it after 20 plus years.

It could definitely hurt some one.

[mamabearCali]

You know it really sounds like the best outcome. I have to say to set aside the flashlight as well. Flashlights (like the PP have said) are an excellent weapon. He had already shown his intent and if he did not call 911--that shows that he did intend on something happening that night and you stopped it. Good job. No one got hurt, and the thug drove off. I know you are shook up, but it was a good draw and thank God you did not have to shoot.

[kjolly]

Thankfully the threat backed down and you did not have to engage. Flashlights have heavy batteries and can do serious damage. I used to work closing at a drive-in movie theater. Carried a flashlight that had 8 D cell batteries in it just in case.