Open carry by two women at Walmart

[texanjoker]

Another LAME video of people looking for drama. If this guy goes town to town filming the cops, he should know Walmart doesn't allow open carry. The leo's responded to multiple armed people in a Walmart and were calm, cool and did a good job. Heck they didn't even disarm the people so no story.

[E.Marquez]

Heck they didn't even disarm the people so no story.

I did notice that as well..which tells me he did not really feel all that threatened, and likely knew it was a baited ambush at THAT point….in the contact.

I think the first responding LEO did ok..I understand command presence, taking charge, being directive...ect. And I was not there so have no real understanding of the situation other then what we see on the video.....That said, once he knew what it was, knew that he was being baited... It would have been GREAT.. if he could have turned the tables on the activists like the Chief did... Stay in control, in charge of the situation.. but switch on the Parent talking to a child persona like the chief did..

[puma guy]

Another LAME video of people looking for drama. If this guy goes town to town filming the cops, he should know Walmart doesn't allow open carry. The leo's responded to multiple armed people in a Walmart and were calm, cool and did a good job. Heck they didn't even disarm the people so no story.

I admit that I'm conflicted when I see some of the videos of OC that are very contrived, but these people were civil, handed over their ID's even though they didn't have to, and explained their purpose. They were breaking no laws and weren't breaking WalMart policy since none are posted according to the OC'ers. This is in an OC state, so I especially don't see anything lame about videoing the encounter. In my opinion it's not lame to video any encounter with law enforcement. They tape their encounters with civilians so why shouldn't civilians do the same. The officer was calm and so were the OC folks in the part of the video I viewed. I haven't been able to view the part with the chief. My general feeling is similar to the fight for civil rights. If people of color hadn't exercised their rights there would have been no advancements and changes in attitudes, including law enforcement. Exercising rights in the 2nd amendment according, especially in accordance with laws can't be a bad thing when I think of it in that vein.

[mewalke]

Peace disturbance--penalty.
574.010. 1. A person commits the crime of peace disturbance if:

(1) He unreasonably and knowingly disturbs or alarms another person or persons by:
(a) Loud noise; or
(b) Offensive language addressed in a face-to-face manner to a specific individual and uttered under circumstances which are likely to produce an immediate violent response from a reasonable recipient; or
(c) Threatening to commit a felonious act against any person under circumstances which are likely to cause a reasonable person to fear that such threat may be carried out; or
(d) Fighting; or
(e) Creating a noxious and offensive odor;
(2) He is in a public place or on private property of another without consent and purposely causes inconvenience to another person or persons by unreasonably and physically obstructing:
(a) Vehicular or pedestrian traffic; or
(b) The free ingress or egress to or from a public or private place.
2. Peace disturbance is a class B misdemeanor upon the first conviction. Upon a second or subsequent conviction, peace disturbance is a class A misdemeanor. Upon a third or subsequent conviction, a person shall be sentenced to pay a fine of no less than one thousand dollars and no more than five thousand dollars.

It's a stretch, but the case could be made. Not much different than Texas and making that argument. Would have to be proven, but it would cost you to beat it.

Note to self, avoid going out in public in MO after eating one too many bean burritos....

[steveincowtown]

Another LAME video of people looking for drama. If this guy goes town to town filming the cops, he should know Walmart doesn't allow open carry. The leo's responded to multiple armed people in a Walmart and were calm, cool and did a good job. Heck they didn't even disarm the people so no story.

Please cite.

I believe Walmart's official policy is to follow the laws in the state in which the store is located. I have OCd in Walmart's in VA no less than 2 dozen times and have never been asked to leave. Matter of fact I can't only think of one instance where anyone seem to notice, and even then they said nothing.

[mamabearCali]

Another LAME video of people looking for drama. If this guy goes town to town filming the cops, he should know Walmart doesn't allow open carry. The leo's responded to multiple armed people in a Walmart and were calm, cool and did a good job. Heck they didn't even disarm the people so no story.

They do here in VA. DH and I have openly carried many times in Wally world.

[Oldgringo]

[

{snip}

I often wonder if this isn't an urban versus rural argument. The more dense the population, the less likely OC will be tolerated.

Exactly!

[fickman]

I think this was a good video. Use your rights or lose them. This is completely different than the guy walking into Walmart with an AR15 in Huntsville in my opinion.

Sometimes the LEOs and/or public need to be educated. They were asked to leave, so they did. I just wish the officers had taken the extra step of affirming to the complainants that no laws had been broken and that open carrying is a firearm in Missouri is business as usual.

[E.Marquez]

I just wish the officers had taken the extra step of affirming to the complainants that no laws had been broken and that open carrying is a firearm in Missouri is business as usual.

Was that in question?

I would think not.. No citations issued, no arrest made... That clearly indicates to most any reasonable person that " no laws had been broken"

Had any of those LEO's or the Chief felt a law had been broken..... Im betting that also would have been made clear.

[fickman]

I just wish the officers had taken the extra step of affirming to the complainants that no laws had been broken and that open carrying is a firearm in Missouri is business as usual.

Was that in question?

I would think not.. No citations issued, no arrest made... That clearly indicates to most any reasonable person that " no laws had been broken"

Had any of those LEO's or the Chief felt a law had been broken..... Im betting that also would have been made clear.[ Image ]

IMO, the attitude of the first officer on scene was very hostile. It was not a "nothing to see here", "so, why are you calling me about nothing" type attitude. His reaction probably validated whoever made the call in their own mind. There was never a moment where a declaration was made of, "So what? Who cares? Ask them to leave, call us back if they don't and we'll talk about trespassing."

He checked everybody's ID even though he had no reason to assume a crime had been committed. Even the people who weren't carrying.

He treated them as if they were criminals until he was satisfied that they weren't, and all of his questions were tacitly challenging their decisions to carry. He was trying to make it inconvenient enough that they'd choose not to do it again.

I long for a day when dispatch and officers remind the MWIAG callers that this is not against the law and is not by itself a reason to call the police. Those callers need to be educated and see the officers on the side of the law-abiding gun carriers.

[chasfm11]

I think this was a good video. Use your rights or lose them. This is completely different than the guy walking into Walmart with an AR15 in Huntsville in my opinion.

Sometimes the LEOs and/or public need to be educated. They were asked to leave, so they did. I just wish the officers had taken the extra step of affirming to the complainants that no laws had been broken and that open carrying is a firearm in Missouri is business as usual.

We have had an ongoing and, to my way of thinking, similar issue in my neighborhood. All of my neighbors and I are on larger pieces of land (2 acres+). The kids of my neighbor across the street ride mini-bikes on their own property. The neighbors behind them constantly call LE. The officers respond, talk to my neighbor and everyone agrees that no laws are being broken... but the the neighbor behind keeps calling anyway. The cops finally told the neighbor that any more reports and they will be arrested. So now that neighbor goes to a pay phone and makes the calls to 911 anonymously.

As long as LE is willing to continue to respond to situations where it is clear that no law is being broken and have the conversation with the subject (victim) of the complaint rather than the complainant, these sorts of things will continue.

I wonder what would have happened if the chief of police HAD gone back to the person making the complaint and said "open carry in this State is legal - get over it.".

[bizarrenormality]

The more dense the population, the less likely OC will be tolerated.

Exactly!

Stupid is as stupid does.

[Keith B]

I wonder what would have happened if the chief of police HAD gone back to the person making the complaint and said "open carry in this State is legal - get over it.".

Isn't going to happen when the people were in the business and the business wanted them to leave. Private business has the right to restrict it.

[Jaguar]

I wonder what would have happened if the chief of police HAD gone back to the person making the complaint and said "open carry in this State is legal - get over it.".

Isn't going to happen when the people were in the business and the business wanted them to leave. Private business has the right to restrict it.

I agree the business has a right to restrict it, but why is it necessary to collect the names of the lawful for a report on the matter. The cop should have observed the situation, walked to the manager and ask if he requested them to leave. If he did not then walk up and politely say, "excuse me folks, this store doesn't want people to carry guns in here unless you are uniformed police, so I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

I bet they would have said okay and left. The cop could then tell the manager to do it himself next time. No need for a report of legal behavior with names and IDs of the people doing nothing wrong.

Seems like the government wants reports of everything now days, even of lawful behavior.

[chasfm11]

I wonder what would have happened if the chief of police HAD gone back to the person making the complaint and said "open carry in this State is legal - get over it.".

Isn't going to happen when the people were in the business and the business wanted them to leave. Private business has the right to restrict it.

I agree the business has a right to restrict it, but why is it necessary to collect the names of the lawful for a report on the matter. The cop should have observed the situation, walked to the manager and ask if he requested them to leave. If he did not then walk up and politely say, "excuse me folks, this store doesn't want people to carry guns in here unless you are uniformed police, so I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

I bet they would have said okay and left. The cop could then tell the manager to do it himself next time. No need for a report of legal behavior with names and IDs of the people doing nothing wrong.

Seems like the government wants reports of everything now days, even of lawful behavior.

I have no problem with a business wanting OC people to leave. I'm not concerned with them calling LE to have that done. For my money, the rest of the stop was bull.

There will always be situations that cause public controversy. Here is one from this morning.
[url]http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/ ... 9.html[url] When the person involved is breaking no laws and showing no harm to anyone, the problem lies with those who have the phobia, not the person they are targeting. That goes for guns or clowns, IMHO. We will never get to the point in this country where someone isn't afraid of seeing a gun. It that is criteria for harassing those who legally carry guns, that harassment will always take place - and that is wrong.