The soft cruelty of lax law enforcement. (Memphis mob)

[mamabearCali]

So a mob of youths attack motorists in Memphis TN.
A grand total of three will face any consequence whatsoever.

http://www.examiner.com/article/memphis ... b-beatdown

Two things. #1 These little criminals learned that night they could do anything they wanted including attack people in 4000 lb pieces of machinery with no consequence. They will take that lesson with them until suddenly they find a person/object that when attacked fights back. Then they will be dead. How much kinder it would be to have them arrested, and then punished enough to hurt but not damaged for life and let them live.

#2 At what point do you shoot. If they are taking bricks to my car I am firing back. If they are surrounding my car and are on top of it I am thinking I would in holster and get 911 on the cell. Do you try to move forward....they are kicking your door and trying to get in. What do y'all think?

I realize that his could be in the crimes section but as it has to do with Shoot/no shoot and what will
Most likely be political prosecution of the CHl holder I thought it should go here. Move it if you think it fits better there.

[C-dub]

#2 At what point do you shoot.

The moment I think my life or the life of anyone with me is in danger.

[carlson1]

I put the car in drive and escape the danger.

[anygunanywhere]

I put the car in drive and escape the danger.

Speed bumps, don'tcha know.

[mamabearCali]

Terrifying what we might have to do to save ourselves and our families from rabid mobs. Absolutely horrendous.

What worries me the most is that if I had to hit the gas and go and possibly kill some rabid teens I am certain I would have to face a judge in some capacity. It would cost big $$ and might cost my freedom (think Wilson and Zimmerman here.....). Not to mention my own horror at having to treat people like speed bumps. Prices I am willing to pay to save my kids from a brick to the face but still. But I should not have to think about that.

These "kids" should have been arrested. That they were not is a very bad thing. It is bad for the law abiding, it is bad for the budding criminal. The law abiding should not have to fear to defend themselves from the criminal. The criminals should be given the punishment they need to possibly keep them from a worse fate.

It is the winking at evil doing of some while being outraged at those who must defend their lives from the criminal that will ruin this nation.

[The Annoyed Man]

I put the car in drive and escape the danger.

Exactly...... and hope that the little [he was really just a good kid who just made a mistake] wasn't standing in front of my grill so that I don't have to face an outraged mob in the courtroom.

There is ZERO upside for any survivors of this kind of scenario....except survival. A thuggish segment of the community will make life hell for anyone who successfully defends themselves, by issuing threats of reprisal, by complaining to the media that they were racially targeted (which is ridiculous, because the female plaintiff in this case was of the same race), and that the victims should have just taken the beating because their "poor little angel didn't deserve to die."

If you defend yourself with your gun in a situation like this, you better hope that someone sympathetic to your plight gets it all on video, or you'll be crucified for shooting "children"; and Al Sharpton and Eric Holder will get involved to "sooth" the mob, and call you a cowardly person for defending yourself.

[brhalltx]

That makes a strong case for a dash cam...

[McKnife]

It's funny... I posted a thread here just a few days ago describing this SAME scenario that actually happened in North Houston, but the thread was deleted... assuming because I hinted at the visual description of the "rabid teens" involved.

Similar to the events that were described in the link provided by the OP, this vehicle was surrounded by a bunch of "kids" in a residential neighborhood and they proceeded to hit, kick, slap the outside of the vehicle with their hands and backpacks. The vehicle couldn't move forwards or backwards, because one or more of them would be squished causing a big mess. Drawing a sidearm was determined to be unnecessary because it didn't appear as if they were trying to break in... so, how do you stop these mischievous "kids?" Well, the only thing that spooked them was when they assumed the police were being called when a cell phone was drawn... so one of them yelled "he's callin' the cops" and they all fled. The entire event happened in maybe 30 seconds, and then they disappeared into the nearby alley.

These little criminals learned that night they could do anything they wanted including attack people in 4000 lb pieces of machinery with no consequence. They will take that lesson with them until suddenly they find a person/object that when attacked fights back.

Exactly. Although I am happy that no one was hurt, minor cosmetic damage was found on the vehicle, and the "kids" were never found/punished. This unfortunately emboldens their future behavior... and it's only going to get worse.

Similar to TAM, if I was being attacked with a brick or thought someone was trying to break in, I would hit the gas regardless of what or who is in my way (similar to this: http://youtu.be/ztWs7RJ6Ne0?t=48s), followed by a call to law enforcement after finding a safe zone.

+1 on the dash cam. They are now very affordable, and I can't begin to stress the importance of having one when needed.

[C-dub]

The only problem I see with driving through others to get away is that those in the way may not be the ones that are threatening. If the person with the brick is next to my window or either passenger window then I'm driving over someone that is not a threat. That seems problematic to me.

[Jumping Frog]

The only problem I see with driving through others to get away is that those in the way may not be the ones that are threatening. If the person with the brick is next to my window or either passenger window then I'm driving over someone that is not a threat. That seems problematic to me.

If one accomplice is breaking my window while the other accomplice is blocking my entrance, then they are complicit in my mind.

[VMI77]

The only problem I see with driving through others to get away is that those in the way may not be the ones that are threatening. If the person with the brick is next to my window or either passenger window then I'm driving over someone that is not a threat. That seems problematic to me.

If they are participating in the same criminal behavior, how is it any different than a getaway driver who gets charged with killing a liquor store clerk even though he never entered the store? Well, from a logical and moral standpoint anyway....I understand that the politics would probably trump logic and morality.

[PUCKER]

Turn traction control OFF, crank wheel hard to one side, apply full throttle, modulate throttle/brake to keep spinning vehicle in controlled slide/drift circle...10 points each... But seriously...evasive action with battering ram - they made the choice to put your life in danger...do what you have to for escape and if there is collateral damage that is the price they pay for putting you in fear for your life. To me, the mob is one collective group of lawbreakers.

[ScottDLS]

I rehearse for this very situation by playing Grand Theft Auto on my computer.

[victory]

The only problem I see with driving through others to get away is that those in the way may not be the ones that are threatening. If the person with the brick is next to my window or either passenger window then I'm driving over someone that is not a threat. That seems problematic to me.

If somebody is shot during a bank robbery, they can prosecute accomplices who were't carrying a gun. I dont see much difference between that and running over accomplices of the attempted murderer with the brick.

[rotor]

If you drive away and hit someone than you may be hitting an innocent person and even if they are not innocent they will claim to be innocent and you will go to jail or forever be financially wiped out. If you are afraid for your life ( and I would be) I would try to drive away but if I couldn't without hitting someone ( a possible innocent bystander ) the only choice you would have would be to pull your weapon and use it directly on the person(s) endangering your life, hopefully the mob would run in fear, hopefully you could drive away, call police, call attorney, etc. With this in mind I guess that my peashooter .380 with 6 rounds will not save my life and I need to carry bigger and more. I don't know if I would have the ability in a situation like this to call 911 beforehand or take pictures. A dash cam may not be the best idea when it shows you driving over a bunch of teens (and their mother would testify in court how good their children are).