I would draw my
gun and start
YELLING commands for them to
STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING, EMPTY YOUR HANDS AND LET ME SEE SOME EMPTY HANDS. How am I certain the BG is not armed? How am I certain there is another BG around the corner or behind a bush/building waiting for me to be distracted by what is going on in front of me to ambush me from behind? Draw, point, aggressively let my presence known, aggressively let the threat know I am armed and that I want them to STOP, and keep
extreme situational awareness of what else is going on around me, not just the situation at hand. If the goon makes
ANY sudden movements from where their hands are concealed, that scares me and I fear for my life. It does not take much to
scream the phrase or something similar to the latter "STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING! SLOWLY, SLOWLY, SLOWLY SHOW ME YOUR HANDS! KEEP YOUR HANDS OPEN AND SLOWLY SHOW ME THAT YOUR HANDS ARE EMPTY! DO NOT, DO NOT MAKE ANY SUDDEN MOVEMENTS! DO NOT MAKE ANY SUDDEN MOVEMENTS! SLOWLY SHOW ME YOUR HANDS!" You LET it be heard. In my case, both my side and downstairs neighbors would already be outside, we are very aware of each other and if someone starts shouting, we are all aware, regardless of time of day. The best thing for you to do is make a ruckus, make sure there are plenty of witnesses, SCREAM for help, anything that lets OTHERS know something is WRONG. If the goon wants to play billy bad***, let them. The preferred reaction from your presence, of course, is for the BG(s) to LEAVE. Although this isn't certain, your presence alone may be all it takes, and if it is, GOOD! If not, you must be able to handle the moment of stress when you have to access the situation and call for help at the same time. Practice doing so! Be able to multi-task in a situation like this, because if you don't and the time comes, you are going to be far more appreciative of all those times you looked goofy practicing in your living room with a gun in your hand and a phone on your ear. From my experience as a LEO, a
MAJORITY of the time the threat is going to bolt like a scared rat at the first sign of a person's presence...This has happened 99% of the time when I have been in a burglary in progress, home invasion or just kids trespassing; the other 1% had legal justification to be on the property (I.E. homeowner, guest, homeowner's kid(s)). Be advised that this is what I would do, maybe not you. I believe I have enough practice, training, discipline and mental readiness that I would be able to handle clearing leather and drawing down on the goon, regardless of stress level. At gunpoint, I will be able to access the threat and what they are going to do. Just because a person does not have a physical object in their hand(s) to be considered a concrete "weapon," does not mean they are not armed. By law, your fists can be classified as deadly weapons. Your teeth can be classified as deadly weapons. Your legs and feet can be classified as deadly weapons. How do I know the goon isn't hopped up on drugs? How do I know the BG doesn't have street fighting credentials like Kimbo Slice? How do I know the fool isn't going to use that same radio/laptop/gaming console that they just took from me and throw the sharp corner of it into my head? People can die from being punched, stomped, bitten and/or having objects thrown at them. That is the horribly reality and it has happened before; you know it, I know it and you cannot doubt that it will probably happen again. That being said, not ALL scenarios will go this way. You cannot be 100% ready or sure of any scenario, as you cannot decipher and plan ahead every aspect and action the criminal element brings your way. The only best defense against this is practice, running various scenarios through your head, keeping a higher sense of situational awareness and alert and just...Staying on your toes. In the scenario you mentioned where you are
sure the guy isn't armed and is
ignoring your commands, then you must make a choice. You can choose to be a good witness and just stand aside to let the goon finish their deed, or you can deploy your soft/hard hand techniques, scream and sound off like you got a pair, stand your ground, draw (with discipline), etc. These scenarios are a real pickle, because you can't really call how they are going to play out. Are you going to buckle up only when you
know you are going to be in a car accident? No, you do it because you want to be ready
if you get into an accident. That being said, if you are in a car accident, it may just be a small one, one that doesn't even require the use of the seat belt, but you use it anyways. Alot of the people on here carry more than just a gun on their EDC, and for good reason. Utilize your arsenal. Carry OC, a knife, your gun, extra mag, load your fist with a lighter, wear steel toed boots, carry a cane, whatever you must do...Be ready and aware. This
far from being paranoid, because these things
happen often. People DIE because of scenarios like this. Your scenario can escalate from a simple entering auto to a violent physical confrontation. Always treat every criminal encounter with caution and be prepared for the worst.
BE PREPARED FOR THE WORST. BE PREPARED FOR THE WORST! Every day that passes I have a gun on me and every time that day passes to night and I don't have to use it, I am glad.
THAT aside, nothing says "GO AWAY" like the sound of a Remington 870 racking a 12 gauge 3" magnum slug into the chamber.
