Uncomfortable encounter but everyone went home.

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fyrfytr310
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Uncomfortable encounter but everyone went home.

Post by fyrfytr310 »

This is three weeks old so I have had some time to digest.

Standing at the RedBox (Sitting Duck Generator?) I am waiting behind a gentlemen with obvious technical skill deficiencies. As I am waiting for him to decide whether or not to accept his receipt via email, I notice a man stumbling down the sidewalk on Eaton Ave, towards my locations. From about 100 yards, I am not concerned, just aware he is there. As time goes on, the receipt issue still is not resolved and the distance has closed to 20 yards and the man has left the sidewalk and entered the parking lot.

From this distance, I can now see that this man is wearing a torn hospital gown and sweatpants. There is dried blood on his garments and face. I now focus my attention on this figure. He locks eyes with me and doubles his pace across the lot. At this point, I am now moving in the direction of my car, deciding the sub-par Matthew McConaughey film wasn't worth the wait (or whatever might be transpiring at this time). My path to the car was not in-line with his direction of hastened travel. He adjusted his direction and pace to match mine.

Simultaneously, he reaches ~20 feet with clear intentions to approach me, I have reached my car and placed it between us and my cell phone is out. Unfortunately, I was not on the driver side. On the walk to the car, I had unlocked the car, cleared my coat from my weapon and once at the car, my grip was firm on said weapon. As I am keeping eyes with this man this exchange follows:

Him - Hey!
Me - Close enough! (I would have been in my car and on my way at this point if we were in reversed positions.)
Him - You need to let me use your phone.
Me - No, you can use the one inside.
Him - Let me use your phone.
Me - No.
Me - F*** you, man.

Man walks off in direction of nearby ally to destinations unknown.

Hindsight tells me that this is probably some drunk/druggy who was taken to the ER (about 1 mile down the road) after a fight and sent on his way after being patched up needing to contact someone for a ride home... or wherever. Not having the benefit of hindsight, I just wanted to get out of there. Still, I don't know what his real intentions were. Had I not placed a large object between us (car) would he have continued to close the distance with the intent of robbing me, eating my face in a drug fueled fit or... telling me to let him use my phone? I almost feel bad about jumping to the defensive but then I remember that ultimately I wen't home and nothing happened.

Feel free to armchair QB this situation. Did I retreat properly? Was I out of line bringing hand to pistol? Should I have dialed 911 at the outset of the verbal exchange? Earlier? I await my internet beating :)
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Cosmos
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Re: Uncomfortable encounter but everyone went home.

Post by Cosmos »

I think you did fine in the encounter. My own language to the individual would not pass the board censoring.
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pirateguy191
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Re: Uncomfortable encounter but everyone went home.

Post by pirateguy191 »

I feel you did well.....you went home. I probably wouldn't have unlocked my car.....what if he would have jumped in? I probably would have called 911 after the adventure. It's probably just not normal for some walking around with torn, bloody scrubs on.

You did fine....you went home.
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Curzyk
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Re: Uncomfortable encounter but everyone went home.

Post by Curzyk »

pirateguy191 wrote:I feel you did well.....you went home. I probably wouldn't have unlocked my car.....what if he would have jumped in? I probably would have called 911 after the adventure. It's probably just not normal for some walking around with torn, bloody scrubs on.

You did fine....you went home.
I agree. You did well, but probably should have reported the suspicious person.
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djthomas
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Re: Uncomfortable encounter but everyone went home.

Post by djthomas »

Given that he was still bloodied and wearing hospital attire I suspect he was what is known in ER parlance as "a walkoff." I wouldn't be surprised if local LE was looking for him.
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Bianchi?
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Re: Uncomfortable encounter but everyone went home.

Post by Bianchi? »

djthomas wrote:Given that he was still bloodied and wearing hospital attire I suspect he was what is known in ER parlance as "a walkoff." I wouldn't be surprised if local LE was looking for him.
Wait....people just walk out of hospitals? Learn something new every day....
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Werz
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Re: Uncomfortable encounter but everyone went home.

Post by Werz »

djthomas wrote:Given that he was still bloodied and wearing hospital attire I suspect he was what is known in ER parlance as "a walkoff." I wouldn't be surprised if local LE was looking for him.
That was my thought. He might have been brought to the ER by the police and decided to leave before they could chat with him.
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Chuck
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Re: Uncomfortable encounter but everyone went home.

Post by Chuck »

My opinion is you did well at being alert and keeping your distance, and maybe you should second guess yourself on not calling the cops and unlocking the car.

The best part is you went home that night

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BobK
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Re: Uncomfortable encounter but everyone went home.

Post by BobK »

In the spirit of constructive criticism, you should have challenged him sooner. Approximately 20 feet is too close.

If I had watched him vectoring in from 100 yards out, I'd have been challenging him at 20 yards, not 20 feet.

Glad you were aware and glad you went home with no injuries and no arrests.
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fyrfytr310
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Re: Uncomfortable encounter but everyone went home.

Post by fyrfytr310 »

BobK wrote:In the spirit of constructive criticism, you should have challenged him sooner. Approximately 20 feet is too close.

If I had watched him vectoring in from 100 yards out, I'd have been challenging him at 20 yards, not 20 feet.

Glad you were aware and glad you went home with no injuries and no arrests.
To be fair, his vector wasn't clearly towards me until he was well within that 100 yards but I agree an earlier challenge was possible.

I agree with the others as well on calling the cops in the future. It is possible that he could have called the cops on me about my pistol, assuming he actually saw it, then he is the victim... Unless of course he was already avoiding the police like djthomas said.

I believe, at minimum, if I had given him my phone to use, I would be minus one iPhone.
-Mike

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"Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves? Is it feared, then, that we shall turn our arms each man against his own bosom? Congress shall have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birth-right of an American ... The unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the People."
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milligan740
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Re: Uncomfortable encounter but everyone went home.

Post by milligan740 »

Sounds like someone left AMA and was looking to get out of Dodge. You acted appropriately and I have no suggestions for how you could/should have acted differently.
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Re: Uncomfortable encounter but everyone went home.

Post by JU-87 »

Well played.
Thank you for sharing.
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