Odd incident in Indy

[M-Quigley]

About a week ago I was in the south side of Indianapolis and stopped at a local branch library to go inside and kill some time before meeting with some relatives for dinner. I was in the parking lot and getting ready to go inside when I noticed a young male with a T shirt and walking shorts appearing to walk toward my car. He definitely wasn't walking toward the door to the library, and he had a black hood on his head like I've seen in movies that is usually worn by an executioner in the middle ages, completely covering his face and head except for eye and mouth slits. I removed my gun from its holster and had it in one hand but had that hand covered up by a light laptop briefcase on my lap that I was going to take into the library with me. I wasn't displaying a gun but I had one ready just in case. I kept watching him as he approached but just prior to getting to my car he went slightly around it and walked over to the side of the library, where they had a shaded area and a few people were sitting on chairs talking. He just stood there and talked with them, which I gather that was his intent all along, but I didn't know that when he initially approached. I holstered the gun and went inside. (Indiana libraries are not no gun zones) Most of the people inside looked to be homeless people sleeping to beat the heat, the rest were on the libraries computers or their own. (like I was )

So even though it turned out to be nothing, it was suspicious at first, particularly considering the heat. Is that some new style with teenagers that I'm not aware of?

[Brian D.]

I'm perplexed when seeing someone wearing a wool or polyester "watch cap" in the warm months. But it happens more all the time.
And ever since the Covidication of our country, masks are an everyday sight for me in the urban areas. Not many on any given day, but always at least one, someplace.

[M-Quigley]

I'm perplexed when seeing someone wearing a wool or polyester "watch cap" in the warm months. But it happens more all the time.
And ever since the Covidication of our country, masks are an everyday sight for me in the urban areas. Not many on any given day, but always at least one, someplace.

A mask I would have understood, since I still see a few people wearing those. This was a complete head covering, and not like you'd wear in winter.
Plus, it had a slit in the front completely exposing the mouth, so it wasn't for covid protection. What he was wearing is commonly referred to as an executioners mask, I've tried to find a picture of it online, but can't find something exactly like it. It was flat topped and not pointed, the top similar to an executioners half hood, except it wasn't a half hood, it was a full hood going all the way past the chin. It did not however cover the shoulders.
It looked like it might've been made of leather or faux leather. It's a little early for Halloween.

Maybe the kid had a medical or cosmetic issue with his face and wasn't trying to make a fashion statement of some kind, IDK.

[Brian D.]

Maybe an attempt to foil facial recognition that may or may not be present in big city camera systems? Here's what makes me think along those lines:

Oftentimes homicides and other serious, violent crimes, are committed in broad daylight, right out in the street. It's hard to tell in the weeks after, whether or not the police have any idea who they're looking for. Sometimes months go by before an arrest is made. It will turn out that the suspect never left the neighborhood during that time.

If I was such a person, my preference would be to split town. Forever, hopefully. Arrest by the cops or retribution by victim's friends and family would be very bad outcomes. But if that wasn't an option for whatever reason, I'd try to limit my exposure in all ways possible.

Just spit balling here.

[M-Quigley]

IDK either. I asked a deputy friend of mine and he's not heard of any new fashion treads like that (in public) but said regardless he thought my response was appropriate given the circumstances. Be aware of someone approaching the car, and since I was looking in that direction then he was aware of it also. If he had been initially wanting to try something he knows that I know he is there. Also having a response ready but not visible, so if he does go up to my car and asks some allegedly innocent question he's not seeing a gun and going into the library to report me. The last time I actually had an incident that ended up as an attempted armed robbery started out as alleged panhandling, then escalated to armed robbery, thankfully decades ago.
I want to be able to react if needed but not overreact before confirming what is going on. In this situation, although I guess I know why it appeared that he was walking toward my car (because it was on the way to the outdoor seating area) but don't know why the full head mask. Without any further explanation I guess I'll err on the side of there was some innocent reason for it that I'm unaware of.

He did mention that a few people wear that kind of headgear in private, but since the kid wasn't carrying a whip I'm discounting that possible motive.

[Brian D.]

The more you describe the mask the more I think about Mushmouth from the "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids" cartoons of the 1970s. Even if it's not the same, that's where my imagination took me.

[M-Quigley]

The more you describe the mask the more I think about Mushmouth from the "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids" cartoons of the 1970s. Even if it's not the same, that's where my imagination took me.

I had to look it up, because although I (barely) recall the character, I didn't recall what his hood looked like. No it wasn't that. The picture below is almost like it, except the hood went below his chin, almost down to his shoulders. It looked pretty strange with a skinny guy like him also wearing a T shirt and walking shorts and with a heat index that day in Indy of 105. The nose was covered but it had a slit for his mouth, and it looked like some kind of leather material.

With all the Halloween stuff I'm seeing in some stores I guess he wanted to celebrate it early?

[Brian D.]

Now that looks like one of the many versions of Batman's mask. (I'm not a comic book nerd, go ask one of THEM which Batman.)

[M-Quigley]

Now that looks like one of the many versions of Batman's mask. (I'm not a comic book nerd, go ask one of THEM which Batman.)

When I was a teenager I used to know people who were deeply into comic books, but not anymore. Not even my great grandkids, although they are
into various video games.
Since you mentioned it I searched for "batman mask" and while there are some similarities there are some striking differences as well.
Here is one of the many examples out there.



Almost all of the batman masks have an exposed lower jaw, and this one didn't, it went all the way down to the bottom of his neck. . Also all of the batman masks had 2 points on top, and this one had the same flat top as the other picture I posted.

Anyway, while I'm still curious as to what kind of mask or hood it was, I'm more curious as to his reason for wearing something in public like that, particularly when the heat index is 105 degrees. I would be unconscious pretty soon if I wore something like that in those conditions but then

A: I can't take the heat like I used to when I was younger, and

B: I would, according to some people, have a valid reason to wear it. Despite the worst of covid being over, some still think I should wear a face covering. Then again, those people thought I should've wore one even before covid existed. I don't get no respect, no respect at all I tell ya.

[BB62]

The incident described, though it didn't turn out the same way, reminded me of this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4Ds_OQahCg

[M-Quigley]

The incident described, though it didn't turn out the same way, reminded me of this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4Ds_OQahCg

And that kind of "stuff" is why I was suspicious and wanted to be prepared if in fact the guy did end up going to my car and pulling out a gun. It was already in my hand and pointed toward the door, just not visible.

The guy is saying he wasn't trying to rob the cop but I never heard him say what it was he was allegedly trying to do. Some guy has a head covering on and walks up to someone with a gun, it would be reasonable IMHO to assume that he's not there collecting for the Salvation Army or is a Jehovah Witness.

I heard the woman ask if her baby daddy was shot, etc, but I don't recall her ever asking the cop why he shot the guy. For most people that question would've one of the first questions, unless the woman already knew the answer.

[wobblygoblin]

Sounds like your spidey senses were tingling as they should be. I would have thought and done the same thing.