From a few years ago, kind of long

[charlie1826]

I have been debating about whether or not to post this but I figured what the heck lets see what everyone has to say about it.
So keep in mind that this happened 5 or 6 years ago, before I could even drive, so I was younger and dumber than I am now, and also like every teenager I thought I was invincible.
Me and some friends get out of a movie at a new theater basically in the middle of the nowhere because the theater and the gas station were the first buildings to be built in the area. We are sitting in the back of the theater on a hill waiting for our friends ride (its a little after midnight on a friday, i know dumb mistake number one), one of my friends was staying at my house and I lived about a 25 minute walk away. On the road behind us we notice a girl, probably a couple years older than us, walking on the sidewalk with an older pickup truck following at her speed. We keep an eye on it but go on talking. Our friends' ride shows up and they leave so now it is just me and my friend. We get up and start walking home when the driver of the truck pulls a few feet in front of the girl, gets out of his truck and picks her up to try and forcibly get her in the truck. She is screaming and kicking at him, so we start walking towards them (dumb mistake number 2). She kicks herself out of his arms and she continues walking with him following at her speed again. We catch up to them, I am already on the phone calling 911 (I did one thing right) and he is yelling at us to go away and mind our own business etc... We try to talk to the girl between them yelling at each other and him yelling at us but we still can't quite figure out whats going on but we don't want to leave without the police showing up. I am trying to explain to the dispatcher where we are but its a new area and I don't know the name of the road. We walk by the fire-station and I try pouding on the door to get the firemen to come help us but I guess they didnt hear me or maybe it wasn't manned yet I dont know. So we just continue walking with this girl for a few minutes when finally I see a cop car coming up the street and I flag him down. Me and my friend stop to talk with the LEO and the girl keeps walking (on drugs or something maybe?), by this time the guy had driven to the gas station up the street and was sitting in the parking lot. We explain to the cop what we saw and he stopped the girl to talk to her. When the cop said we could go we turned around and walked home, never found out what was going on or what happened in the long run, but I wouldn't have felt right witnessing something like that and not doing anything.
I still think about it sometimes but can't figure out what happened, angry boyfriend/exboyfriend, dad, who knows. I do know I made a few mistakes handling the situation but I'm still not sure what I would do different now if faced with the same circumstances. Any thoughts, criticism, input?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[AzB]

I probably would have done something very similar. I think it was very good that you a) noticed b) called the cops and c) actually tried to help. It amazes me that people can just ignore other people that clearly need help.

However, you probably should have kept your distance, especially since she wasn't in immediate danger and both parties were acting unusual. Most times, this means drugs or alcohol, and they make the situation particularly unpredictable.

They were probably just having a lover's quarrel, but I guess we'll never know!

[ctsketch]

the fact that she kept WALKING after kicking away probably means its something domestic...but good job on being concerned and calling the police

[NIS350ZTT]

the fact that she kept WALKING after kicking away probably means its something domestic...but good job on being concerned and calling the police

I agree, from the story it seems like she knew the person. (didn't scream for help when he picked her up)

Good job.

[oakchas]

agree, sounds like a domestic dispute... You did well.
Domestic disputes are among the cop's worst nightmares... They can be very dangerous... because even the victim can turn into an enemy of the police trying to protect them.

Call 911, witness every action until the pros arrive, and then let them handle it...

[AZ Hawk]

I think it was very good that you a) noticed b) called the cops and c) actually tried to help. It amazes me that people can just ignore other people that clearly need help.

This.

This always amazes me. I've seen more than one video and been in more than one incident in which someone needed a helping hand, but everyone around looks at them and then looks at each other aka the bystander effect.

Somewhat long story short, I viewed a surveillance video of an elderly woman getting shoved nearly 8 feet by a 35 year old male with 20 people in the near vicinity, and not one person moved to help the woman get up or to protect her. Situations like these drive me absolutely nuts!

[Jcabin]

the fact that she kept WALKING after kicking away probably means its something domestic...but good job on being concerned and calling the police

Or she could have been very high on drugs. Might not have been domestic at all, but several members of a social or business circle who's main relation is illegal substances.

[nightsonge]

Aye, domestics aren't usually pretty, and the often either don't want help or will limit how much help they'll accept. I remember hitting the big Garrison Ave New Years Eve. party years ago, as I was heading back to my car I came across a man beating the living crap out of a woman, No firearms and I don't drink, my costume however included a walking stick, a nice large bit of Ash wood. First thought, beat the S... out of him, second thought, get police on the way, THEN beat the s... out of him. Only one place open, a gay bar across the street, I run over, yell inside what's going on and to call the police, turn to run back, and I'm nearly knocked on my butt as 20 or more gay guys run past me and dogpile into the guy. I got her away, calmed down, and try as I might I couldn't talk her into any assistance other than taking her to her son's house. Sigh. She'd been cheating on him, and he found out. Still doesn't excuse his actions though. not in my book.

[ppkheat]

It sounds like you saw a "lover's quarrel" in progress.

[Jason Storm]

I think you and your friends did what you had to do to help her, in my book. It wasn't off the wall either.