Long Distance Mugging

[dtox]

I heard this story today from an older gentleman at our office today. He's about 75 and is missing half of one arm. We were talking about his job when he raised his hat to show me a scar on his forehead.

He said that two years ago, he was in the Belmont area of Nashville, which is basically a really nice college that is surrounded by the ghetto. It was 7:00 at night and he and a friend had just finished doing some work at a house. He and the friend were standing under a street light outside the residence, next to his work truck.

He looked down the sidewalk and saw two black men coming towards them. He turned to his friend and said "uh oh, we're in trouble". The men were moving quickly towards them and one of them yelled "Yo! Give us your wallets". They were about 30 yards away when they started demanding cash! He said he yelled back at them that they should get a job and to "not do this". He commented that he had a pistol in his truck but couldn't get to it in time because the two men were closing on them so fast.

The old man's friend pulled out his wallet and handed it to the muggers. The old man, however, did not. Instead, he reached into his front pocket and pulled out his car keys and hit the panic button on his remote (he re-enacted this for me by pulling out his keys and thrusting them towards me).
When the alarm went off, one of the muggers pistol-whipped him across the forehead and they ran off.

The homeowner that they did the work for heard the commotion and called the police who were there in 2 minutes (2 minutes too late, if you ask me).

He said that at least they didn't get his wallet.

I wanted to share this story because of several unique elements that I'd personally never heard of before:
1. A mugging starting at 30 yards away.
2. The Victim telling the muggers to get a job.
3. The Victim telling the muggers to get a job instead of reaching into his truck to grab his pistol.
4. Someone actually using the panic button on a key fob.
5. The victim got pistol-whipped and still kept his wallet.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[retsupt99]

I wonder if the older gentleman has finally bought a holster so he can CC his gun now?

[jerzsubbie]

Everything about his actions/reaction to this mugging makes me

Another fine example of why your pistol belongs on your person at all times.

[rammerjammer]

Perfect example for carrying, and the adage the. 380 in your pocket is better than the .45 in your truck.

[CAJUN600]

Same thing happened to my brother, same area, except 5 of them and they took his and his buddy's wallet, cell phone, and my brothers 2 week old car at gun point, 8pm on a Friday.

[stevem174]

When I read the title, I thought it was going to be a story about taxes.

[Guantes]

"Get a job".........Bang, Bang......"Never mind".

[dukalmighty]

All I got is $20.00...in bullets here you can have em

[ccw9mm]

The old man, however, did not. Instead, he reached into his front pocket and pulled out his car keys and hit the panic button on his remote ... The homeowner that they did the work for heard the commotion and called the police who were there in 2 minutes (2 minutes too late, if you ask me).

No matter how quickly police care called, they're almost certainly going to arrive after the crime has occurred. I'll bet that extra 10 seconds it would have taken to reach the gun in the truck is about the most valuable 10 seconds that guy has ever known. In reality, that "long distance" is an opportunity to save one's life.

He commented that he had a pistol in his truck but couldn't get to it in time because the two men were closing on them so fast.

Yup. Can't use what you don't have with you.

[oakchas]

30 yards away... Tueller drill extended X 3 ... he had time to get into the truck and get the gun. The panic button is a good idea, I've suggested it before... but the gun is either immediately before or after the panic button... probably before... with 30 yards, it seems they could have both gotten into the truck... But I'm sure the incongruity of the situation and the development of events, sort of caught them off guard.

my co-worker got stabbed kicked and left for dead... but kept his wallet... criminals are stupid... robberies, like rape, are at least a little bit about control, superiority, dominance... not necessarily all about the money...

[3D]

Don't know reasons for the gun in the truck - but it sounds like he had time to retrieve it - and should have. That ol' OODA loop thingy I guess.

[Guantes]

A take off on the old adage, "A gun in the hand is worth two in the truck."

[C9H13NO3]

To quote every one else, yet another reason to carry on your person. I wish all crimes started at a distance like that. It would give you so much more time to react and keep them away from you. This is why I also carry on my person at home. A gun in the hand is worth 10 in the closet/under the bed/in the next room.

[SIGguy229]

When I read the title, I thought it was going to be a story about taxes.

Yep...me too

[OldLincoln]

Perhaps I'm the only one who thinks it makes a difference, but the old man was pistol whipped. That's pistol as in they were armed and had guns drawn. I agree they had some time to move but the BG's could close that in a couple seconds. Based on what happened to the other guy, handing over his wallet might have saved the pain (or not).

It's hard to say but two BG's with guns drawn 30 yards away and closing fast sounds challenging at best. If he had his gun, drew it and a gunfight followed with him or his friend getting killed he would be wishing he had given up his wallet. If he or his friend had been shot after giving them up he wish he'd drawn. In his favor he did see and recognize the BG's before they shouted so he may have drawn at ready then and waited. If when they announced and threatened with their guns he had shot and kept shooting the BG's, if able, may have gone away. Who knows.