First Real Life Scenario

[Mr. Clean]

I'm looking for some input as to what the group feels about my response to the following situation. Here is what happened tonight....

I live in a typical middle-class subdivision. Well-lit streets. Manicured lawns. Your basic suburbia. Anyway, it's 11:00 PM and I'm outside having a cigarette when a sheriff's car drives down the street and stops at the stop sign by my house and talks to someone in another car. They take off in different directions and I think nothing of it. A little while later the car the sheriff was talking to drives by my house and slows at my driveway to ask me if I've seen any kids run through the area. I told him I haven't seen anything and he takes off. So now I know there are kids on the loose. Concern #1.

Being the concerned homeowner I am, I stay outside a little longer to see if I spot any youthful transgressions. At that time, I hear my neighbor a few houses down shout out "Hey. Come here!", as he's crossing the street into the yard on the other side of the road. I figured it was one of two things; 1-one of his dogs took off, or 2-the kid that was being looked for earlier.

I stayed at the end of my driveway until my neighbor reappeared and walked down to road to see what was up. He says that he thinks there's a prowler in the neighborhood. He gets on the phone and calls the sheriff's office.

After he hangs up, as we are standing about at the foot of his driveway, we look to our right and out of nowhere a young girl is walking towards us, both hands in her jacket pockets. Now, my neighbor said the "prowler" he saw was a male. However this is where my mind shifted into high(er) gear.

I'm standing in the street with a coffee mug in my right hand. On my right hip is my (concealed) XD40-SC. I assess the situation, move the coffee to my left hand and place my right hand under my sweatshirt almost on the grip on my gun and watch her hands.

It turned out that the prowler was this little girl's boyfriend who got spooked my some other kid and took off. Cops showed up and dissolved the situation.

So in summary: reported teen roaming the neighborhood, 90 lb. 16 year old girl walking towards you, hands in pockets, you're locked and loaded. My question to the group is would you have responded the same way? What do you think I should have done different?

Thanks

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[raysheen]

I say that you should always listen to that little voice in your head. If you were getting a "vibe" from the girl with the hands in her pockets then you did the right thing to be a bit more alert and prepare yourself by moving into a more defensive situation. Had I felt the same way I may very well have done the same thing. I think that you handled it well...a casual shift of the coffee from one hand to another and moving your hand closer to your gun without exposing it isn't out of line if the situation feels "off". Had you started yelling at her to stay where she was, ninja jumped behind a car, and tossed a grenade at her...well then...that would be over reacting
I agree with many on this board with the feeling that if everyone walks away unscathed then you can't really second guess someone else's reactions....you weren't over the top and you made ready for a defense if need be....really the only thing that stuck out in your story was the fact that you said the girl came out of nowhere...is there anyway that you could have seen where she had come from if you weren't talking to your nieghbor, or did she literally turn a corner and was right there in front of you?

[Mr. Clean]

...is there anyway that you could have seen where she had come from if you weren't talking to your nieghbor, or did she literally turn a corner and was right there in front of you?

I saw her at about 30-40 yds. coming from what looked like between 2 houses across the street.

[randytulsa2]

You did fine.

I might have gotten myself inside my house, w/ a long gun, at the first peep from my inner voice, but what you did was just great.

[ccw9mm]

I assess the situation, move the coffee to my left hand and place my right hand under my sweatshirt almost on the grip on my gun and watch her hands.

I'd have done the same thing, perhaps additionally stepping behind/around something (ie, a car) to gain some cover in case the "wanted" person was that person and had something in mind.

You had advance knowledge that one or more folks were wanted by the sheriff's deputies. You had just heard your neighbor challenge an apparent prowler/trespasser. You have an unknown person walking quickly up the sidewalk directly toward you, at night, with a jacket and hands on pockets. Absolutely be prepared for anything.

With what folks are prepared to do these days, going con-Orange and seeking to manage a situation that's blowing up right in front of you demands certain competent actions. You did fine, IMO.

[Mark82ndABN]

I think you did just fine. You were prepared just in case things went bad and did it in a way as not to bring attention to what you were doing...... nothing wrong with that. As to the age and gender of these individuals, that should play very little into the equation as to the level of your preparedness. Trust that from someone (me) that had a snub nose .38 shoved into his face by a 17 year old girl. In my case the girl was trying to make a name for herself with a local gang and I was nothing more than a tool to help her accomplish that. You never know.

[retsupt99]

That's what it is called...your actions sounded good to me.

I'm not sure what part of Florida you are in, but I too, live in a brand new neighborhood in Florida. Generally, people seem to say, "I can't believe it happened in our neighborhood."
In reality though, all the 'good stuff' is in the nice neighborhoods, thus attracting the 'goodie takers'.

Someone on this forum made a statement that has stuck with me. Spoken out of context, or to an 'anti', it sounds drastic...but it makes sense to me!

Have a plan to 'kill' everyone you meet! Those understanding the color codes and staying alert at all times understand the concept.

Be prepared...stay alert...stay safe!

ret

[tabraha]

You did good in my book. You were looking out for being blind-sided by the boyfriend I hope. She sounds like decoy material to me.

[produman]

Great job. I think you handled the situation the way you felt was right at the time. Always listen to you inner voice.

[kairo]

If I didn't know the girl, I might ask her politely to remove her hands from her pockets. You did fine

[MNBurl]

Yes I would have done the same!