Witnessed Carjacking

[customtle]

Now let me tell ya all I am still kicking myself in the @&& after what happened last night. And honestly tell me what you would have done in this situation.
It all started about 2300 on saturday night some friends , my girlfriend and myself we all at my apartment watching movies well tubby here decided I was hungry I asked if anyone else was and the unanimous reply was NO. So I decided to hop in my pickup and run to get some evil clown burgers from those evil golden arches, I'm holding them accountable for the added thickness in my waistband anyway. I take off and I did what everyone on here i'm sure has done once atleast .... just a quick run through the drive through i'll leave my peice at home I mean come on i'm only traveling 6 minutes from my apartment. Well last night will be the last time I have that attitude .

I get my food drive through the shopping complex and around a hotel to get onto the street that crosses what this town calls an expressway 4 lane 60 mph hwy with stop lights every 1500 ft it seems like. I was in the straight lane to my left is obviously the left turn lane and then there is a right turn lane to my yep you guessed my right.
Anyway on my approach to the intersection I see a Dodge Intrepid or Chrysler Breeze in the right turn lane with an individual standing at the drivers side door acting in an aggressive manner towards the driver which had the window rolled down.
As i approach the intersection a lil closer I rolled down my window hoping to catch what the individual was yelling about and if I could hear the drivers voice to find out if it was a male or female subject. I look to my left at the string of vehicles waiting to turn left and every cell phone in every car was up to somebodys ear and all parties are intently watching the fireworks thus telling me someones on the phone with the cops.
I reach the intersection and I stay back away from the vehicle not wanting to be directly up on it and as I come to a complete stop I see the Individuals hand reach up under the front of his shirt to about waistband level at this time my hand drove under my front seat reaching for either my sig or kimber and then it hits me like a freight train.... my first thoughts..... that brown stuff you step in......... he's packing and I left mine at home he then draws shoves the driver to the passenger seat and takes off down this expressway,
An SUV with a bodybuilder build man flies out of the left turn lane around me and takes off at a high rate of speed to catch up to the vehicle while on his phone. About 300 ft down the expressway I see the Jacker fly out of the drivers door tuck and roll get up and take off running into the shopping center across from the one I have just drove through the breeze drives about another 100 ft and comes to a stop and the SUV stops as well and then about 8 police and sheriff cars converge on th scene and start chasing the suspect on foot. I continue my trip home

Now for the Question had you witnessed this and you were unarmed and cell phone less as I was what would you have done and on the flip side Had you been armed and had a cell phone what would your course of action been

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[lowflyer]

It sounds like there wasn't much you could do except try to be a good witness. I would call the police (non-emergency line) and let them know that you are a witness.

If I had been armed, it is most likely that the confrontation with the gun would have been so fast, that I would not have had time to react prior to the perp driving away. So, my gun would not have been a factor. I probably would have felt the urge to follow at a safe distance while on the phone with 911.

[BikerRN]

Since I don't know either person I would just be a witness.

There are way to many variables at play here, and I'm NOT injecting myself in to this situation. I may follow, if I have a cell phone, at a very safe distance and relay information to 911.

I would not confront, attempt to stop or otherwise "harrass" said carjacker.

Biker

[P95Carry]

Witness, witness - be witness - as you describe the scene.

BUT!!!!! - OMO - never but never leave the piece just because you happen to be making a short trip!!!! How does anyone know that the one time they decide to be quick and not arm, is not the one time in their whole life it is needed. Might be their last day on earth.

I doubt yours would in any way have been needed or justified but - it goes to show that you never know what is round any corner.

"NEVER assume - anything"

"Expect the unexpected"

[Blackeagle]

Whether armed or not, I'd be calling 911 and being a good witness. However, if I were armed, by gun would probably be in my hand (but not visible from outside the car), in case the BG decides that he wants my car instead of that Intrepid.

[Sheldon J]

Now for the Question had you witnessed this and you were unarmed and cell phone less as I was what would you have done and on the flip side Had you been armed and had a cell phone what would your course of action been

Hard for me to fathom, seeing as how I carry 24/7 have a BUG, cell and am a Ham Radio operator with equipment in every vehicle I own, including my motorcycle, and bicycle.
So lets see I am in a ambulance comatose and on the way to the hospital when this happens... which is the only time I will be WO gun or communication equipment, I'll let the driver call it in on his radio.

[retsupt99]

am I unarmed...

Taking the trash out to the front walk?...I'm armed...

ret

[nn]

Your a witness; it is not your fight other to call the police

[rocky]

Be a witness and be armed.

[.45acp]

Take the dog out back, armed.
In the shower, gun within reach.
On the PC now, armed.

[BIG E]

I dunno.

I am tempted to say that if I was armed I would think of pulling my car in front of the car getting jacked. If it was my wife getting jacked I would want someone to do everything they could to keep the BG from getting away with her.

[peacefuljeffrey]

Now for the Question had you witnessed this and you were unarmed and cell phone less as I was what would you have done and on the flip side Had you been armed and had a cell phone what would your course of action been

UNarmed and without a cellular phone? Stay clear of the situation (like you did, i.e. don't get up close to where the bullets might start flying.) Pay careful attention. Remain in the area, get to a phone, call the police and say that you know they probably have been called, but you are a witness and will be at, say, the parking lot of the Burger King waiting to give a statement if they would like you to. Perhaps you saw the BG well enough that you can do an on-the-scene ID if they catch up with him quickly.

If you were armed and had a phone, still you would be foolish to try to use the gun. You'd end up in a shootout. Are you sure you'd win that? You're not the police, so you don't belong trying to. Even with a gun on me, I'd use only the cellular phone.

Stop beating yourself up, because you never would have been able to prevent this carjacking. Although, I wonder about the possibility of driving your car at the guy from the position you were in back in the lane a ways. Is it possible that you could have gunned your car (no pun intended) and smeared him on the pavement when you saw the gun come out, before he was able to get entry to the vehicle? I suppose that might have been easily deemed justifiable, especially when witnesses were already calling about a carjacking.

edit: P.S. I also do not "just run out for a sec" without bringing my carry gun. I'm of the "that's when I'd be S.O.L. without it" mindset. Not willing to risk it.

I would have done like the SUV did and followed so as to keep the police informed about where they had gone and whether shots were being fired. Of course, there is no way to follow close enough to always be in sight of the vehicle without also being able to be potentially hit by gunfire from the carjacked vehicle. Something to think about.

[SonofASniper]

Whether armed or not, my first consideration would have been the potential of smearing the bad guy on the pavement with my 5 ton truck. It would certainly have a lot more stopping power than any bullet.