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Crazy man in my office

4K views 37 replies 31 participants last post by  Bark'n 
#1 ·
I have a customer that was in my office a couple of weeks ago. He's around 70 & has gone loco.

While he was in my office, he began ranting & made a threat to hit me. Then he stated he was in the war & could stab me. At this point I stood so I could make a quick draw if needed. I told him to leave & as he was leaving he asked to use the bathroom which I replied no. He went to the parking lot & started ******* in it while everyone riding by could see. I should have called the police but I didn't.

I feel sorry for him in the sense that he's sick but I also know that he's crazy enough to do something. Wasn't worried about him physically attacking me as he'd be easy to subdue but had he pulled a knife on me, I may have shot him. He will probably be back in. I've tried to find family to contact but have been unsuccessful. I informed my staff that I would handle him from here on out as they are scared of him & with good reason.

How would ya'll handle it????
 
#4 ·
Get a restraining order. Take care of business with him over the phone from now on. I would have made some sort of written formal complaint to have something on record. You two meeting in person again would be out of the question.
 
#17 ·
Restraining order? Yes, we lawyers love that advice. However, I would point that to get a restraining order, one has to file a lawsuit, supported by affidavit(s), pay the filing fee, post a bond, meet with judge to get the order, and jump through the hoops -- an expense that most citizens do not want to incur.

In the meanwhile, watch him closely, make certain that he is well informed that he is not to enter the premises again. If he violates those instructions, you have a criminal trespass where you can get the laws to do the work for you FREE!
 
#5 ·
911

If he does need help they will have all the available number for the local mental health facilities and the judges that can order him to get a mental health checkup. If he is just being ignorant, well then they can also handle that as well.
 
#6 ·
i dont know what how old you are or what type of shape you are in but as a fit 21 year old male id probably have a hard time in court justifying why i shot a mentally unstable 70 year old man who was wielding anything less than a firearm. i mean sure he could stab/cut you but i feel it would be nearly impossible for someone that age to get anywhere near me. i mean my grandpa is in his late 70's and is very active for his age. he still cuts the grass, hes up on the roof fixing things, and he's always out and about. but i know that i could but bus lengths on him if i was just jogging and he was in a full out sprint. also i know im a good bit stronger than him and even with my lacking h&h skills could disarm him and certainly anyone in poorer physical condition without even breaking a sweat. basically i don't think i would even draw unless he had a firearm of his own, since all that is required for him to kill/ seriously harm me would be a squeeze of the trigger. just my 2 cents
 
#7 · (Edited by Moderator)
. Wasn't worried about him physically attacking me as he'd be easy to subdue but had he pulled a knife on me, I may have shot him.
Imho, If a frail 70 year old man is threatening me with a knife or fork and I am 100% positive I can take him, I would opt for the take down over taking a life anyday and would be willing to be wounded in the process. Being a veteran of Panama, and Iraq, when you take a life for any reason and you are of sound sain mind it will haunt you for the rest of your life. sorry if this is a buzz kill but sometimes people just need helped not shot. My two cents.
 
#33 ·
when you take a life for any reason and you are of sound sain mind it will haunt you for the rest of your life.
First off thank you for your service. In response to your post
Absolutely right !! Right wrong or indifferent. When where or why makes no difference they will come back to visit. Still as you know never under estimate your enemy ESPECIALLY a crazy one. I have a bro who gave up racing motorcycles a few years ago at 72 because the broken bones take to long to heal at his age. Things are not always what they appear. I would not want to get in a knife fight with him even though I am 20 years his junior age. There is a reason that " Treachery Will Always Over Come Youth and Enthusiasm" is a cliche. Not to mention blood borne diseases. Is his craziness due to dementia due to AIDS? Still the fact remains shooting a human being is always the very last resort
 
#9 ·
File a police report, get in the records so they can do their job.
I get these type of threats all the time. Ussaly when I call it in all they do issue me a case number in case anything happens further down the line I'm told to tell who ever I talk to in the future to refer to the case number for any further issues with the person.

We do this as a precaution, they know I carry.
 
#10 · (Edited by Moderator)
i dont know what how old you are or what type of shape you are in but as a fit 21 year old male id probably have a hard time in court justifying why i shot a mentally unstable 70 year old man who was wielding anything less than a firearm. i mean sure he could stab/cut you but i feel it would be nearly impossible for someone that age to get anywhere near me. i mean my grandpa is in his late 70's and is very active for his age. he still cuts the grass, hes up on the roof fixing things, and he's always out and about. but i know that i could but bus lengths on him if i was just jogging and he was in a full out sprint. also i know im a good bit stronger than him and even with my lacking h&h skills could disarm him and certainly anyone in poorer physical condition without even breaking a sweat. basically i don't think i would even draw unless he had a firearm of his own, since all that is required for him to kill/ seriously harm me would be a squeeze of the trigger. just my 2 cents
I'm 35. As I said, physically not a problem. We were in an office at close quarters & I would have had to go through him to get out the door. 70 or not, I'm not going knife to hand with anyone if possible. Had his "lucky shot" cut my throat, I may not have went home. I would have avoided shooting at all costs but swinging a knife at me may have gotten him killed.
 
#15 ·
sometimes people just need helped not shot.
Very true. :hand10:

I think, due to the age and physical conditioning differences of the parties involved I would be looking to retreat if I could at all. Also, your first step should've been to call 911.

It sounds like maybe this guy has dementia and needs treatment. I don't advocate shooting an older person, or anybody for that matter, if it can be avoided. There is a reason a firearm is considered a "tool of last resort".

As far as getting cut and maybe killed, yup. Those are the chances you take for living. I had an 80+ year old lady come at me with a Butcher Knife. She paused when I drew my gun, but I didn't shoot her. It slowed her down enough that I used the pause in her forward motion to disarm her of the knife.

Trust me, I would not want to be a Defendant in a case where a reasonably fit person in their 30's killed someone twice their age because they had a knife. I understand the thinking, but the reality is different.

Biker :palmier:
 
#16 ·
The man was (perhaps still is) a danger to you. He intended/stated his intent to inflict harm upon you. This justifies a call to authorities and a report. PLEASE do it.

You could probably survive an assault from a sane 70 year old, but a demented, aggitated, psychotic 70 year old....that might be different. I've seen 75lb elderly women slam people twice their size across the room in fits of aggitated rage...and they bite and spit too.

By reporting this, you might help this gentleman get the treatment he needs. You might prevent him from attacking and hurting someone else.
 
#21 ·
You have been directly threatened with physical violence. He's still out there and able to approach. He knows where you are. He may be of a certain age, but he's of uncertain capability or willingness. Deal with that as if he were a 24 yr old making the same threats such that you believed your life at risk. 'Cause, it might well be. Are you willing to bet your life it's nothing to be worried over?

Ditto on first steps: call the police; get a restraining order, if you know him or can track him down; and be prepared for anything, for at least awhile.
 
#22 ·
I would most definitely make a report with the police...always want a paper trail.

As for the restraining order? Mmmmm...well, it makes a great story..."Mad man shoots up office, reports are that there was a restraining order.":ziplip:

Once you have a police report, you can make trasspassing onto a business or private property something the police will take seriously...works as well as a RO. IMHO, of course.

Stay arme...if you can at work...stay safe!
 
#24 ·
File a report. Now.
I don't want to read into anything... but....
This is the type of situation you hear about the assailant coming back armed and going beserk. Don't take it lightly. If he comes back, call 911 immediately and be prepared for anything. If you do have to defend yourself or those in your office, the police report would at the least give documentation to the threats that were made and the nature of the this man's behavior.
Just my 2 cents.
 
#25 ·
I'd say call the police and let them know what had occurred. They may want you to file a restraining order on him so that if he comes back they can get him for trespassing.

It would be best for everyone if you had this documented with the right people. If, worst case scenario, you have to defend yourself or someone else, you will have done everything you could to prevent the situation in the first place.
 
#26 ·
I always try to have at least one less than lethal weapon on me at all times!

I carry a 125 lumen LED Flashlight that is also double duty as a Kubotan as well as OC spray.

A 70 year old feeble man with senility who pulls a knife, I definitely have some options. (1) keep an obstacle between the two of you! A desk or counter would do a lot in keeping him at bay. (2) The use of OC spray against a senile & feeble senior citizen would certainly be looked at much better than smoking him with your blaster! (3) If you do have to shoot him because he is going on his last bayonet charge against a squad of infantry, having used obstacles and OC spray first will show you attempted other options before having to use lethal force.

You should have called the police. You can still probably call the police. You can have him banned from the premises which would result in him being arrested if trespasses again.
 
#28 ·
Definitely call the PD and file a report. My father is 80 yo and when his meds get unbalanced he gets a little weird. Sometimes he thinks he's back in the Marines. He has Parkinsons disease so he doesn't get around too well, but he's still real strong and could do serious damage if he wanted, and he wouldn't even realize what he did.

Your customer won't get the help he needs if no one knows he needs it, and it would give you the paper trail mentioned before if you need it.
 
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