Almost pulled it

[MattInFla]

From the true stories of idiots department.

Yesterday, I was in my local bicycle shop, having some minor mechanical work done. I had ridden in, and was the only customer in the store, so there were no cars in the customer lot.

While the wrench was working on the bike, I conversed with the manager for a bit, then drifted over to drool on some new bike toys. The shop is pretty open, with a low counter seperating the retail area from the shop, with a storage area in the back comprised of racks of shelving. There is, as it turns out, a door from the back area out to the rear parking area behind the store.

One of the part time guys there decided to play a little joke on his colleagues. Thinking there were no customers in the store, he slams the back door open and announces "This is a robbery. Every MotherF$##er on the floor!"

With our relative positions, I did not have a good view of the guy, but could see him through a rack of bicycles next to where I was standing. With the backlighting from the open door, I could not clearly see his hands.

I was carrying my pistol in a fanny pack, but my phone was on the strap of my Camelback, which was with my bike. I crouched down at the end of the row of bikes I was by, and moved back so there was no clear path through the frames between me and what I believed to be an armed robber. I opened the side zipper of the pack, reached in and secured a good grip on the pistol, pulling it out slightly so the beavertail and bottom rear of the grip were clear of the zipper (so it would not hang up if I needed to pull it the rest of the way). Thumb in top of the safety, trigger finger along the frame, ready to draw if needed.

My thought process as the time was to watch and see what the guy did - if he was just after the register, I would have done nothing more. Seemed like an eternity, but it was probably only a few seconds, then the manager starts yelling at the guy "Goddamn it, <name>, you scared the hell out of me. And there is a customer in the shop!". The guy says "oh, (crap), I'm sorry!"

I pushed the gun back into the fanny pack, zipped it back up and stood up. The "robber" apologized to me for his stupid joke, and the manager was very apologetic.

I suggested to the guy that doing things like that could get someone hurt. His response was "I didn't really have a gun, nobody could have been hurt".

I thought he was going to pass out when I patted the fanny pack and said "I do, and I had no way of knowing you were playing". He turned pretty white.

The manager and I talked for a while, as he had never met anyone with a concealed firearm license. He's kind of a hippie, so I expected some negative commentary, but he was actually quite interested in concealed carry and guns in general.

I left him with an invitation to go to the range some time, and information on the local range that provides the classes.

Aside from being separated from my phone, I think it went pretty well.

Any comments, suggestions, criticisms, things you would have done differently?

Matt

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Redneck Repairs]

sounds like a rational and resoned response from you. the only thing i would have prob. done different is i would not have let them know i carry , not that you did wrong there you were there i wasnt. Just a personal thing with me that there is no need to advertise i carry

[KenpoTex]

Matt, good job. Way to assess the situation. Glad it wasn't the real thing.

sounds like a rational and resoned response from you. the only thing i would have prob. done different is i would not have let them know i carry , not that you did wrong there you were there i wasnt. Just a personal thing with me that there is no need to advertise i carry

I agree to some extent, I definately try to avoid letting too many people know that I carry. On the other hand, he might have saved the guy from pulling this stupid stunt again and getting his butt shot off by someone who didn't have as much restraint.

[SOLOLUCKY]

I too agree on the "stealthy carry approach, ie not advertising it, but i think yer resonses were right on personally.
yer reaction to the percieved situation was good IMHO, and yer telling the prankster YOU "had one" extracted the exact reaction you wanted from him. maybe he just matured 10 years in that one moment.

[P95Carry]

Yes, I think Matt's mention of his carry probably made a very valid point - sobering even perhaps!!

Could then be, following this, there will be two more better educated folks, one or both of whom might get into shooting and carry as a result.

Turned out well as it happens.

[Betty]

Joke robbery = not funny.

I think you handled the situation very well. I'm glad you told him you were packing, and his reaction showed he learned a lesson. Hopefully.

[HotGuns]

I think you turned a negative into a positive.

People play around like that and they just dont think. To the Bozo that pulled the prank, it never occured to him that a customer may be armed. You bringing it to his attention may have saved his life further on down the road. The fact that he reacted the way he did meant that he came to a realization that he didnt have before.

You showed good judgment in my opinion.

[d2thomas]

THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP

"Is someone at the door?"
"No it's just my heartbeat!"

[MattInFla]

THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP

"Is someone at the door?"
"No it's just my heartbeat!"

Yup. A definate attention getter.

Matt

[ninpo]

Yes, I think Matt's mention of his carry probably made a very valid point - sobering even perhaps!!

Could then be, following this, there will be two more better educated folks, one or both of whom might get into shooting and carry as a result.

Turned out well as it happens.

Couldn't agree more, you very definitely adjusted dummy's thinking forever

[Kompact9]

A reasonable, level headed response to what could've been a REALLY ugly mess...

[QKShooter]

And IF he would have had a fake replica firearm Matt would probably have acted....and Matt could have very easily dealt the JOKER a Dead Mans Hand.

People can be SO damn stupid sometimes.

Glad everything worked out OK for you Matt. You did real well.

[rocky]

Nice job. Glad it turned out well, too.

[MattInFla]

Thanks all. Interesting dreams last night about how this could have been different.

I am very glad it turned out as it did, and I think the practical joker learned a valuable lesson.

Matt

[Rgr5280]

Yesterday a woman was fatally shot by LEOs north of Denver for pointing a toy gun at them. She robbed a bank, was tailed by a bank customer, Deputies responded and she made a fatal mistake.
In these days, even without criminal intent, you just don't joke around with guns/toy guns, bombs, etc.