7 replies to this topic

[Nichole]

I walked out the door this morning without my gun, thinking eh, I feel safe around here. Then I get home and read about the nut case in Pendleton, IN that went on a rampage shooting his AK-47, killing one person, injuring two officers and killing a police K9. It's several hours away from where I live, near Indy, but still...


I googled the town, and they are about half the size of the nearest town to me. Even though my little .38 snubbie wouldn't be much against a crazy man with a death wish, it would be something!

http://www.fox59.com...,2512248.column

[arby]

I guess he decided he was gonna do it just for the heck of it huh? Glad you don't live in that small city, but its good to be alert wherever you are these days.
We have started to have an escalation of crimes that are now armed types more often and that was a rarity. One guy is still on the loose. I am really surprised he has not been found. Which probably means he totally left the area because his face was plastered all over the news and such. Usually such lowlifes are caught alot faster because they stick around. But because he has not been caught and now there was another bit of criminal activity more recently it kind of wakes you up abit more. But Aurora alarmed me quite alot.
I suggest you get at least a .45 cal pistol if thats what you are going to use. That little snubnose is very short range and not a big enough caliber to stop much more than a five year old having a tantrum. If you can and get used to it. .38 cal will not stop a determined male adult , especially if they are drugged or drunk either, most of the time unless you hit something truly vital or get lucky with a head or neck shot. Only if you get lucky and they turn into instant whimps once hit. That's banking on luck unless you are highly skilled at shooting and cool under duress. Hope you have serious badazz loads in that pistol for self defense usage. Simple loads are no guarantee.
Barrel length also makes a big difference. I won't go less than 3 1/2" or 4 , it helps keep distance between me and them if I have it to use. Far more likely to be accurate when it counts.
Good luck.

It reminds me of using a sling only if that's all I have. Scary when you need serious ability and sure impact and damage. Oh sure if I got lucky I can kill someone with a sling but I don't count on that at all. It just reminds me of that, a snubnose pistol , does. I need other means of course, as well. If I only injure them I probably tick them off worse. I am NOT strong enough anymore to physically fight someone off. I would have to employ means to get away if I can from a hostile situation, or having something else that is affective handy at that close a range. It also means my mindset has to adjust instantly to the threat when there is no other help fast enough. And for my reaction to be very very fast. I am not that fast. Thats a problem with our societal norms having been so prevalent most of our lives for the most part.

We need to be more watchful , people are acting out. Practice that more, anywhere you are and find your exits. Make your kids practice. Don't be obvious, but practice as you go through your daily routines. Even in my sleepy town, its possible to have a bad situation arise. Or from the surrounding areas. I also have predators of the four footed kind but nobody does open carry around here they are so congenial for the most part. Its not illegal, its just not something people do as a matter of course.
Good regular citizens that is. Our state police can't get here in time usually to prevent anything major.
I wish people did, because the foolish acting out would drop down fast I think. If I ever get my property, by then it will be worse if nothing else big happens anyway by that time. I will probably outfit myself well then. I feel like a sitting duck here as it is.

I urge you to think about this more, ok? I think we all should. Being more watchful wherever we are may help us avoid trouble when it arises. My Amish- raised- passed- on -ex -father- in -law told me to practice that when he first met me. He was right. ( He went out and joined the navy and was a gunners mate in Korea and didn't go back to Amish living later on.) But he was right. He knew and understood things would progress even back then. Noticing trouble first helps if we are not set up to deal with it affectively, escape and get away or have serious fire power and be sure we can use it under duress.

I have already had someone I thought very congenial try and attack me, luckily someone stronger was able to disarm them. Another also tried in their own methodology, being sneakier. I was lucky I caught on to it. Things happen when we least expect it, that is for sure. Next time I may really have stepped into something I could avoid if I do not notice things just don't seem quite right. It takes practice for it to become automatic.

Really good firepower at hand would also help alot ! I regret very much not still having what I used to have. Still, there are things I can do at least when its close up if they dont have firepower too. It's still dicey. But do you even carry your pistol with you when you take your morning shower on a daily basis? All you are expecting is to get cleaned up and get ready for the day and enjoy some coffee maybe, have a quiet morning, get the kids up and such , off to school. It certainly would have seemed odd for me to do that had I had a good pistol the way people generally think about such things.
That was their edge when they switched into that mode of aggression suddenly. It was not fun. I was just lucky my roomies husband was there and he was able to manage it safely. I was in the process of moving out. I got the rest of my things out really fast that day.

It remains a problem but had a very complex and powerful family behind it on an international scale. I had no wish to harm her, but now? I know better. If she went off again and pursued me, I would have to actually act for myself.
But there are others in the area that are now acting out. I avoid these people that I do know as much as possible in a small town. If we have a national crisis, she is someone I would definitely not want to be noticed by. She won't handle it well.

There are others around the area I know because of associations . I already spend as little possible around them and get tips now and then when their stuff accelerates ..... do I plan on helping them out if it comes down to it? Heck no. Many of them won't last that is for sure and in the first weeks or less time , they will be acting out. I want to avoid that. They are trouble, socially and in practical ways, no benefit and haven't bothered to try and overcome their own challenges as persons. NO thanks. There are very few I would associate with later on too. But we are too far apart to give aid . Those few and I had to choose alternatives to what we have now in case things get bad.

But day to day, the tension mounts and people are acting out. It doesn't matter where you live anymore. So being aware more than we have been is more important than ever and our kids and family members need to learn the same. Do observation in a simple scanning motion that is not obvious. Practice. Practice, Drill at home to react to threats with everyone so its instantaneous from where ever you are. Think of what you have on hand to use. Be creative.

Unfortunately even in the quieter hamlets we have risky sorts acting out now. We need to think differently than we were able to for a long time.

Edited by arby, 27 July 2012 - 01:46 PM.

[Mt_Rider]

Aw, Nicole. It is a shock when violence gets near....even just within your own state. [being from CO...I know this one too well. ]

Per your comments and others in the 'Maryland' thread about not NEEDING to carry all the time....only when you 'think' there is a NEED.....


I already responded to that on the other thread before I saw this one. Please rethink your need. It's like being convinced that a BOB is a GREAT idea....and then leaving it at home. Admittedly, sometimes carrying can get problematic, especially with the zones, but ..... Be legal, of course!


..thank goodness the woman didn't go out to her garage herself...


edited to add: Here's another story.....sigh. http://gma.yahoo.com...topstories.html


MtRider [....too much of this anywhere and everywhere.... AND if necessary. {sigh} ]

Edited by Mt_Rider, 27 July 2012 - 01:15 PM.

[Jeepers]

Scary stuff. I read where he was from a town just north of where I grew up.

[arby]

Even if there are specific buildings and zones you can't have it in, just put it in the car when you go into those places. You still may have a chance to get out to car and then you have it. It's better than just leaving it at home. A little alternative thinking about it may help you figure out something more helpful than nothing at all.


Last night. I believe it is in Arkansas, a new FB friend who is conservative and probably a prepper type like us too, I met through a conservative mutual post a few days back ran into a situation while going to Walmart in Piedmont. ( I know shes from near Poplar Bluff, anyhow). Well, all of a sudden, the whole store was evacuated , people had to just leave everything in their baskets and exit the store . They were not informed why. They never were able to get back in to complete shopping. People were allowed back in after some time but no shopping could still be completed.
I simply told her that whatever the danger was that was good that they all got out safely and that it was wise to start being more alert because tensions and problems are escalating and if you can avoid something that's a great thing to be able to do, before you end up in the middle of it.

Personally once outside, although irritated I would have driven to another store and just shopped there for anything particular I needed that night, or gone straight home if they were not retaining folks in the parking lot. What if something volatile also started in the parking lot and if you are sitting there, you still can become a victim? LEO had taken it on. I say leave the area quietly if you are not being held ( and get out of their way. ) They said there were very few LEO present to even deal with whatever was considered a threat at the time.
My next personal security action, once clear of the store, and if the parking lot isn't contained is to just leave. You are vulnerable if things ramp up in violence still in the area. These customers instead stood around and complained, and were 'looky loo's' even though they had been told the store would not being doing anymore business that night.

We need to upgrade our mental thinking patterns to a better degree now. Get completely clear. Even if it turns out a false alarm, at least you acted with more wisdom and did not stay in a vulnerable situation. If things escalated, then you are out of range at least once you leave the area of the store and parking lot. You can always go back in the next couple of days when things are normal again at Walmart .... ( well , relatively).

Be smarter than the wallyworld you could suggest it , but once, then just take care of yourself.


This to me is a classic example of what I have been thinking about again since the Aurora shooting. There have been more than 3 copycats as well. All apprehended except for the one that started as a domestic situation and he killed the K9 dog and wounded two LEO officers and later shot himself , and had killed a bystander. At least he is dead now. I still got small time desperate twerps running around my area that haven't been caught yet. That did armed robbery of banks and such recently. Yep, it bothers me. This neighborhood is the one they would go to if they know anyone who might offer them a place to hang out a while too. It is one of the reasons why I wish I could move out. But I have to wait a while yet due to my financial situation.

[Mt_Rider]

Absolutely correct, Arby. Good plans to ponder. Those of us who expect DECENT behavior must wrap our brain around the fact that people with evil intent do exist. And the lid's coming off.

Or, like we used to say: Not ALL the cookies are in the jar.

Can we, who are normal, law-abiding, generous folks actually comprehend and anticipate actions that plainly, leave us baffled? All I can say is... ...if we cannot adapt to an increasingly violent society, we're gonna be the yellow guy getting all brown in that smilie.


Adapt....ponder long & hard about it if you have to ....do that quickly, cuz those of bad intent are getting bolder. And as we know, that breeds more, copycat and those who would crave to do something even more memorable. Crave the attention of doing it one better.

No, we don't understand. We don't have to. We just must believe that these folks exist and PLAN our own ways [to the best of our ability] to avoid ...

--being in the wrong place at the wrong time [with our families]
--being less than hyper-alert to what goes on around us
--responding too slowly
--responding too ignorantly
--responding with disbelieving immobility
--responding incorrectly/inefficiently
--responding incompletely [as Arby was pointing out
--failing to prepare in ways that will assist all of the above


Anyone else besides me feel like they need more knowledge in this area? I've rarely done any of my scenarios for situations like these...involving violence...because I don't feel like I know enough. Other than being alert, choosing where I won't go, and always...ALWAYS feeling for tension building so I can get the heck out quickly. But...that's not really very much.


MtRider

[arby]

If any of you use Google Earth, you can look up alot of outdoor locales around you and think of what to do if a threat appears, also consider the insides of stores you frequent, especially gas stations and any fast food or other restaurants, school layouts for your kids ( they could be outside when something goes down instead of inside where classrooms go into lockdown ) shopping centers, banks, ATM places, any govt bldgs, even hospital parking lots. Parks , obviously if you have some neighbors you noticed getting distraught.... more and more about things.
In other words your surroundings.
One tip I remember from a survival episode about mall shootings.......DO NOT CLING to the walls as you go towards where you may exit. Bullets zing right along the walls when they fly if shot near enough by the perps and can hit you more easily than if you keep about a foot and a half distance from the wall or two feet maybe.... they tend to sort of slide along them if going in your direction as you attempt escape. Its natural to hang really close on the walls but thats the opposite of what you should do in this scenario.


I have both rural and town buildings and parking lots and woods, bluffs, fields and creeks all within a very short distance. There are alot of ways I can get out of sight , yet alot of open spaces that make me a target if someone goes on a spree. I cannot run fast or agile either. I do not care if I get dirty, scrape my arms or legs or face, if I have to jump the guardrail and slide down into cover of thick trees though if someone comes careening into town, shooting wildly, etc and I;m walking the hill here..... at least I might not get shot actually. I will get to cover in around the buildings as quickly if I can if its actually up in the business district and I think I would skeddadle if anything goes bad in a store if I can get out safely enough. But I can freeze up. I know that. Preparing myself mentally helps me respond faster now though. I would warn others if its possible as well. But if things go crazy, around me, I am going to try and just get safe and away probably as I do not do open carry. THAT is what I would prefer but even that.... it can make you a target for someone you may know who decided to go off their rocker.

Every place is different. There are bunch of little places here when I go to them, I spend a little time thinking of what to do what is useful to me in case there is any trouble. Spot the exits. The little random ways that lead back to help or more crowded places that may assist. Or away from the problem. Depends on the situation?

Every place you are in is different than where I am and wherever you go frequently or sometimes rarely. What roads you frequent. Take a moment here and there and look at situations, intersections and stuff. what really is around you and who is around you out there? Does it look odd? What is going on with peoples body language and facial expressions? What is being said if you can hear talking? On the road, driving patterns and activities inside the car or cars you suspect.
We have gotten so we just try to ignore stuff. Well, that makes us vulnerable and there are those taking advantage of that more and more.

If you have a method of fighting back that takes some assessment all on its own and considering your kids if they are with you. I guess you figure that out if it comes down.

I am like a mama bear when it comes to kids, the really vulnerable or elderly being harmed. But if its just me by myself..... it's different, at this point, it has been. All I have been is lucky so far. Thats not good enough. So I too am trying to figure this out and change my conditioning.

oh, and I never fought like a girl in the first place, but I have some serious physical weaknesses right now and I will probably just want to get clear of any risky situation at this point , and certainly if they have firepower and I do not. In these types of scenes I would rather live to fight another day , maybe by then I will actually have the firepower and more strength. That may yet happen, it is just taking a while. ha.

You just have to use your imagination where you are, whats useful, what can you identify, notice, assess, what are your options and what should you do , what choice will you make. Negotiating has become impossible with the immediate behaviors many are doing now, of those acting out. Mobs don't care what you have to say, either.


Figure out where and when you are nonchalant. Then do little observation and thoughts to see what you can do so you are more able to react and get safe faster in case things happen. Or look like they are about to.

Edited by arby, 28 July 2012 - 08:40 PM.

[The MacKinnon]

I was so excited by the progress I made during my shooting lesson Friday and so tired afterward that I didn't ask my instructor for his perspective/advice on "what if" as in 'what if my school has an active shooter situation?'. What am I going to do - try to wallop the perp with my 50 lb teacher's edition textbook? Yeah, I can see that being successful. It's no use asking my administrators for input; their response is that the police will be called and we need to stay put. Hmmm 'K. I'm concerned we may be seeing a genuine escalation of violence some of which could be orchestrated with particular agendas in mind (I'm including drug cartels and groups wanting to expand or take over, too).

i certainly think being aware and prepared is the order of the day. I"m thinking about getting the 500 lumen tactical flashlight over at LA police gear (it's on sale for a short time). I've mentioned elsewhere - flashlights are non-threatening to all the sheeple out there, easy to carry and even the 200 lumens will blind a bad guy for a short time - maybe long enough for the cowboys to tackle him or at least for you to get out of the line of fire.