by David C. Reed @dcrtag
You are walking to your car when abruptly you hear a man shouting obscenities about twenty yards off to your left, rear oblique. You turn, naturally, and look to see what the commotion is and see a twenty-something male apparently yelling at no one. But he sees you watching him and turns his focus on you.
“What the @#$%^&* are YOU lookin’ at!” He yells in a threatening tone and then begins advancing towards you.
There is about another fifteen to twenty yards between you and your car, so you orient yourself towards him. Scanning around there is no real cover and few cars to protect you in the lot nearby. He is obviously agitated and perhaps even mentally disturbed. He looks dirty, his clothes disarranged, but does not appear, yet, to be armed.
This is a scenario that plays out across the country in daylight and dark, and equally in urban and rural areas. What do you do? What can you do legally? Are you equipped and prepared mentally and physically to deal with such an aggressor?
Using the construct above does the situation warrant you un-holstering your CCW everyday carry (EDC) handgun? Can you turn and run for your car or stand your ground? Do you warn first, or wait until you feel the threat is proximate enough and just draw on him? Does this scenario change if your family is with you? If other strangers are around and close to you?
Sure, all these things matter and of course the correct response depends on you, your abilities, the law where you live, and the exact situation. This is what you face, this is why we are here. Reed and Ward is a company dedicated to furthering your knowledge and ability in the concepts and principles of self-protection.
“On Your Guard” is a blog (although I abhor that word) dedicated to discussing ideas for protection, CCW techniques, cool gear, and of course guns. I hope to convey my thoughts after 38 years of military, military contractor, law enforcement, and firearms training with folks like you.
So thank you for stopping by this section of the CCW Guardian site.
And stay “On Guard!”