unfortunately, calling the police too often seems to escalate the situation. it was clear what the person wanted, and it was possible to safely resolve things without the “professionals.”
everything’s on video. they probably have her credit card information. deal with the cops if you must. after everyone is safe.
[ edit: where i work ( retail ) we don’t call the police almost as a matter of policy. we’ve got a mental health emergency number if we need.
sometimes, an officer will come through to buy a few items – and a person with that much gear, looking like they’re ready to topple over from the sheer tactical weight of it all, does not engender a feeling of peace and safety. ]
Thankfully, we’re not having a debate over whether Gun Solo shot first. But only by the willingness of adults to settle the problem like adults. Ok, maybe a little luck. What if they hadn’t backed down and, instead, called her bluff?
Can I just say that the one really good thing this demonstrates is that thanks to smartphones, we are ever more likely to have video of confrontations like this? It might be vertical and it might not be pointed in the right direction and might not start as early as we would like it to… but by golly, we have some actual EVIDENCE here instead of just taking the statements of the people who were present at face value, a notoriously biased and unreliable method for determining the truth.
David Brin might just yet get his transparent society.
Context is everything right? If all you had to look at was these few seconds of video, if you had no inkling of the racial problems in this country, then yeah, sure, maybe you wouldn’t see a problem with a white person using a gun to win an argument with a brown person over office supplies.
After all, why bother with reason or manners, when all you really need is firepower?
Fortunately, we spend most of our time tranquilized by the television set. We need more Wal-Marts to further dilute the crazy when it leaves it’s couches.
Win an argument? Her daughter was literally being assaulted in front of her. Defending yourself and your family are literally one of the few uses for a handgun that I can support in good conscience. Now, how things GOT to that point? That’s something I don’t know…but the moment people are assaulting your child in front of you is a moment to draw a weapon. It had the intended effect, the assault ended and she and her daughter were able to get out of the situation safely.
From other sources:
“She’s a valid (Concealed Pistol License) holder,” the detective said. “She pulled out her firearm and tells them to stop attacking her daughter while pointing the gun at them.”
Police spoke with prosecutors who hope to determine who the aggressors were and if the woman in fact pulled the gun in self-defense. Those four women are all facing possible charges.
“A simple assault could be just a local ordinance, a 90-day misdemeanor,” Baetens said. “All the way up to felonious assault with a firearm, which is a felony.”
Hopefully this all gets sorted because if the armed mother and her daughter initiated the conflict, then things take on a whole new tone.
