Question: Gun pulled on me...

[iamnedwin]

Hello all,

I'm a first time poster who had a terrible experience. I was in central VA and needed to speak to an individual for work. I parked on the street near the person's house and knocked on the door. No answer, but the lights in one room turned on so I waited. No answer. Knocked again. No answer. I left and returned to my car to take some notes. At this point I saw someone in the doorway of the house so I exited and approached the door with my clipboard in hand. I spoke through the closed glass door to the resident who said he had no idea who the person I was looking for was. I asked to leave my business card but he refused and asked me to leave his property. I thanked him and returned to my car. The whole episode lasted about 25 seconds.

I started my car and turned my GPS on, turned around and turned the corner and pulled over about 2 houses down the road to punch in my next destination on the GPS. About a minute later a car pulled in directly behind me with it brights on and after another minute I also saw a flashlight in the rearview. Thinking it was a cop (though no siren or lights) I waited but nobody came to the car. I thought this was pretty weird especially since the flashlight was total overkill considering the brights.

I got out of the car and called out (brights were nearly blinding) to see if everything was OK. I heard a male voice ask me, "Who are you?" I was confused and asked, "What?" as I was approaching the rear of my car. I asked who he was. He replied, "I'm the one asking the questions here." As I put my hand up to block out the headlights I saw a young man standing beside the car with a black pistol in his hand which was twitching. I asked if he had a gun and he told me I had "better start answering [his] question."

I immediately dialed 911. Cops came and pretty much nothing happened but they said I could press charges for brandishing. I won't get into the other guy's explanation but I wanted to know what people here on this forum think about what happened.

I'm the last guy to get someone in trouble but the situation could've easily turned deadly, especially if I had been carrying myself. So, should I press charges? Do you think a crime was committed? Should I behave similarly as the gun carrying guy did? This took place on public roads not private property.

Please take the poll...
Thanks,
ned

[OakRidgeStars]

I wasn't there, so it's hard for me to say what happened or why. It sounds to me like you did the right thing by calling 911. You also made no mention of whether you were armed.

The best part of this story is that you are still here to tell us about it. When you walk up to stranger's doors for a living, you can expect to cross paths with a nutjob or two. The best you can do is learn from this experience and try to avoid a similar incident in the future.

Be careful out there.

[allingeneral]

Based on your story, I would have to say that the guy was way out of line chasing you down the street and brandishing a weapon at you. Whether to press charges or not is totally up to you.

I think OakRidgeStars is right on about visiting people's houses unannounced and the fact that you'll come across a nut-job or two in that line of business. I'm sorry for your experience and I'm glad that you're still here to tell us about it.

[lonestarag]

The cops should do more than dump the decision to press charges in your lap. If they have proof that the other guy pulled a gun, then they should investigate and punish him if warranted.

That said, I can see how the guy would find your actions suspicious. I would also keep an eye on a guy coming to the door at night, leaving, then parking a few doors down. But I am familiar with gun laws and I wouldn't pull a gun unless you invaded my home.

[iamnedwin]

Thanks for everyone's input.

To answer some of your questions:
I was NOT carrying a firearm (thank god or it could've been much worse.)

The guy who pulled the gun on me was NOT the person I spoke to at the house, I'd never seen him before (hopefully never will again.)

It was dark out, about 6:45 - 7:15 pm when I went to the house and knocked on the door. I left when the resident asked me to leave, I wouldn't think there's anything suspicious about what I did: knocking on door, trying to identify myself, offering my business card, leaving when asked to and driving/pulling over on public roads. I'd think one would call the police before (or at least in addition to) pursuing someone with a firearm.

Thanks

[jrswanson1]

Thanks for everyone's input.

To answer some of your questions:
I was NOT carrying a firearm (thank god or it could've been much worse.)

The guy who pulled the gun on me was NOT the person I spoke to at the house, I'd never seen him before (hopefully never will again.)

It was dark out, about 6:45 - 7:15 pm when I went to the house and knocked on the door. I left when the resident asked me to leave, I wouldn't think there's anything suspicious about what I did: knocking on door, trying to identify myself, offering my business card, leaving when asked to and driving/pulling over on public roads. I'd think one would call the police before (or at least in addition to) pursuing someone with a firearm.

Thanks

There have been incidents where someone would do something similar to what you did, and instead of being alone, the person would have a few buddies with him and perform a home invasion. See where this is going? As for the person answering the door, I would have called the police about a suspicious person, but since I'm not on drugs or making them in my house, I would not go out after said person.

[Jakeiscrazy]

Well before really making a a call I certainly would like to hear the other guy's explanation.

As it stands now thru the eyes of a home owner your actions would definitively seem suspicious. Like others have said I would have called the police and kept a close eye. But I still want to hear his explanation.

[widefat]

Thanks for everyone's input.

To answer some of your questions:
I was NOT carrying a firearm (thank god or it could've been much worse.)

Why could it have been much worse?

[fuze]

I would not have gotten out of my car when you saw them pull up behind you. No cop lights, no officer approaching your door, im gone. Glad your alive.

[rgrecco]

The cops should do more than dump the decision to press charges in your lap. If they have proof that the other guy pulled a gun, then they should investigate and punish him if warranted.

That said, I can see how the guy would find your actions suspicious. I would also keep an eye on a guy coming to the door at night, leaving, then parking a few doors down. But I am familiar with gun laws and I wouldn't pull a gun unless you invaded my home.

Cops did everything they could... They can't "PUNISH" the other guy without a victim... Brandishing a Firearm is a Class 1 Misd and IS an exception to the Warantless Arrest for a Misd NOT commited in an Officers Presence... However, when it comes down to court... If the Victim dosn't want to come to court whats the Officer gonna say at trial??? Ummmm.... I didn't see anything, and I wasn't there when it occured...

In my opinion (don't forget where i'm comming from...) I would prosecute... If you do the firearm gets taken away from the guy as EVIDENCE... That isn't to say he dosn't have another or would have access to another...

Anywho... Just my $0.02...

RON

[clayinva]

What happened between seeing that the guy had a gun and dialing 911 to summon the cops? At least he did not try to stop you from dialing the police. IMHO, whoever this guy was, he was completely out of line. It is my understanding that unless someone is presented with a clear threat (defined however a particular situation might occur) it is not permissible to pull a concealed weapon; chasing somebody down with a gun is reserved for LE.

I would be inclined to prosecute. If he would brandish a weapon and potentially threaten your life for doing your job, he is probably not someone who should be walking around with a CHP.

[TenchCoxe]

As it stands now thru the eyes of a home owner your actions would definitively seem suspicious.

Huh?

How is knocking on the door and asking for Dave (or whoever he was looking for) suspicious? And then asking "can I leave my business card for him?"

I see nothing suspicious or threatening about that, and certainly nothing at all warranting chasing someone down the street and threatening with a handgun.

I'm more than a little surprised to see someone has checked that this was "totally acceptable." Wow. I see nothing acceptable about chasing someone down and making verbal threats while brandishing a gun, when that person (based on the OP's statement of the facts) did absolutely nothing whatsoever to present any type of threat at all.

If the OP's facts are true, correct and complete as reported, then no, this is totally unacceptable and indeed constituted the crime of brandishing.

[SHMIV]

I'm more than a little surprised to see someone has checked that this was "totally acceptable."

And this is why I ought not take polls when tired. Scratch that vote; I clicked the wrong box.

[TenchCoxe]

And this is why I ought not take polls when tired. Scratch that vote; I clicked the wrong box.

Oh good; that's what I was hoping was the case.

Thanks.

[Jakeiscrazy]

As it stands now thru the eyes of a home owner your actions would definitively seem suspicious.

Huh?

How is knocking on the door and asking for Dave (or whoever he was looking for) suspicious? And then asking "can I leave my business card for him?"

I see nothing suspicious or threatening about that, and certainly nothing at all warranting chasing someone down the street and threatening with a handgun.

I'm more than a little surprised to see someone has checked that this was "totally acceptable." Wow. I see nothing acceptable about chasing someone down and making verbal threats while brandishing a gun, when that person (based on the OP's statement of the facts) did absolutely nothing whatsoever to present any type of threat at all.

If the OP's facts are true, correct and complete as reported, then no, this is totally unacceptable and indeed constituted the crime of brandishing.

Anyone knocking on your door after dark raises an eyebrow and then when I don't answer he just sits in a car outside my house. Then when I say that the person he is looking for doesn't live here the guy still doesn't want to and he now wants to leave a card and that would require me opening the door. Now that said and done with the guy leaves and then parks just a few houses down.

That is exactly how home invasions happen. Someone knocks on your door, convinces you to open it, rushes in and robs you and maybe even kills you.


And again I would NOT go after the guy that is just inviting trouble. And like I said, lets hear the other guy's story.

[mamabearCali]

I understand you were doing this for your job, and are not a threat to anyone, but I have to say that had I been the one who answered the door I would have been suspicious and if I was home by myself I would have been frightened. Like pp said, the situation you proposed is exactly how home invasions happen. Now I would not pursue anyone outside my home--pretty stupid to do so. Additionally I would not just pull a gun on anyone. However, I might have in that situation called the police to check out the car sitting in front of my/my neighbors house.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[JNT]

I would not have gotten out of my car when you saw them pull up behind you. No cop lights, no officer approaching your door, im gone. Glad your alive.

I agree with this statement 100%

If you don't see blue (not just red) police lights behind you I would assume it that it is not the police. I would have kept going and called the police from my moving car if the continued to follow. Glad you are ok,

Can you tell us what you do for a living that involves going up to strangers houses and knocking on the door after dark?

Joe

[clayinva]

I understand you were doing this for your job, and are not a threat to anyone, but I have to say that had I been the one who answered the door I would have been suspicious and if I was home by myself I would have been frightened. Like pp said, the situation you proposed is exactly how home invasions happen. Now I would not pursue anyone outside my home--pretty stupid to do so. Additionally I would not just pull a gun on anyone. However, I might have in that situation called the police to check out the car sitting in front of my/my neighbors house.

+ 1
In addition, if someone came knocking at my door unexpectedly late at night I might retrieve a weapon and put it in my back pocket before I opened the door - if I opened it. But, the threshold is where it would stop; any pursuit is out of line.

[SydneyH]

As much as I'm in favor of CCW, I would have filed a brandishing charge. Once you drove away, you no longer posed a potential threat.

[zombiekiller57]

To press charges are up to you. But there are too many unanswered questions at this point that could lead to a very good defense on his part. Was he a private security employed by the subdivision reacting to a report from a resident? Was it an off duty LEO acting in a security manner for the subdivision? Are they having problems in the area with this type of activity resulting in illegal activity? without hearing both sides of the story it's hard to say whether the actions were unwarranted by him. From your prospective if you were acting in a legally appropriate way then I too would feel offended however we don't know what other extenuating circumstances contributed to his actions. One way to find out would be to press it and take him to court. That way you will get to hear his side since you didn't say whether the responding officer filled you in.