Question: Gun pulled on me...

[CDRGlock]

After you left the property, there was no justification for someone to approach you with a firearm. I WOULD press charges. Any responsible gun owner WOULD NOT do that.

That is entirely out of line.


Lifetime NRA Member

[TenchCoxe]

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.

Unless the OP is leaving out something huge, I see nothing in his story that even remotely warrants the guy approaching him with gun in hand. Under the facts as stated above, the guy was unjustifiably brandishing. None of the hypotheticals you present would justify having the gun out and in your hand, let alone in such a threatening manner. Even if they have been "having problems," that does not justify menacing someone with a gun in your hand just because he knocked on someone's door.

[RugerJoe]

Ok, unless I missed it, there is still some information missing here. Most people replying still seem to think that the person that approached you with the firearm at the car was the homeowner you had previously spoken to. You made it clear in one post that was not the case. That it was a different person. My question to you is, how could you have called the police, had them arrive while he was still there, and still not in the end KNOW who this person was and what led to him to approach you in this manner?
It sort of sounds to me like he might be a relative or friend of the homeowner you visited earlier. You may have spooked the homeowner and he may have called his son or his buddy down the street? It just doesn't make sense to me that a cop came out, spoke to both of you, and didn't explain to you who this guy was and why he felt the need to approach you and try to intimidate you with a firearm.
And unless there are unknown circumstances here, I think the guy did commit a crime.

[derek141]

Lessons learned: 1. don't stop without red and blues and perhaps most importantly 2. don't voluntarily get out of your car for an unknown threat.

[snatale42]

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

By the description of the event, were you in the hood by chance? If so here's some advice, you knock, they don't come, you leave. As far as getting out of the car and comments, dude, STFU and get the hell out of there! I used to do a lot of service work in very bad area's and your lucky you left. Since you called the cops while being there I hope your never seen in that neighborhood by them again.