QUESTION: You are walking home through the park near sunset. Suddenly, you are confronted with several very large young men who tell you to “give me your money and your phone!” You know a robbery when you see it. You draw your gun and tell them no. They flee into the park leaving you alone. What should you do now?
- Be glad you had a gun for protection and go home. Tell your wife and friends what happened.
- Chase after the fleeing youths and attempt to apprehend them.
- Call 911 and report that you were almost the victim of a robbery.
- Keep your gun at the ready and in your hand until you return home or to your vehicle in case they come back.
TEST YOUR LEGAL IQ ANSWER: The clear best answer is 3. Why? Pursuing criminals unless you’re the police is a very dangerous idea and may result in your being victimized twice. And if you just go home and the would-be adolescent robber calls 911 and reports “some wild person pulled a gun on them and threatened them for no reason,” the police will then be looking for you! It is no news flash that if a person is willing to rob you that they will lie to the police. Further, inaction could be interpreted as culpability resulting in at minimum one big potential legal mess. Likewise, continuing to walk or stand around with your gun out will most certainly frighten others and get the police called on you, also landing you in legal jeopardy.
The best course of action is to make it a rule that if you ever have to pull or show your gun, or threaten someone that you have a gun, call 911 and tell them what type of a crime you were almost a victim of and that you need the police. So even if the youths call, you are on the record first that they tried to rob you. It may prevent you from being wrongfully arrested and charged with a crime when you did nothing wrong.
