Posted: 12/12/2010 9:25:25 PM EDT
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So I had a close call last night.
I went to my home town in East Texas. My best friend's fiancee (also my close friend) was turning 21 and invited me to come celebrate at her apartment. I obliged and headed up there. We hang out drinking and catching up. I got in a debate with most of them about LEOs. The little sister of the birthday girl (who I've known for a while and helped take the first photos of her modeling career) said "Cops are douche bags! Sorry, but y'all are. Too much power, stupidity, and sex organs!" Me responding with "Well, some abuse the responsibility, yes, but don't let the minority represent the majority also!" A great night. Most people call it a night leaving six of us there. It's about 1:30am so we get the birthday girl's younger sister to drive us and we head out to our favorite diner and eat the best home-style cooking and drink great coffee. We sober up and around 3:30am start our last cups of coffee. About this time a group of six adult males (around late 20s and early 30s) enter the diner most smiling, but one short white guy looking like he's ready for fight. This is when things begin to turn: My group consists of three girls weighing less than 115lbs each, and myself, short and stocky with training (and a little experience in street fighting  ), my best friend at about 5'11" 215lbs (and inexperienced in fighting/confrontation of any sort), and a guy I met that night coming in at about 5'20" and 150lbs. We had a liberal fashion model, a conservative nursing-school birthday girl, a hippie-esque liberal arts student, a hippie-esque music major, and a hippie-esque liberal arts graduate. And myself, a moderate CJ major with some LE training and experience. And a Kahr CW40 (in a bag in my car((I was drunk on my way there, didn't want a gun on me))).
The six that walked in were a mixture of corn-fed (meth-pocked) country boys, a stocky hispanic with nothing nice to say, a short-fused mini-tough guy (ha), and a very large black guy with a big smile. I didn't like the odds from the start. They come in and we are all gawking at them. Its a small shop. The bell on the door jingled. We all looked. We all looked back at our own table to continue conversation. All except the new guy in the group. He held his look at them for a second or two too long. Mini stood up from their table and asked "Do you have a fucking problem? Keep looking at me and I'll fucking kill you." Jesus. wtf. I am sitting next to new guy and ask him if we need to get him out of there. Then my buddy who is sitting in a chair next to our booth gets a tap on his shoulder. Its the black guy with the big smile, "I need that chair. Get up." My buddy jumps up and pushes the chair to their table. Smiley laughs and says he was just kidding and starts to put the chair back at our booth saying he's just glad to be out of the pen (I noticed a gang tattoo, not a good enough look to see prison tat though). My buddy pushes the chair back to them quickly saying "No, no, no, it's cool. We're about to leave anyways. Don't worry man, they lock up innocent people all the time!" (my eyes rolled on that one.) Smiley laughs and agrees taking the chair. Now is a good time to get going. Laughing, friendly gestures, and happiness around. Birthday girl and I get up to take our tickets to the register and pay. As we are doing so, the waitress's eyes bugged and she says "Oh hell no, not here!". I look back as she rushes outside to our car. Apparently, Too-short and company followed our party outside. Something along the lines of this: (Mini to the new guy who is sitting in the center backseat of an Xterra) "You talkin' shit about me, bitch?! F*ck that! Come 'ere!" He proceeds to launch himself into the backseat of car trying to get the new guy while trapping one of the girls in the middle of the altercation. Shouts from inside the car along the lines of "WTF?! DUDE! DON'T DO THIS IN FRONT OF A LADY!" (  ) The girl tries to shut the car door but Mini catches it. He then starts slamming it over and over again. At this time his buddies pull him off and start apologizing as the waitress and myself walk out. I'm given a heads up about what just happened. My buddy and I go in to get his fiancee. The six guys are now back at their table, Mini fuming. Buddy stops at the door ("I didn't want to make it seem like I was charging in after Mini" bahaha) and I go in and get the slow, oblivious birthday girl. While doing so, I am putting myself between them and her, keeping my eyes glued on the table. This offends Mini who shouts at me to come say it to his face.
As we hop into the car, I'm riding shotgun, little sister is in driver's seat, and everyone else is piled in the back. I look at Mini and give him a rather potent stink eye. He gets up and throws his hands up in a "bring it on" fashion. I continue said stink eye but am unaware that it is now framed by middle fingers from the guys in the back seat. (I chewed their asses out later, indicating that they brought things to the breaking point.) Mini will have none of this. He jumps up and sprints outside. I shout for little sis to drive, drive, drive. Go faster! Confusion is now running a muck. We pull out of the diner and I look back at the parking lot. Everyone is laughing/relaxing as I see his backup lights turn on and white smoke emit from his tires. We are at an empty intersection waiting on a red light. I shout for her to run it (no one was coming... except Mini). She hesitates while protesting but goes through at a blinding 35 mph. I say "Call 911!" "You mean you haven't!?" I tell her to go faster but it's too late. Mini is driving a beat up 90's model Pontiac and cuts us off and hits the brakes. Little sis screams and hits hers. I'm shouting for her to go around but probably wasn't heard as everyone in the back seat was cussing, screaming, and questioning if this was real. Mini jumps out of the car and reaches in the cargo hold in his driver's side door (from what I understand, a very popular place to put a gun.) He pulls something out and up (aiming) as Little Sis burns rubber going around. I had consciously unzipped my backpack but unconsciously had the gun up, no idea where the sights on my gun were, just that the muzzle was aimed at his chest area, and had half the slack pulled out of the trigger. As the Xterra lunged side ways, I became aware of the trigger, sounds of the car and people in it, and eased off the trigger as he was no longer in my line of sight. I check the mirror and he is back in the car, a white cloud rising from his tires. I told Little Sis to go under 70 but get there quick (city streets, mostly straight, but dips here and there.) Sheriff's department was to the right of the intersection we got cut off in. Local PD was about 5 blocks away with no business or witnesses/help between. I didn't know what to do direction wise. Mini is now zooming behind us and comes up broadside. I can't get a shot without shooting in the faces of the people in the back and am expecting gunshots to start coming through the side of us. (I will admit this was a moment of genius) "Little Sis, do you have good brakes?" "YEAH!?" "HIT THEM NOW!" We came to a stop abruptly. Mini's tires lock and white smoke once again bellows from his wheel wells as he slides 15 yards in front of us. I consciously raise the gun this time and acquire a (general) sight picture. I took up the slack in the trigger, maybe hesitating, maybe waiting for him to make a direct move to aim at us again. For the next .04 seconds, I only know that I prayed to God. I knew what I was going to do in the next .06 seconds and already wanted forgiveness. His arm was outside of his window. Then in the next intersection, about 50 yards away I saw God. He drove an out of town squad car and turned towards us. Mini blew white smoke and headed down a side street. I shouted at Little Sis to jump the median and follow the squad car, honk, flash highbeams, get it done. Buddy opened the back door and hung out of, waving his arms wildly as we were still moving. The officer stopped and gets out. I put my weapon in the backpack and approach him opened handed and (in an embarrassingly shaking voice) that we had some asshole chasing us with what I believed was a gun. "Thank God you showed up when you did!" The officer then tells me he is from out of town and transporting a prisoner and can't help much. I tell him he had already done enough. Thanked him and told him to stay safe (...okay.) We stay on the line with 911 and tell them that the situation had subsided and that we were going to a populated place to sit until we felt safe. I made Little Sis let me drive and drove to the front entrance of one of the big hospitals in town, one I had worked armed security in. We sat there and I asked what happened to 911. Liberal Arts girl had told them everything was okay and we didn't need an officer, thank you. I then took the next five minutes (eyes darting everywhere) and asked for a consensus of what the next step was. 3 wanted to just go home and not report anything. Myself and Little Sis REALLY wanted to pursue this, get officers to the diner to see if his friends stuck around. Birthday girl was on the fence, ultimately wanting to just go home. We got home and I did a check on everyone separately of "Are you okay?... are you sure? This is going to hit you once the adrenaline wears off... take it easy. Stay with someone tonight." After that and after everyone exclaiming the feeling of the adrenaline still rushing through them, two of them parted ways to go stay the night together. The four of us left went upstairs and took 2 1/2 hours of talking (very loud, unorganized, not completely rational) before we decided to call it a night. We pieced the night together with what each of us observed. No one saw me and my gun until after things deescalated. They were ducking or had tunnel vision on the car. I never saw my buddy hanging out of the car or heard most of what was being said behind me. I was shaking when we went up to the apartment. My stomach hurt. My head was disoriented, not dizzy or loss of balance, just really unorganized. Throughout today I have gotten texts from those involved. It hit them. Hard. None of us can believe it really happened. Typing this out is helping me. This is the first time I got to go through the whole thing. No interruptions from everyone. I get to read it back. Swallow it. Digest it. Cope. Thanks guys. And I know. Cool story, bro. |
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I am sitting next to new guy and ask him if we need to get him out of there. Then my buddy who is sitting in a chair next to our booth gets a tap on his shoulder. Its the black guy with the big smile, "I need that chair. Get up." My buddy jumps up and pushes the chair to their table. Smiley laughs and says he was just kidding and starts to put the chair back at our booth saying he's just glad to be out of the pen (I noticed a gang tattoo, not a good enough look to see prison tat though). My buddy pushes the chair back to them quickly saying "No, no, no, it's cool. We're about to leave anyways. Don't worry man, they lock up innocent people all the time!" (my eyes rolled on that one.) Smiley laughs and agrees taking the chair.
Pretty muched marked yourselves as prey with that move. |
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Well, for the record, I am not yet a cop. I hope to be a FLEO starting next fall. Yes, I do know the use of force continuum, but it does not apply as easily to non-LEOs. In fact, had I shot, it would have definitely interfered with my career.
We all went home in one piece. I am just accepting that for now. |
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That is HILARIOUS! |
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Quoted:
Well, for the record, I am not yet a cop. I hope to be a FLEO starting next fall. Yes, I do know the use of force continuum, but it does not apply as easily to non-LEOs. In fact, had I shot, it would have definitely interfered with my career. We all went home in one piece. I am just accepting that for now. a Federal Law Enforcement Officer or somebody who is smart enough to someday be a fed wouldnt have mentioned two fucking words about this deal, let alone on a public board teaming, crawling, infested with FLEO's. Had i been you i would have sat in my seat, not moved a muscle and called 911 immediately, I would NOT have involved myself in a big Ronin style high speed chase / gun brandishing incident and i would definately no have bragged about it in a public forum. Trust me, I have been through IAD enough and have fought bad raps enough to know that it DOES NOT pay to be a hero. Nobody looks up to a hero, the only thing heros get is bragging rights on their gravestones or empty lonely apartments. Pride yourself in thinking quickly on your feet and finding peaceful nonviolent resolutions to your problems first, then brag about being a SIg 22what-the-fuck-ever-gunslinger last. Nobodys impressened with your high speed gun brandishing pursuit. My department would nail me to the fucking wall like i was Christ on a cracker if i told them your story. ETA: i feel that im qualified to comment on situations like this (i came on here a years ago with a similar story of courage and heroism and was widely condemned for my actions and overlooked by every agency in the area worth applying to as a result., im currently a LEO but if i had a time machine my life would be much MUCH different.) |
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this video makes me giggle like a school girl but only because i know occured in Russia where rules and laws dont apply for the most part. |
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My department would nail me to the fucking wall like i was Christ on a cracker if i told them your story. This, definitely this. Just got off work, so I don't even think I can muster a response to the cluster f fail that story was. Make it through the summer withou being arrested and I will be impressed. You know what I do at 3am on my days off. STAY MY ASS AT HOME. that little plan should get me right through retirement I hope. |
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My department would nail me to the fucking wall like i was Christ on a cracker if i told them your story. This, definitely this. Just got off work, so I don't even think I can muster a response to the cluster f fail that story was. Make it through the summer withou being arrested and I will be impressed. You know what I do at 3am on my days off. STAY MY ASS AT HOME. that little plan should get me right through retirement I hope. My first Patrol Captain - God rest his soul - told be when I was a rookie cop after getting in a very, very, minor altercation at local bar while off duty: "Son, I don't care if you're sniffin pussy, or saving the fucking world.......you are a probie......and the best way to avoid a punch is don't be there to begin with!  Think about that and how true it is.
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I for one am glad I got into law enforcement a little later in life. I too was stupid when I was in my early 20s.
There are lots of folks that wanted to be in LE, but were never hired, kicked out of the academy, or fired while on probation because of similar stories. If I were you, I'd kindly ask the moderators to delete this thread. Learn some personal lessons from the experience, but never speak another word about it to anyone in LE. |
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I for one am glad I got into law enforcement a little later in life. I too was stupid when I was in my early 20s. There are lots of folks that wanted to be in LE, but were never hired, kicked out of the academy, or fired while on probation because of similar stories. If I were you, I'd kindly ask the moderators to delete this thread. Learn some personal lessons from the experience, but never speak another word about it to anyone in LE. Now.....this is definitely advice from a veteran cop.
I have SO MANY dumb rookie in bars/ drinking excessively/ got in fights = got fired stories (Including our Chief's son).....my "FTO to rookie 1st day on the job lecture" gets longer every year..............it makes me think that they should raise the minimum hiring age to about 28. |
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Your post is a little misleading. If you ever want to be a cop, you need to stop putting yourself in those positions. Where are you in the process? Do you think this incident will come up in a backround investigation? If it does, it probably will be because one of your "Freinds" thought they were helping you out by relaying the story to an investigator.
If I was the hiring authority, and I found out about this incident, I probably would not recommend you for hire. I'm not saying you are a unqualified canidate, but unless you bring something special to the table, a young non-minority applicant with no military service isnt going to be given any leeway. Guns, drunks, 3AM, combined with "Hippie" types? Let's just say that someone calls 911, you get stopped, and the police frisk your vehicle for weapons. One of your "friends" drops a dime bag of marijuana on the back seat. Won't end well. (Happens all the time, but dope w/gun is not good) If you want to be a cop, and are going through the hiring process, you need to live your life like a monk until you get the call. (Not quite, but you have to be careful not to put yourself in these kinds of positions) |
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Quoted: Nobodys impressened with your high speed gun brandishing pursuit. Jesus, ain't that the truth! This story had everything but common sense in it. OP, why post this in the BOTS forum in the first place? ETA: In re-reading the original post, I have a ton of questions but I will just keep them to myself since this isn't GD. |
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I couldn't even make it through the entire post, but from what I read, don't hang out with idiots and don't hang out in places where idiots like to hang out.
Your post reminds me of thisGang |
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I figure I will try and straighten some of the details out.
The diner is a place I have frequented for a long time. Only people there are old farmers who are nice to chat with over coffee, some college kids looking for quiet, and nurses and doctors working late shifts needing dinner. My only complaint there, ever, has been when someone played crappy music on the jukebox. There were never any hood rats, gangsters, dealers, or any shady person to my recollection. Another reason we like going there. If we wanted to put ourselves in possibly troubling circumstances, we would've gone to IHOP. Yes... staying at home at that time of night is my usual situation. I don't go out much to 'party.' But I am in fact capable of going out at night, being I am in my early 20s. This was a special circumstance where 2 of my closest friends were celebrating a 21st birthday. We drank at her apartment. We had the little sister drive us because she had been in her room all night. She had had no alcohol. We went to a diner where the staff were nice old ladies who knew us well. We enjoyed their company, food, and coffee. Hell of a crazy group of kids, right? Those in my party were people I'd known for a while, except the one guy. I actually talked to him a lot for the night and judged him to be similar to the rest of the bunch. "Hippie" only in the sense they wanted peace, happiness, and love. They are not drug users, all but eliminating the likelihood of a dime bag being in the equation (but yes, a very good observation). They were not Obama fans, not socialists, not revolutionary. They liked 'groovy' music. They liked the neo-hipster look (no tight jeans on the guys. No weird haircuts. Just 'vintage'). I grew up with these people and its just their quirks. I apologize for calling them hippies and liberals, that may have been misleading. I meant it in the sense that they were non-confrontational and had little experience in it. They want people to just get along. And then they flipped the bird to an unstable person... they fail at being peace-loving. As for me and LEO/Hiring. I am past the background check. They interviewed the two (best friend and fiancee since she is also a very close friend of mine) and they answered the questions truthfully, added nothing, and relayed what all was said after. I do not usually find myself in these situations. I am smart enough to leave a boiling over situation. Those guys came in. The one guy threatened us. We left. We didn't stick around, we got up, those not paying got into the car, those of us paying went to the register. The guys in the backseat were mad and did something stupid. I will probably not give anyone the 'stink eye' for a while. The guy chased us, pulled an aggressive maneuver to stop us, and got out of his car, retrieving a gun. We ran. What good was it having a gun in my backpack in that situation? My involuntary response was to obtain it and eliminate the man about to point a gun at a car full of people I care about. I hesitated. What is there to brag about? I hesitated twice. If anything, I am shaken by my lack of willingness to confront a deadly threat. This is in BOTS because I am entering the "Brotherhood of the Shield." If I wanted to post something for GD, I would've had fun with it. MS Paint. Action movie quotes. Etc. Instead, I have a more refined respect for these guy's opinions. BAMA put it the best. "Order pizza next time." I honestly appreciate the lack of detail. That is all that needed to be said. (And hell yeah, I will order pizza.) I posted this kind of as a way keep from talking to those here. This isn't something I want people (who know me) to know. At the end of the night, I requested no one talk about it on Facebook, no one mention my last name if telling people who don't know me about it. Overall, just not broadcast it. But I understand the need to talk about something like this. They need it. I need it. Guys, I don't think I can put it any clearer. While Ronin was a great movie, GTAIV was fun to play, and war stories can be interesting, I never want to experience this again. Not that I won't handle myself better (I hope) if it does, but this isn't something I'm proud of or wanting to seek. As far as my civilian life goes, I can agree with those who say "If something goes down and I'm off duty with my family/loved ones, I don't want to get involve because they may get involved also." And for the record, does anyone here know me? You may know the city I live in, the area of the state I'm from, and the school that I attend (and major), but if you really took the time to cross reference all that or track my IP, I don't think the fact I told this experience is the worst of my worries. PS- I wish they were like the Family Guy gang! That was funny. Sorry for being ridiculously descriptive throughout all this. I am a young, slightly idealistic in the sense that I want to protect everyone ( but know I can't), green as the grass, and willing to learn from those with the knowledge. I was in a shitty circumstance and scared. Everyone survived. ^I guess I could have posted that little bit instead of my original one... |
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No offense, but it sounds like you have some serious growing up to do. I'm sure I was the same way, if not worse, when I was your age and I am thankful that I did not get into law enforcement until after I had a few years to live in the real world and make some mistakes. My advice if you get the LEO job is to keep your mouth shut and soak up everything you can from some positive role models in your department. |
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There is some VERY good advice here. Listen (read) and Learn We all have done stupid shit. The smart ones keep quiet about it. On a similar note, rather reminds me of a story an old (and now deceased) intel officer told me about sending someone across the Iron Curtain one night in a paper balloon. Fantastic stuff to have done, but it's not the kind of thing one talks about at the moment. The intel officer started off his story with, "Well, it's been 30 years now so I guess I can talk about it........," The sayings of "something to talk about in our rocking chairs around the fire" or "someday, we will laugh about this," do have a certain ring of truth, if hidden, to them. __________________________________________________________________________ ("Mr. Jeffreys is a friend of yours, gentlemen? A spy, no doubt, obviously inactive or you wouldn't be mentioning his name."––Real Klingon Captain to ST:TOS actors caught in a transporter dimensional exchange, (w,stte), book: Star Trek: The New Voyages "Visit to a Weird Planet Revisited") |