Scared and felt the need to pull my gun

[runandgun44]

As I look back on this I realize the mistakes I made. At the time I was actually relying on the door guy to help me out and then I realized he was not going to help me. As a female, I and most females tend to lean to a man for protection. I mean yes we can carry a gun but we still depend on our men for most of our protection. That was a mistake on my part as well. This is not to go over all of my mistakes but just to admit that I did make mistakes and I have learned a great deal from this.
I am very thankfull this did not excalate out of control and that noone got hurt especailly me. This has been pretty dramatic for me and of course I have been second guessing myself. I see this guys face at night when I try to sleep. Hopefully soon this will all go away.

I have been in a few scrapes over the years, and after any fight I have ever been in I have replayed the incident over a million times in my head EVERYTIME. You can't really control it, it just takes time to get over it. You did fine, but you are 100% correct when you said you let your guard down, we all do it, thinking were safe when we are really exposed and unaware.

Try not to beat yourself up, but use it to raise your situational awareness. Good luck.

 

[jason867]

Was it at this show?

Tri-State Gun Shows

Thanksgiving Weekend Show - November 26-28
Friday 1-6, Saturday 8-5, Sunday 9-3
$5 admission - FREE PARKING (free coffee too!)
Stout Field National Guard Armory
Indianapolis., IN
Exit 77 off I70 (corner of Holt & Minnesota St)
$35 table rent / 200 tables

I haven't read this whole thread yet, in case it was already revealed...

 

[wrigleycub]

What a scumbag, he should have been arrested, at very least asked to leave. Weapons aren't funny. I'm glad it turned out ok for you. So I guess your return joke was less funny!

 

[ProLibertate]

Please do not take this as criticism, OP. Merely providing food for thought here.

This guy was just a few feet away from you with a knife with a passive-aggressive demeanor and displaying a look of hostile intention.
You were in fear for your life, and you went for your weapon. +1

You then stated that you didn't point it at him... why not?

Years ago, I was at in-service firearms training and qualification. We had a guest instructor that my agency had hired. He had a rubber knife in his hand and placed a line of tape on the floor at a measured 21 feet away. He then issued a challenge to every officer on the range. He challenged us to draw our weapons from the holster and dry-fire one shot before he closed the 21 foot gap with blade in hand.
I recall several of us exchanging glances at one another thinking this guy was out of his mind...
To make a long story short, he "stabbed" every single one of us before we were able to get a "shot" off- and we knew he was coming at us ahead of time!
He closed that 21 feet with incredible speed, and I learned a valuable lesson that day that has forever changed the way I conduct interviews with suspects.
His point was that a determined attacker can move with speed and aggression far beyond your expectations given the chance.

You showed remarkable restraint under the circumstances. I agree with other members here that have stated that you were the victim of a crime; Intimidation at a minimum, which is a Class D felony in the State of Indiana.
The promoter of the event is an idiot, and was dead wrong in his assessment that the police wouldn't do anything because the individual prefaced his psychotic utterance with "what if". (if that was the case, bank robbery wouldn't be a crime as long as you said 'what if you put all the money in a bag' while pointing a gun at the teller.)
If you see this same individual at another show, you would be well within your rights to call the police and ask that the subject be trespassed from the property.

 

[Amishman44]

A guy holding a knife from 2-3 feet away...I'd probaly have fired! With his verbal remarks, that's a viable threat no matter how you slice it...to be taken very seriously! It's too bad that no one came to your assistance (ie, the 'door man' who heard / witnessed the threat) and gave you some support in stopping the threat.

In that situation, and if you are afraid for your life (and by your own admission, you were afraid), taking steps to protect yourself is not wrong. Yes, a guy at that distance, with a knife, IS faster than a person with a gun! Make no mistake about it, you were in danger.

Don't knock your response...learn from it. The most important thing in a true 'life-n-death' situation is to come through it alive...and you did that! For most people, the first time they face 'life-n-death' situation, most are almost more fearful of protecting themselves vs. the actual danger that they are facing...be it the fear of being 'wrong' in their response, or not actually believing that exactly what is happening to them, is actually happening to them...it's 'like a dream' or denial. They recognize what's happening, but they don't really take all the right steps to stop the threat until it fully manifests itself. This is where proper training and accurate situational recognition is critical. You recognized the threat, took a step (drawing your weapon) in protecting yourself, but did not point your gun at the assailant and/or shoot. The arguement might be made that you may have aggravated your assailant and/or provoked or heightened his aggression, but regardless of his actions, you need to be ready to protect yourself. (Please understand, I am not trying to be critical, just factual over your situation here.)

Hopefully, you never have to face a situation like this again...but next time, I would suggest not letting it get as far as it did...the first time someone threatens, you, take appropriate steps to make sure that it doesn't happen again. Summon help, hollar, make a commotion that draws people's attention. In a crowd, hopefully someone would be available to help you intercede and stop the threat.

Glad you got through it alive!

 

[Larryjr]

KL - I have read through this thread all the while considering the story you told us. I still don't know what to make of this. Someone has already said this but you just don't joke about stabbing someone ESPECIALLY someone you don't know. This fellow was either seriously mentally messed up and needs professional help or if he isn't should have charges pressed against him. Just trying to get a handle on this but if I was Brad I would be wantin to kill this guy just for making you feel the way you do. What H*LL is the site promoter thinking?! I don't this promoter but I know enough about him now. Sure glad you're are OK KL. I think you did fine. I honestly can't tell you what I would have done given that situation.

 

[SteveG66]

KL: Good job on protecting yourself.

This has also been a good lesson for all of us, I have read all the responses and have learned a lot on threats, protection, etc.

Glad you are safe and let's hope he learned a lesson and got back on his meds.

I'd definitely stay away from that show if I were you. That promoter seems like a wuss and is not interested in your safety as an exhibitor as well as all of the people that paid to get in.

Again, Glad you're safe!!

 

[dross]

Couple of thoughts -

Arm yourself at gun shows regardless of the rules if you have a table there.

You mentioned that as a woman you naturally tend to expect that a guy will step up and protect you. There's another side to that coin - guys will step up to protect a woman.

In such a situation in the future, you could raise your voice to the point of yelling and repeat back what the guy said:

"WHY WOULD YOU STAB ME?!! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU!!!? WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME WHAT I WOULD DO IF YOU STABBED ME?!! GO AWAY RIGHT NOW? HELP!!!?"

You'd have a table full of men surrounding that guy in a couple of seconds.

 

[GeneralCarver]

I don't think you over reacted. However, you might consider being assertive with someone who is acting weird. Tell them to stop talking to you. Bluntly (not being a rude jerk about it). Tell them to put down the merchandise and leave you table. Tell them not to harass, tease or trouble you. Threaten them with calling security. do it if they don't leave. Get a pic of them with your phone is you can. Report the incident to security or police if they are there (assuming the guy backs down and leaves)

A lot of us in our society today seem to have trouble being assertive towards people and verbally "putting boundaries" on them because we are trying to avoid conflict. However, if you let this attitude of fear govern your actions, your passiveness will be pick up on in your body language, eye contact and words by the guy acting like a jerk, and most likely he will continue his harassment. The right thing to do is what I mentioned above and just being willing to experience the conflict. Look the fear of the conflict "escalation" in the eyes. Because being assertive will most likely make the person back down.

That's my opinion and advice.

 

[FERLACH]

The man should have been escorted out the door and police should have been informed. Something wrong with him mentally.

 

[glock2010]

i think you handled yourself well and did the right thing ,the wacko is lucky that he didnt end up dead if someone pulled a knife on me at 3 feet away and said that to me they mite of end up dead ,as far as im concerned he threatened you with a deadly weapon and that means you can defend yourself in manor you choose.

 

[Knife Lady]

I appreciate all the replies and I have learned so much from all of this.
Since I didnt get any support from the promoter I will not be doing the Tipton or the Muncie shows any longer.
I know the things I should have done differently but I am still very proud of myself that I did have the courage to pull my gun and not freeze up at all.