Incident at cemetery.

[wolfdog45]

Yesterday I left work during lunch and went to the cemetery that my Grandmother and Grandfather are buried at to place some flowers on their graves.
I was also going to eat my lunch while I was there.
The cemetery is out in the country and not to many houses around.
I pull into the cemetery in my Ford Ranger, and I notice 3 Hispanics walking down the road going towards the way I just came from , I didn’t really pay them much attention, I got out and went over to my Grandmother & Grandfathers grave and put flowers on them, and when I turn around I see that the 3 guy’s are standing there watching me.
I do have my permit to carry and I was carrying my AO 1911A1 with me and I just thought I was just being paranoid and that they are just staring like all the rest of the Hispanic’s around here.
There have been a couple incidents with Hispanics breaking into homes lately around the area, but I just shrugged it off and stayed in the cemetery for a while.
I got done paying my respects and went back to my truck to eat my lunch, on my way back to my truck I see that the 3 men have walked behind a big tree on the other side of the road and are talking in low voices to each other and glance my way several times.
I got inside my truck and made sure I could get at my .45 if I had to.
I then start eating my lunch enjoying the weather and listening to the birds and keeping the men in my mirror so I knew what they were doing.
The three men then step out from behind the tree and one of them starts walking towards my truck, he keeps his head down looking at the ground and walks up to the passenger window and asks me if I can help him and his friends?
I say help with what?
He says they need a ride and could I take them, I ask him which way are they going and he points towards the way I just came from. I said sorry but I’m going the other way.
He never once looks me in the eye.
And I kept his friends in my mirror the whole time to see what they were doing.
And one of them started walking towards my window kind of crouched down and stuck his hand behind his back, he must have thought I couldn’t see him but I saw his every move.
I then told the guy that I was talking to that I didn’t take kindly to people trying to sneak up on me, and he looked over at his friend and said something in Spanish and the guy stood straight up and turned around and walked back to the other guy.
He then said ok and walked back to his friends.
They stand there talking while I finish eating my lunch, they then started walking back the way they had come from, I got done eating and started my truck up and went the way they were walking they saw me coming and got on my side of the road and stuck their thumbs out acting like they wanted a ride.
I kept going. There was a guy that I know that was out mowing his yard not far from there and I stopped and told and told him what happened, he said he never seen the 3 men before today. And that when they walked past his house they were acting suspicious.
I then went on and didn’t have any more incidents and the rest of the day was good.
I just thought I would let you guy’s know what happened

[nass]

Vigilance. You kept your head and had a good day besides. Nice.

[Trip20]

Yeah, I hate it when hispanics do that...

[Doug.38PR]

Always be aware of what is going on around you. Very good lesson.

Thanks for sharing.

[Beckerich]

I;d smile and tell him I have a magnum in the glove box if I saw that, but yeah, that would make me quite alert.

[junkpile]

I;d smile and tell him I have a magnum in the glove box if I saw that, but yeah, that would make me quite alert.

He could be armed too. They shouldn't know you have it until you need it.

[Doug.38PR]

They could also call the police and tell them that you just threatened them with a gun. If you ever have to threaten anyone with your gun or show your gun for ANY reason, CALL THE POLICE IMMEDIATELY because if you don't they will.

And don't ever do it unless you HAVE to.

[BillCA]

Wolfdog,

The only step missing from your post is the one where you asked the man you knew if you could use his phone to report the 3 suspicious men to the police.

The PD may not be able to take any effective action just because they are illegal aliens (if they are) but can certainly find out who they are, if there are any warrants, and maybe link them to any crimes involving 3 Hispanic males.

Trip20 - I think you were trying to use sarcasm (at least I hope so). I hate it when anyone, of any race does something like that.

[AR15FAN]

The obvious is why did you stay and eat if there was a chance of danger? Was it because you have a gun? It seems to me that you were looking for trouble and a reasonable person would have left and notified the local PD if a problem was perceived. Imagine if you had to use your weapon and went to a trial, if you told the same story as in your post any reasonable person would wonder why you stayed. I know this is a gun board so all those condoning gun usage will jump all over my post as if being reasonable is a sin, but it is so obvious that you should have left the area at that time. I love the description, not 3 men, 3 hispanic men, as if that makes a difference. This may be proof not all of the dinosaur's are dead....

[Doug.38PR]

I love the description, not 3 men, 3 hispanic men, as if that makes a difference. This may be proof not all of the dinosaur's are dead....

Yeah, I hate it when hispanics do that...

can we stop with the political correctness and continue to discuss wolfdog45's situation?

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Basic rule violation. If you see a threat possibility and can leave - do it.

That's a version of tactical correctness.

Next, when they came up to you - rather than engage in chit-chat - start vehicle and Adios!

Such tactics are well known with if you think about it or get some training.

Not being critical but just trying to be educational.

Snobby Old Professor!!

Last - weird folks in cemetaries are ZOMBIES!! Don't ya know dat!!!

[junkpile]

I agree PC isn't pertinent.

not 3 men, 3 hispanic men, as if that makes a difference

There have been a couple incidents with Hispanics breaking into homes lately around the area

This may be pertinent information given the story he was telling. If there are a very small number in town, or if they were id'd by race but not caught, he gains information from the statement.

[BigO01]

Why should a law abiding person have to run away from a place he is allowed to be in rather than perhaps confronting a problem ?

This is the kind of thinking that got us in this whole mess with criminals in the first place .

Churchill once said "all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing" .

Personally I am sick of this line of thought and think it is about time we elected people who will change these stupid laws so they never ruin a decent persons life again !

The man was paying respects to his Grandparents and eating his Lunch for Gods sake !

Run away run away ! What happens when there is nowhere to run ?

I'll tell you what will happen , you will be so use to running like a coward you won't have the guts to fight when you have to !

[mikejonestkd]

Big, with all respect to your personal stance, taking a life of another ( even a bad guy, or in this case a potential bad guy ) is a terrible thing to have to do and live with afterward.

It is not running away when it is clear that there is nothing or no one to be saved by staying in a potentially dangerous situation.

If my 88 year old wheelchair bound grandmother was in that cemetary paying her respects to her dead husband and this situation happened I could not retreat to leave her to fend for herself. I would stay with her and plan for the worst.

But this was not the case for the OP. He had the opportunity to retreat, and there was nothing to gain or save by remaining in a potentially dangerous place.

[Doug.38PR]

Churchill once said "all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing"

I believe that was Edmund Burke.

But I understand your point. However strategically retreating to the car to gain the advantage might be a solution.

Wolfdog didn't retreat anyway, he got finished with his business and then went back to the truck not letting the three....amigos (sorry, I just thought of that movie ) suspicous acts destract him from that.

I agree this "duty to retreat" business that liberals talk about it asinine.

[wolfdog45]

Are we suppose to be a country of cowards? That as soon as we get the feeling that something bad might happen
that we need to tuck tail and run?
I did not stay because I had a gun, I stayed because I have the right to be there and pay my respects.
I am not racist, I sayes 3 Hispanic's because that was what they were 3 Hispanic's.
IN TN you do not have to retreat before you can defend yourself.
NO wonder a lot of places have high crime rates and murders, because people are to scared to do anything and take a stand.
They think that they should run away, That has happened to many times and and look what it has done for us, nothing.
I stayed where I was because I am not afriad to take a stand, with or with a gun I would have done the same all over agian.
You are not brave because you have a gun, you are brave because you are standing for what is right.

[Doug.38PR]

As said, I think this "duty to retreat" business is a load of horse dump, that being said discretion can be the better part of valor.

You did indeed have a right to be there. BUT, is staying their the healthy thing to do? I'm not saying you should have left in this particular situation, only that there are times that you might be wise to do so to in spite of your rights.

If you think you can handle yourself, gun or not, in a given situation then by all means stay and do what you need to do. If you are outnumbered and in a bad way then leaving and/or calling for help might be the better choice.

[Musketeer]

Living in an area being overrun by illegal aliens who just happen to be Hispanic I have no problem with his description. There have been plenty of crimes connected to the illegals in my area and I most certainly will pay attention to three of them gatherred around with nothing to do but watch me.

It is also not uncommon for groups of them to watch people passing by, as is often done when they stand around outside stores or on street corners where I live. I pay attention every time but also expect it to happen. Nothing rascist in acknowledging that.

I agree, leaving the area and reporting the suspicious activity would have been best. You do not have a legal requirement to retreat but could make your life a great deal simpler, and have gotten the cops involved, if you did.

[AR15FAN]

I think every post you ever made is a pile of horse dump as you put it. You base everything on movie and TV programs then pontificate about it on here like you know what you are talking about. Using your head and avoiding a situation is smart, not cowardly. When have any of you talking about standing up for your rights every used YOUR gun in these situations? Keyboard hero's, brave when safe at home.

[David Armstrong]

The obvious is why did you stay and eat if there was a chance of danger?

Exactly.

can we stop with the political correctness and continue to discuss wolfdog45's situation?

Nothing wrong with a little political correctness, particularly when appropriate to the discussion. Would/should the considerations been any different if they were any other race? Would the issue have been any diffferent if ti was 3 white guys, or 3 black guys, or 1 white, 1 black, and 1 Hispanic together?

Why should a law abiding person have to run away from a place he is allowed to be in rather than perhaps confronting a problem ?

Why should one confront a problem that is easily avoided?

This is the kind of thinking that got us in this whole mess with criminals in the first place .

Crime didn't suddenly start up recently. Good people have had trouble with criminals for centuries. Doesn't seem to have been much difference whether the common wisdom was "give them what they want" or "fight 'til the last breath" in the prevalence of criminal behavior.

Are we suppose to be a country of cowards?

Nothing cowardly about thinking smart and acting to minimize danger.

[Ian2005]

AR15FAN ... Yeah I couln't agree more really. Hmm some guy's talking to me while his buddy is sneaking up on me.. hmmm yeah Im going to stick around just because I have the right to be there... talk about missing the point. If all your internal alarms are saying "DANGER! DANGER!" ..then leave.. good lord. Keyboard hero's - hah! that's a good one.

[Capt. Charlie]

*sigh*

Imagine that. Personal attacks, chest thumping bravado, and the race card, all in one thread.

Here at TFL, we advocate defensive firearms training, so that when all else fails, you can engage and survive.

Remember that old saying, "Walk softly, and carry a big stick"? Some folks here need to concentrate more on the "walk softly" and less on the "big stick".

Closed.