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Just received a call from my son who is on his way to New Orleans to tell me he stopped at the Walmart in Beaumont to pick a couple of items. On his way out of the store to his car which happened to be towards the back of the parking lot a man appeared from out of the rows of cars and said I need some directions. My son said sorry buddy I'm not from around here in which the man proceded to walk towards him and kept saying he needed some directions in which my son said again look i'm not from around here so can't help you. Then the man said is that an I-Phone in your hand ? let me make a phone call which my son said that's not going to happen. About that time the man grabbed my sons arm and said give me your I-Phone !! My sons reply was to plant his right fist in the guys mouth and as the guy was falling against the car my son put another right hand upside his head !!! My son then said now will you leave me alone ???

My son has his CHl but left his gun in the car !! (probably lucky for the bad guy) Here is the question for discussion - #1 If you were armed, at what point would you draw your weapon and #2 at what point would you have fired ?? Keeping in mind the bad guy continued to approach when told to stop and did not show a weapon.

I hope he called 911 right away and gave his side of the story.

No he did not call 911 which he got a good chewing for not doing so !! Ok back to discussion

First, it is not worth it to shoot someone over a Iphone. If the BG presented a deadly weapon it's time to go into action.

Beiruty wrote:First, it is not worth it to shoot someone over a Iphone. If the BG presented a deadly weapon it's time to go into action.

Yeah, but I'm not going to just give him the iPhone because he is threatening violence, either. I don't play that game. Plus, all it does is teach the scumbag that his kind of behavior will be rewarded; so I don't do society any favors either if I back down, because he isn't going to limit his depredations to just me.

I would have shouted the loud "STOP RIGHT THERE. DO NOT COME ANY CLOSER!!!" with my off hand out in a warding off gesture, while my strong hand would be going for the gun grip. If that were not enough to deter, then draw the weapon. If that is not enough to deter, then shoot.

I'm an old poop with a bad back, and I can't afford to get into any physical altercations with a thug. For that matter, neither can your son. He is darned lucky that the bad guy didn't have a knife and gut him like a fish... ...let alone if he had a gun.

The point isn't the iPhone. The point is the physical attack, unprovoked, and unexpected. I'm not having any of that, and the bad guy is gettin' himself shot.

Not the first time something has happened in the Beaumont Walmart.

I agree Annoyed Man !! Sure a phone is not worth taking a life but who is to say what the BG would have done next ?? start swinging at you, maybe pulling a weapon, trying to steal your car as well while you are laying on the parking lot ?? My son was lucky that he acted quickly and also that he did not have a weapon pulled on him. I just think he got the jump on the guy. I as well am not going to just give him my phone; if so why not just give him the keys to the car and some gas money and really make his day !!!

Assertive verbal commands do work most of the time. I had to stop some beggars many times with just that loud assertive commands. Most would follow the heading and stop in their track. Remeber, LEO (and undercover) would shoot commands first and those shady guys got trained to follow "instructions"

Bear with me here for a second...

A candy bar is not worth killing someone over. A cell phone is not worth killing someone over. A car is not worth killing someone over...

Where do we draw the line? When are we, as hard working individuals, going to say 'Enough is enough'?

If it were me in this situation, and the perp grabbed my arm and said "Give me your iPhone!"...well, in a split second he would have had the business end of my Glock pointed right at his face. If he tries to fight me (assuming this is not some 100lb twig of a 'man)...well,

Maybe it's me, but I have a special hatred for thieves. I don't care if you are stealing a pack of cigarettes, a $6 watch, or an iPhone because no matter what, we're going to have some serious problems.

Pulling a gun, to me, is for after everything else logical failed, or a deadly weapon is pulled on me first. Pepper spray works wonders. I keep can of it on me if the guy would have kept coming towards me before he got close enough to grab me he would have a face full of it, and if he kept moving forward a .40 cal barrell should be enough to encourage him to stop, but I would have to get to my car to get it as my plastic has not been issued yet.

Glad it turned out for your son, but he deserved the chewing out for not reporting it to the police. I operate under the rule that the first to call the police is the victim. It's sad, but true.

I agree with pbwalker and TAM. After he mentioned "iPhone" I would have told him to not come closer to me while my strong hand rests on the butt of my 1911. It's just not practical to draw when you're already being attacked, both hands are needed for self defense.

Looks like some of us need to review our penal code

pbwalker wrote: A candy bar is not worth killing someone over. A cell phone is not worth killing someone over. A car is not worth killing someone over...

It's not up to me to decide if my stuff is worth killing for. It's up to the thief to decide if my stuff is worth dying for.

chabouk wrote:It's not up to me to decide if my stuff is worth killing for. It's up to the thief to decide if my stuff is worth dying for.

Very well stated.

Sorry to hear about this incident and glad to hear your son's ok.

I frequent the Beaumont WalMart.

I'm on high alert at all times.

My wife knows the plan if anyone approaches or confronts us.