My roommate got jumped by 5 guys last night

[uniballin]

Yes, this has to do with carrying because I keep asking myself... "what would I have done if I was there and was carrying my pistol?" Maybe my mere presence would have made the difference (he was walking alone) or maybe it wouldn't have. So if I was there, and we were both surrounded by 5 guys, what would have happened if I took out my firearm? Would they have left us alone? Would one of them had taken out their own gun? My roommate keeps on saying, "man, I wish you were there with your glock man." But deep down I'm kind of glad I wasn't because who knows what would have happened if I was. There really isn't a point to this thread... just thought I'd share my feelings on the situation and see what you guys think.

BTW he is fine. His arms, legs, and face are a little beat up but over all he was lucky. They didn't even take his wallet or anything... they just felt like beating someone up. But hey, that's Philadelphia for you!

[remingtonman]

I'm sorry to hear that. I am a student in beautiful north Philly and know that acts of violence like that happens constantly.

I had a group of friends suffer a home invasion in which they were duct taped together as a group in their living room as their house was cleaned out of all valuables. (computers, credit cards, tvs, stereos, cell phones, wallets, video games etc) I wasn't at their house at the time but did think to myself if I had been old enough to carry (I'm 20) and there at the time, what would I have done??? Looking back on it I am really thankful that I was not there and did not have to make those choices.

It's a tough decision for sure. At least your roommate is ok and you were not forced to make life changing decisions. My only advice would be to help him/her sharpen their situation awareness skills. That is what I rely on to keep me safe and I feel relatively comfortable walking at all hours even if I am by myself, my size and build help but I like to think that I know what is going on around me and that helps prevent getting cornered or put in a situation where someone else has control over you and where you go...stay one step ahead and head for bright lights!

[uniballin]

I heard about those incidents back when they happened... unbelievable. I am living off campus next year in North Philly in a pretty dicey area. That's what I hate about Temple... one second you're on a safe, well-lit campus with police on every corner, and the next you're in the middle of the hood. Since I am finally going to be off campus, I can legally have firearms in my humble abode... I'm saving up for a shotgun for home defense right now

But yea, my roommate is an idiot. He drank way too much at an open bar and decided to walk home alone. I don't want to say he deserved it, but he definitely had it coming. I think he learned an important lesson though.

Don't walk alone inebriated at 2 am in the ghetto.

[remingtonman]

Well I am happy to hear that there is at least one person out there who can help me out if problems arise until I turn 21 in the fall! (There is a severe lack of self aware/pro 2nd A people at TU as you already know) My roommate has an LCTF but doesn't shoot much at all and is pretty ignorant when it comes to guns, ammo, laws etc.
I thought about a long gun to tide me over until my birthday but I think it would be tough to secure in an apartment. It's my understanding that you cannot carry on campus, and while at class and such I would worry about the house getting broken into and it's going to be easier to find a shotgun than a well hidden strong box with a pistol.
Let me know if you decide to go with a long gun and how you secure it because while that is an ideal defensive weapon, I figured that a pistol was a good compromise because it could be carried and be used for home defense. I rather have one gun than two or three.
One of the few things I dislike about TU is the antigun/anti CC sentiment held by many students, neighbors and police. They want to write you off as a nut or a thug. I'm far from either; I have an excellent GPA and carry myself very well. I'm not a paranoid nut that fears every waking second that my life is in danger but when you hear your door getting kicked in it would be nice to have more than a couple of text books to throw at an intruder.
Have you found a similar sentiment around campus toward having arms or cc'ing?

[camper]

If you could figure out a way to see the results of a classic "woulda, coulda, shoulda" you'd have more money then you could ever spend in a dozen lifetimes.

You could have made things worse, you could have made them better. You may have changed nothing at all. Don't sweat it, your buddy is OK that's the important thing.

camper

[uniballin]

Well I am happy to hear that there is at least one person out there who can help me out if problems arise until I turn 21 in the fall! (There is a severe lack of self aware/pro 2nd A people at TU as you already know) My roommate has an LCTF but doesn't shoot much at all and is pretty ignorant when it comes to guns, ammo, laws etc.
I thought about a long gun to tide me over until my birthday but I think it would be tough to secure in an apartment. It's my understanding that you cannot carry on campus, and while at class and such I would worry about the house getting broken into and it's going to be easier to find a shotgun than a well hidden strong box with a pistol.
Let me know if you decide to go with a long gun and how you secure it because while that is an ideal defensive weapon, I figured that a pistol was a good compromise because it could be carried and be used for home defense. I rather have one gun than two or three.
One of the few things I dislike about TU is the antigun/anti CC sentiment held by many students, neighbors and police. They want to write you off as a nut or a thug. I'm far from either; I have an excellent GPA and carry myself very well. I'm not a paranoid nut that fears every waking second that my life is in danger but when you hear your door getting kicked in it would be nice to have more than a couple of text books to throw at an intruder.
Have you found a similar sentiment around campus toward having arms or cc'ing?

Hehe. It sucks not being 21... how I DON'T miss those days at all.

Anyway, you make a good point, storing a long gun is a lot more difficult than storing a pistol. I'd probably get something like this mounted in my closet behind my clothes:

http://www.securecase.com/Wallmount.shtml

You are correct though - you cannot carry on Temple's campus. It is not against the law or anything, you would just end up getting expelled by the administration. I don't carry on campus because I don't want to risk losing my education, plus I generally feel safe when I'm on campus. I do know one student though who has the "it's called CONCEALED carry for a reason" mindset. But yea, this is Philadelphia... A LOT of people are anti-gun. With the amount of gun violence in this city, people just want them off the streets completely. You also have to realize that Temple is a very "liberal" campus, which isn't a bad thing... it's just unfortunate that a lot of liberals tend to be anti-gun. I hear you though, I'm a normal dude, I just want to be able to protect myself if I ever have to. Hopefully one day LCTF holders will be able to conceal carry on campus (but a pig would have to fly first).

-Mike

[uniballin]

If you could figure out a way to see the results of a classic "woulda, coulda, shoulda" you'd have more money then you could ever spend in a dozen lifetimes.

You could have made things worse, you could have made them better. You may have changed nothing at all. Don't sweat it, your buddy is OK that's the important thing.

camper

Yea, I guess you're right.

Thanks for the input.

[The Unknown 1087]

Hehe. It sucks not being 21... how I DON'T miss those days at all.

Anyway, you make a good point, storing a long gun is a lot more difficult than storing a pistol. I'd probably get something like this mounted in my closet behind my clothes:

http://www.securecase.com/Wallmount.shtml

You are correct though - you cannot carry on Temple's campus. It is not against the law or anything, you would just end up getting expelled by the administration. I don't carry on campus because I don't want to risk losing my education, plus I generally feel safe when I'm on campus. I do know one student though who has the "it's called CONCEALED carry for a reason" mindset.
-Mike

+1 to him, no one else is going to defend him if he needs help.

plus...It's philly. I go visit friends in Philly, well right outside of philly and it's enough for me to take an extra magazine with me.

But back on topic, glad your friend is ok.

[Deanimator]

Yes, this has to do with carrying because I keep asking myself... "what would I have done if I was there and was carrying my pistol?" Maybe my mere presence would have made the difference (he was walking alone) or maybe it wouldn't have. So if I was there, and we were both surrounded by 5 guys, what would have happened if I took out my firearm? Would they have left us alone? Would one of them had taken out their own gun? My roommate keeps on saying, "man, I wish you were there with your glock man." But deep down I'm kind of glad I wasn't because who knows what would have happened if I was. There really isn't a point to this thread... just thought I'd share my feelings on the situation and see what you guys think.

BTW he is fine. His arms, legs, and face are a little beat up but over all he was lucky. They didn't even take his wallet or anything... they just felt like beating someone up. But hey, that's Philadelphia for you!

1. Did your friend contribute to the confrontation (verbally, physically)?
2. Did your friend try to walk away?
3. Did your friend have an immediate and reasonable fear of life and limb?

Elements of self-defense:
1. Attempt to retreat foiled by the aggressor(s).
2. Disparity of force, either of physical capability or numbers.
3. Immediate and reasonable fear of life and limb
4. Right to defend another similarly situated to oneself.

Attacking somebody under these conditions is a really good way to be on the receiving end of a good self-defense shoot.

[uniballin]

1. Did your friend contribute to the confrontation (verbally, physically)?
2. Did your friend try to walk away?
3. Did your friend have an immediate and reasonable fear of life and limb?

Elements of self-defense:
1. Attempt to retreat foiled by the aggressor(s).
2. Disparity of force, either of physical capability or numbers.
3. Immediate and reasonable fear of life and limb
4. Right to defend another similarly situated to oneself.

Attacking somebody under these conditions is a really good way to be on the receiving end of a good self-defense shoot.

1. No... he claims he saw them on the corner and he just walked by them. All of a sudden there were 2 in front of him, 1 behind him, and 1 on each side of him (what he should have done was crossed to the other side of the street the second he saw them).
2. He couldn't, he had no where to go.
3. Yes. When they pushed him to the ground and were rubbing his nose in the concrete, he thought he was going to die... he was waiting for the stomp to the back of the skull.

Again, he was drunk and was probably stumbling around like a moron. Easy pickings.