Tell me again why I carry a firearm?

[Evolution]

I was just at this bar Wednesday morning for a cable install... Now obviously I am not allowed to carry at work and I wasn't doing so at the time. But this just goes to show that anything bad like this can happen to you. I was at this bar less than 24 hours before a drive by shooting. I know the circumstances obviously wouldn't have allowed me to be in a position to get a shot off... but the circumstances could be different the next time. It is just weird... because people think it can't happen to them. It didn't happen to me... but it was damn close.

Carry on and have a safe and happy new year!



http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/246944

Two men were arrested in the city early Thursday after they allegedly fired shots at a bar from their vehicle.

Luis Manuel Velez-Mercado, 39, and Francis Alex Cruz-Rivera, 39, both of Lancaster, were both charged with four counts each of aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy.

According to police, officers were called to the 700 block of South Prince Street around 2 a.m. for a report of shots fired at Vickie's Place Bar, 701 S. Prince St.

Witnesses said the shots were fired by two men driving past the bar in a pickup truck.

Police said those same witnesses reported the truck had driven past the bar several times and shots were fired in the direction of two men standing outside the bar on two separate passes.

Both men in the truck fired shots, witnesses said.
The men standing outside the bar told police they had a dispute earlier with the men in the truck.

A description of the truck and its license plate number were broadcast to all city patrol units and two officers spotted the vehicle traveling east on Conestoga Street, crossing Queen Street.

The truck turned south on Christian Street and officers eventually stopped it in the 300 block of South Queen Street.

Police said Velez-Mercado was driving the truck and Cruz-Rivera was riding as his passenger.

Upon searching the truck, police stated in a news release they found "ballistic evidence consistent with shots being fired from the truck."

Velez-Mercado and Cruz-Rivera were awaiting arraignment as of press time Thursday evening.

[dc dalton]

While I understand your outrage and your concerns I have to ask the question. What exactly would you do if you were armed and caught in a drive by?

Seriously, not busting balls AT ALL and I thought about your post for a few hours before I posted this.

I see the 'scenario' as this

You are in a bar

All of a sudden you hear gunfire and see shit flying

What the hell do you do?

The ONLY answer I can think of is hit the fucking floor cause I sure as SHIT ain't going to play Rambo and run towards an unknown amount of BG with god knows what kind of firepower.

Yes it is nice to be able to protect yourself but in a situation like a drive by I see no way to get any kind of tactical advantage.

[KrptcMschfMkr128]

Ahh the joys of Lancaster. Kinda like coming into work on the other end of Prince and finding out there's 7 bullet holes in the windows... Guess someone really dislikes my pharmacy!

[Evolution]

While I understand your outrage and your concerns I have to ask the question. What exactly would you do if you were armed and caught in a drive by?

Seriously, not busting balls AT ALL and I thought about your post for a few hours before I posted this.

I see the 'scenario' as this

You are in a bar

All of a sudden you hear gunfire and see shit flying

What the hell do you do?

The ONLY answer I can think of is hit the fucking floor cause I sure as SHIT ain't going to play Rambo and run towards an unknown amount of BG with god knows what kind of firepower.

Yes it is nice to be able to protect yourself but in a situation like a drive by I see no way to get any kind of tactical advantage.

I stated that in those circumstances I would not be able to get a shot off... but they might come inside or if the circumstances may have been different. I was just pointing out that bad things happen and you should at least be prepared to defend yourself if necessary. This is only hypothetical because I can't read other peoples minds. But who is to say that they wouldn't circle the block and come back around. There are some crazy people out there and I want to be in the best possible situation to defend myself. I would have definitely been hugging the floor. But I would have been prepared for the worst.

[AxiTech]

Find a nice safe corner and back up into it and shoot anything that isn't looking as scared as me! Well, anything coming toward me offensively.

[ErSwnn]

All I know is I'm glad I'm able to carry at work.

[GuyMontag]

While I understand your outrage and your concerns I have to ask the question. What exactly would you do if you were armed and caught in a drive by?

Seriously, not busting balls AT ALL and I thought about your post for a few hours before I posted this.
[...]
Yes it is nice to be able to protect yourself but in a situation like a drive by I see no way to get any kind of tactical advantage.

I started typing, deleted it all, read this post and giggled. This is essentially what I was typing. What the hell were you going to do: send lead back at a moving vehicle? Really?

[camper]

Agree with DC, I really can't see anyone running out into the street after a drive by to try and hit the back windshield of the car they think may have been involved.

Would I feel better having it on my person? Absolutely, but there's nothing you can do with it in that case.

camper

[FormerUser123]

Someone needs to tell those criminals that it's illegal to fire a gun in Lancaster City. I'm sure they wouldn't have done the driveby if they knew that...

[Paradigm]

I think the big thing is that when lead starts flying, the OP doesn't know it's a drive by. For all he knows, they are firing their first shots before they enter the establishment.

True, it a plain drive by, there is nothing the OP could do...but until the coast is clear, there's no way to know that the BGs aren't coming through the door at any second.

I'd want to be armed in case of that scenario.