Response to BillCA (cause I like it when Bill engages me on topics, honestly no sarcasm
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The things you believe I omitted were only done so to stop a long post from going longer. The man was approx 25 years old, longer blonde hair. Thin build, not muscular at all (IMHO, too scrawny to be a cop). Light color jeans with at least one tear, black shirt under said leather jacket. This information was included in my 911 call, verified by all 4 other occupants of the vehicle while I was on hold. (Yes, 911 here puts you on hold)
For the gunshots preceding this event: They caused me to fully stop at the gate I was exiting. I heard them very faintly, and if I had to guess they were an "acceptable" caliber at a great distance from a handgun. Nothing super small and wimpy. I scanned up and down the street for maybe 20 seconds, long enough for the 2 friends with me at the time to ask me what was wrong and long enough for me to assess that the shots were not in my vicinity. I heard no speeding vehicles, no screams, no retort of fire, no fighting or yelling, nada. The 2 friends following me at that moment claimed to have not heard the shots (other two were still inside, about to follow us out in case you're wondering where they were.) At this point, the Leather Jacket man was not on my radar, presumptively not out of his home yet or too far up the street for me to see a black jacket at night through parked cars. I did not call the police for the gunshots because I could not and cannot still confirm they were gunshots vs loud firecrackers NOR could I provide any useful information. "Hi, 911? I think I might've heard gunshots, somewhere over there that's not by me."
The OWB holster was a touchtone for me as well. After calling, I am coming to believe I may have called on a CCW holder. If so, I feel bad, but I still stand by that I believe it needed to be done. Hell, if I'm anywhere that required me drawing a firearm from a holster, I sure hope someone is calling the cops cause I might need the cavalry! Regardless, this man was brandishing a firearm in a situation that I had dismissed as "distant gun shots" and, to the best of my knowledge, brandishing a firearm is still illegal in the state of Nevada.
To Tactics:
A: Answered above, it was either large firecrackers or an "acceptable" carry caliber of pistol (9mm or above, non magnum) but not likely a HP rifle or a .22.
B: True statement, I hadn't figured the threat was close based on volume, distance and direction of the possibly shooter. If this man had been walking down the street, he was a great distance from me when I stopped at the gate and scanned, because he didn't pop out to me. The street appeared to be empty. Now, it took approx 2 min for the car to get loaded. Myself and the 2 friends had items we packed in the cargo hold, and the other two friends from inside took a min or so to come out and load up. My guess, is the person came from inside the apartment complex across the street, about one house up from my GF's. The border fence there is chain link and has slats inside the link to prevent one from seeing inside, and he had approached from that general direction.
C: Again omitted facts have been caught by Bill, and they're only omitted form the original story to keep it somewhat long vs super long. I made eye contact with this man as he rounded a parked vehicle, opposite side of the street, and he was approaching my window. He motioned that he wanted to talk, as I had already gotten ready to drive, and I had nodded to acknowledge his motion. My preparations were as follows: left hand rolled down the driver's window 2", enough to talk but not enough for him to grab or threaten with a knife. My right hand pushed the vehicle into 1st gear, my feet were on the clutch and brake but ready to launch the vehicle forward and away if needed, and after shifting my hand went under the coat, under the shirt and onto my sidearm at 3 o'clock IWB. Not an ideal draw situation for me, but I was more leaning toward an escape since I'm in a car and he's on foot. All this was easy to do, and was done before he fully closed the distance to my SUV.
D: I'll keep that in mind. Honestly, at the time, I felt the guy might be setting me for a robbery or carjacking. Having just heard gun shots, suddenly a guy is approaching my driver's side window, that has NEVER happened on this street and I believe her street to be in a bad neighborhood. I believe drugs are being sold regularly from that apartment with the fence, right near my GF's house. I had thought maybe keeping my window mostly up or something else had foiled his plan to take my car or life. Regardless, the gunshots combining with a sudden 'man from nowhere' had me all over the radar/awareness whatever. When he brandished the weapon, that was enough to make me panic a bit, and I'm not necessarily afraid to admit it.
Again, I posted here so they guys can help me decide how to handle these situations in the future. The gun didn't scare me. I noticed the gun on his hip as he walked away and I was about to shrug it off. It was the action of him unholstering his weapon, brandishing per Nevada Revised Statute, that made me go bezerk so to speak. In my own hindsight and reflections, I can accept that I might have over reacted. I personally don't make it a point to investigate possibly gunshots at a long distance, and if I did I wouldn't be doing it at a low ready (and for the record, I never saw the Jacket Man go to low ready, only out in his hand). However, if presented with this situation again, I can't say I won't call again... I don't think it's in the best interest of the public to have a man walking down the street with a gun in hand to play investigator/vigilante. What if someone else, hearing shots, comes out of their house with a shotty and see's this Jacket Man with a gun in hand? Two innocents shooting it out over mistaken identity is exactly why CCW persons do not have LEO authority.
Further comments by any are appreciated. And again, and honest thanks to BillCA for the study/follow up.
