I'm so sorry this happened to your wife and MIL; Thank God they were not injured, and so you all can gain the lesson without a permanent
aftereffect. Wait...... that didn't sound right.... what I mean is that, in spite of the psychological trauma, you are able to gain knowledge from
the situation. I feel it...... it's such a visceral thing having your loved one's life endangered.
Also what if they took the gun and used it against her?
I don't mean to assail your point of view, Yarcofin, but if she had been
trained and armed, it wouldn't have necessarily have required a shot to be fired, however if she did shoot and wound/kill an assailant, it would've
been to prevent an attack, and that's a legally defensible situation, given that her training allowed her to be legally armed.
I recall many years ago..... more than 30.... I was walking down Market STreet in San Francisco, and I heard a scream. I turned and saw a HUGE (to
me) man running toward me, carrying a purse. It was obvious in an instant what had happened. Everyone parted to allow the cursing man to pass
unimpeded. I moved toward his path as he approached, and he snarled a string of curses at me, waving a short-bladed knife. I drew back, as others
had done, and then, fool I was, drove into him as he crossed me, hitting him in the hip with my shoulder. He tried to rake me with the knife, and
succeeded in opening a 3-stitch wound in the junction of my neck and left shoulder. My effort propelled the larger man into traffic, and he was
struck by a small car travelling about 15 mph, which resulted in a broken pelvis, broken ribs, arm, and internal injuries.
Ambulance and police were called, and the woman gratefully received her returned purse. She waited to give her report to the police, which I
appreciated. NOBODY ELSE there "saw" anything, except one local shop owner, who happened to look up from the interior of the store.
Two months later, I was charged with aggrivated assault and was in court. To their credit, the S.F. police department scoured the neighborhood to
attempt to get witnesses, and they did so from the moment they arrived on scene. I was acquitted, but it was a costly event, insofar as lost work
and mental stress. I expected the perp after that, and shortly thereafter armed myself. Carrying a gun changes the way you do everything -- What
you wear, how you move, how you quell your natural reactions to conflict.
My wife (this was now ten years after)...... after I trained her,[the nature of] her job allowed[her to qualify for and acquire] a concealed weapons
permit. She bought a Gloria LeMaster purse. It is a well-made thing, leather, with aircraft aluminum woven into the strap, to prevent it being
cut. At the end of the purse, where the seam is, there was a velcro closure. Within was a custom holster for her firearm that was also velcroed
into place, for quick recovery. She chose a Baretta .22. Shortly after that, she switched to my Seecamp .32 mag, as it was a quicker draw (no
sights to hang up).
It changes things being armed. There is a higher requirement legally to ignore provocation, but buddy, for my money, it was the best choice both of
us ever made.
Fast forward a few more years. I was heading toward Redding, just past Red Bluff, on Highway 5, to work out some problems on one of my jobs. I hear
on the radio there has been a multiple shooting at an address in S.F. that is the same as my Bride's. Pulled over, called her, got voicemail.
Same goes for her boss, and other coworkers. Called the coffee shop, even, no dice. I turned around, running her 240Z at well above the speed
limit. Got pulled over near Sacramento, got a HP escort to the GG bridge. Bridge and Van Ness was choked and I RAN to her location, flashed a gov.
badge and got inside the control area and saw her outside. Radio had gotten the address wrong, it was next door, six dead. All the while I was
feeling hopeful, knowing that she was armed, trained, and most of all -- smarter than hell -- streetsmart.
Sorry for the long rant and trip down memory lane. Just brings back a lot of things, and I know you'll make this opportunity affect a positive
change in your lives, OP.
All best
[edit on 12-8-2008 by argentus]
[edit on 12-8-2008 by argentus]
I know its not the only answer but as times get harder people will get more desperate. 
