base photo via Google Maps

 

By A Guns Save Life Member, MD.

I’m an Illinois concealed carry permit holder. I carry every day.  Well, most of the time.

I am also a physician. I work in a hospital – a statutory “gun free” zone in Illinois. I can’t bring my gun to work. I have to enter and exit the building unarmed, just like everyone else.

Like so many other evenings, I had to work late today – leaving a little before 8 PM. It was dark. I had just exited the building and was walking across the patient drop-off area in front of the hospital on my way to the parking lot.

I was unarmed – because the law forces me to be unarmed, walking across a deserted, poorly patrolled and poorly lit outdoor area. Just like every other day when I am forced to cross this area, I stayed vigilant and had my head on a swivel, looking for threats.

As I was walking along, a fairly disreputable-looking male jumped out from behind a pillar. He was within 15 feet of me when he first appeared. I had no warning. No time to think. I needed to act.

He started approaching me and said, “Hey man. You got a minute?”

This is where my training and practicing kicked in. I didn’t have a gun – but this guy didn’t know that.

I put out my hand a shouted, “Stop. Stay away.”

He kept coming. He said he just wanted to talk. I flipped my coat back and put my strong hand on my hip – where my gun should have been.

Looking like I was ready to draw, I again shouted, “Stop. Stay back.”

He kept coming, but moved off to my right a little. I think he was trying to see if I had a gun.

I turned to keep facing him and shouted a third time, “Stop. Stay back.”

After this, he said, “You bitch.” He then walked away.

As I watched him walk away, I realized that I had forgotten to look around and reassess for other threats. After reassessing, I quickly headed for my car.

Once locked in the car, I called hospital security, told them what had happened and described the guy.

What was the security officer’s response? He said, “Oh yeah. We know about this guy. We’ll get someone out there right away.”

Bottom line – my employer’s security team knew about this guy and he was still allowed to jump out from behind pillars and approach people. I can’t repeat what I wanted to say to this security knucklehead.

After going through this experience, I just wanted to take a minute and express my gratitude to GSL. The lessons and techniques I learned in GSL Defense Training pistol classes made the difference. I don’t know what this guy had in mind. Maybe he was just an aggressive panhandler. Thanks to my GSL training, he moved on and I’ll never know what he planned to do.

 

JBoch adds:  Classic predatory and pre-attack indicators there.  Thank goodness you recognized the incident for what it was and didn’t let Mr. Bad Guy any further into your personal space.  He sure as hell wasn’t looking to sell you Girl Scout cookies.

15 thoughts on “IT HAPPENED TO ME LAST NIGHT: I was HUNTED in a GUN FREE zone”
  1. I have followed the law my entire life. However, a misdemeanor charge is not as bad as getting killed or seriously injured by a thug. To quote a movie line, it will not hurt anyone if they do not see it or more particularly, if they do not HEAR it!

  2. Is that Decatur Memorial Hospital you are writing about? I seem to recognize that…

  3. I, too, work in a statutory “gun free” zone. The parking lot is typically deserted by the time I leave work. The fact that our legislators think the criminals are entitled to these good-guy-hunting-zones disgusts me.
    I’m glad you were able to use your training to make it home safely. It’s fortunate this low-life didn’t decide to call your bluff.

  4. I too work at a gun free zone.

    My life is more important than any job. Thanks to savings and my wife’s job, it wouldn’t be catastrophic if either of us lost our jobs.

  5. Is this also a knife free zone? Tough call. Maybe you could request a security escort every time. Recently my kids and I were departing a similar gun-free facility walking to a remote parking lot in the dark. Not worth the loss of life. I think I will carry from now on. Maybe you could request a security escort every time. They need job security too.

  6. Better to be judged by 12, than carried by 6! If it is concealed, they won’t know. And if someone NEEDS to find out, they will wish they hadn’t!

    1. Alpha Co:”Judged by 12 than carried by 6″statement is only true if the judge sitting on the bench honors the 2nd amendment.–Food For Thought…!!

    2. The statement is ALWAYS true, whether you chose to be in the box by fear of the decision a judge is entirely your choice. Personally I’ll always pick life, mine.

  7. Doc, we’re glad you did okay.

    Glad you got your training through a reputable bunch too, instead of one of the MANY so-so to marginal classes my friends tell me about.

    Sam

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