So all names were put in a hat, to include those who posted to the forum and those that shared privately. Here's one that was shared privately. Permission received to share. I thought it was a solid example of how quickly some thing can evolve into a situation where defense of self or others may become necessary.
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Back in March of 2016 at lunch time I took one of my clients to a little family owned authentic Mexican restaurant we've been to literally dozens of times. Upon entering found a place to sit away from the door and facing it like I always try to do. AA male in dirty clothes and thigh length black coat and stocking hat appeared to be busing tables, never in 7 years have I ever seen him there. Server brings over chips and salsa as usual and takes our order. He goes back and forth throughout the restaurant for a few minutes then sits at a table adjacent to ours (6' away) and keeps looking at us while he's eating from a plate of lettuce and cheese. My client decided to engage him in conversation (mistake #1) Then proceeds to tell us he's from Omaha down here to find work and "The man is holding him back" all the time getting louder and more angry every time he repeats it. Also throwing in how he owns this MF restaurant, then asks my client where he works throwing around many expletives and getting louder and more irritated, client tells him where, he says BS. Then asks me where I work, I said nothing the whole time and tried to not make eye contact and kept staring at my client to stop talking to the guy as he was getting more upset by the minute. Then he screams at the client and tells him to stop looking me, thankfully the client stopped. Then before I could react he rushed to the table grabbed our chips and salsa, spilled most of it all over and muttered something about food being late and rushed to the back. I dialed 911 instantly and told the owner we were leaving. She talked me out of it and about 5 seconds later the guy came walking from the back mean mugging us as he left. About a minute and half later the street was littered with Police cars. This all happened in around 15 minutes. They interviewed us wanted to hold him for something as they'd had issues with him before. Disturbing the peace was it. A couple days later I was checking mugshots online and found him, after a short online search, turns out he'd done 5 years in Macomb MI for Aggravated Assault with a Dangerous weapon, he's now in Lincoln doing time for 1st degree Arson for trying to burn down an apartment house from which he was being evicted with 75 people inside, and when in custody for that charge he assaulted another inmate. We had the misfortune of meeting up with him between prison stints. It took a few minutes for the tremors to go away. Honestly I didn't think it rose to the level of Lethal Force, quite. 1 guy attacking 2 so no disparity of force, never saw a weapon displayed but by the time I could've drawn he was on top of us. Before any of the keyboard cowboys start up, stop right now. Until you've been put into a situation like this I can assure you that you have absolutely no idea of how you'll respond."
