You just hit the pencil and hit the backspace.
I don’t see anything wrong with what you did. When I took my CCW class here in Illinois, we went through other similar scenarios. And telling someone “Stop, I have a gun” was a preferred way to deescalate a potentially threatening situation. And if Illinois thought it was good for CCW training, I would expect it to be acceptable just about everywhere else. (Not including CA, NY, NJ, HI, etc. of course.)
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Welcome David1765. Great post. I imagine many of us have or will experience something similar.
Of course, states differ in how they officially spell out “brandishing”. Only you were there, not us, so only you know just how fast or close he got.
That was quick thinking on your part. As diplomatic as you were, me a “Monday Morning Quarterback”, if my impression was suspicious of him, personally I would not have charged his phone, less risk harm to my family and I. Of note, an elderly woman and a 5 year old baby, who - more vulnerable?
Still, I do not think I could think or act as quick as you did. No one got hurt. You da man.
Add to that 7AM, 30 yo fellah - not having a cel phone charger, many gas stations carry for $10, outside a “hotel”, no on else around, something just did not sound right.
When with my car, I average carrying 1-2 phone chargers. If I’m without my car - I normally don’t carry a charger, but there’s always 1-2 in my car, one at work.
What stood out to me was he was walking towards you and never stopped until a certain point. A lot of criminals use that tactic. As opposed to yelling out from a safe distance “hi, my name is _ _ _ _, you have a charger I can borrow”?!
Who does the opposite and why?
Then again, this is coming from vicim of mugging when the perpetrator used some similar form of tactic, substituting charger with “cigarette, what time is it, my car broke down, can I borrow your phone, can you loan me a few bucks”?
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If you display or present a weapon in a social situation it’s always a good idea to be the first one to report it to the police. You coulda found yourself, leaving the hotel, going down the highway only to be stopped by LE acting on a report of an armed man driving a car with Lousiana plates. Then, you get to explain your side of things to the cops who assume you are the bad guy based on the report of the charger cord borrower.
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This 
Always.
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I don’t disagree but for me I absolutely hate involving the cops in anything. My life experience has been once the cops are involved things go from bad to much worse.
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True. But it would be ‘worser’ if the charger cable borrower called the cops first and report being threatened by a man with a gun. Then, the first interaction with cops could be a felony stop on the highway with you kneeling on the ground, fingers laced behind your head and nervous government employees pointing guns at you.
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I believe the police should be called if one can’t handle it themselves. I am not saying you are saying it, letting criminals get of scot free is not the answer. Criminals are everybody’s business.
What do you mean by is this a proper response.
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What are you talking about.
Keith Greathouse
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Well, technically, I’m not talking I am printing, but honestly, my phone is doing the printing and I am actually talking. You asked him what he meant, by his statement, but you obviously knew what he meant because you put his statement in your question. I thought that was funny so I asked you what you meant by what do you mean? You do realize that @David1765 printed the scenario right below the question.
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So what does is this a mean¿
Just drop it.
Keith Greathouse
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Just teasing. It’s all for fun.
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