My friend and co-worker of 30+ years was on a 2am call-out to repair a cell site. A recently released con decided to beat his brains out (literally) for a few dollars and some change. My friend would have given him the money but he never got the chance to. He was on his knees Working on a small ckt board when attacked from behind.
My family depends on me so I owe it to them to come home to them and not be another statistic.
As for the con, well, he got off. I don’t know how and it’s pretty hush-hush when people ask about it. The con did get justice. He later committed a car jacking, crashed the car and burned to death while fleeing the police.
Our system failed. Predators are released back to our streets. That is why my wife and I carry.
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I’m so, so sorry! I can’t even express nor have the words for that!
I’m praying for you and all his loved ones (relatives, friends, co-workers)!
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Thanks bro.
I was pretty angry and frustrated because I couldn’t reconcile retribution with my faith. A friend of mine who is a USCCA training counselor suggested I become an NRA Range Safety Officer and later he saw that I am good with people so he suggested I become a USCCA certified instructor. A good example of redirecting negative energy to a positive direction.
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Not a problem at all!
I think that USCCA counselor gave excellent advise!!
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From what I’m reading you didn’t cause the retribution. Not sure what faith you are, but there is this Bible verse:
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Ah! I LOVE that one @Dawn!
I hope that encourages you @Mark123 !
Just know everybody here has your back and, I have you written down on my prayer list!
Have a good weekend bro!
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Words from random_guy _006, on an online forum, probably don’t mean much but his family and all of you who are suffering have my prayers 
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So sorry you and your friend’s family went through that. 
It fails often enough that we have to protect our own. Very glad you do.
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I started carrying about 6 years ago when I started thinking about retiring. Also living about 100 miles from the Mexico border helped me make up my mind, never knowing when an illegal might wander on to the streets of our neighborhood and decide he needs something in someone’s house. Also the state of our country has gotten to be the worse I have ever seen. A person just never knows when he could be attacked. Just last week a retired person (71) in Corpus Christi was slain just because he was older. My plan is to be ready for anything. As a retired pilot, I stayed ready for any kind of trouble an airplane could get me into. Thank God I made it for 46 years with no accidents and no FAA violations. Plus a 3 year stint in the US Army with a tour of Vietnam.
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I did not grow up a gun guy. I’ve had flexibility on the issues. Friend took me in to the range and I loved it. I got my LTC a few years ago. Started carrying. It became sort of a chore for me and I my job hampers my ability to carry most of the time. I got back into this a month ago because I have a baby on the way and I want to be confident in my ability to protect my family.
Unfortunately the police is primarily there to report what happened. I actually find carrying somewhat of a burden for me. If it was just me by myself, I’d have my gun at home and at the range, but now I have my family.
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My screen name kinda says it - my wife Kristen and son Kaiden. The city we live in is a beautiful place, full of great people and things to do. It’s also full of evil people- as is the world and I will not let that evil take what’s most important to me - not without a fight at least.
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I carry because with my families life style we go backcountry camping and hiking all the time. With my daughter now being old enough to start coming along I wanted to be prepared to protect her form animals or any person who wants to do us harm. Which in the last couple of years there has been some murders on the trail.
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I thought about it for awhile and said I don’t think I really need to, but then February 7 2019 I was brutally attacked and beaten for throwing the guy I was kind of dating out because he lied to me about his age, he said he was 22 when he was really 32, and he had a couple friends attack me and make it look like a robbery gone bad and pretty much left me for dead… My current boyfriend was not real happy about my descision to get the ccw permit, because he had a terrible experience dating someone who used a firearm to force him to do things, but i explained to him that the gun isn’t what the problem is and a gun isn’t violent, it’s whomever has it, is what decides if it is going to be used for evil purposes or not, and now he just completed the class to get his ccw permit as well, and he knows I will do anything to save his life. He also is the ONLY person who I feel needs to know I am armed, concealed means concealed for a reason.
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I recently retired from a 911 facility as the Operations manager. I also still do crisis negotiation for local LE and have for the last five years. I have learned a few things over those years. 1. Pure evil exists. 2. One cannot always de escalate a situation verbally no matter how good you are. 3. Last I am to old and busted up physically to fight or to run. So I carry every day, everywhere, and I train constantly while praying I never need it.
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I hope I never need to use my weapon for defense, but the last thought I ever want to go thru my mind is “if I only had my gun” so I carry everywhere including at home.
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I got my permit to carry several years ago, and I carried on occasion, but not regularly by any stretch. Then one day, a Sunday I believe, a guy walked into a convenience store in the town I work in and shot his girlfriend to death. That really got to me, as I frequent that same store several times per week. I couldn’t help but run scenarios through my head. “what if I had been there, but it was a day I decided not to carry?”, or “if I had been there, and been armed, is it possible the girl would still be alive?” I did some reflecting, and realized I do not have a crystal ball to warn me which day I might need my firearm.
I have carried every day since that day. As I said during a conversation with my pastor, I carry more for the protection of my loved ones, and those around me than for my own protection.
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Exactly my reason for carrying. And that my husband has wanted me to for 30 years. I finally got comfortable with the idea about 6 months ago, and have never looked back. I’m going to sign up for every class I can to improve my shooting and knowledge of all the laws.
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@Kristi2 Welcome to the community. There is much collective knowledge here, it’s free and all you have to ask. 
I hope you enjoy being here as much as we do.
Stay safe, Bruce and Nancy.
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Welcome to the community Kristi2!! You’ll find awesome information here and congratulations on making the decision to protect yourself and seek training to assist along the way. Cheers
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