Thursday, May 24, 2012

It's not safe for either side

Whether you are an average Joe just trying to have a civilized argument with your girlfriend or you're a homeless dude with a bitter streak, it's a dangerous world out there for the both of you.
Later in the evening, Jett said, the two men returned. The one who had asked for the dollar went to the driver’s side window and tried to stab the man with a knife. The driver got a gun from his console and shot the knife-wielding man in the chest.

Up until about eight to ten years ago, there were no homeless people in my area to speak of.  I don't live in Stafford, but I spend a lot of time there, and the amount of panhandlers and homeless camps here and in surrounding counties like Spotsylvania (Really?  There's a place called Spotsylvania?  Creeeeeepy!) has spiked dramatically.  The cops have been arresting them right and left, and my guess is because they've been getting more aggressive, but I can't confirm that.  It's just my opinion. 

I think that as more and more people fill the homeless camps and more people are panhandling on the side of the highways outside shopping centers, things get very competitive and the natural tendency is for aggression to go UP.  The more desperate people get, the more likely it is that they will resort to violence.  On the flipside of this powder keg is Joe and Jan Schmucketelli who just want to shop for discounted bulk diapers at Costco without getting knifed in the ribs over forty three dollars (Why do I suddenly hear Hank Jr?).  In this day and age, a quality reliable pistol with highly advanced ammunition can be had for less than a good DVD player, and they can be readily carried or stowed in the console of your Tahoe.  In the end you don't know who to trust these days, and any friendly window-side encounter over a few bucks can transform into something else entirely, so be cautious.

Stafford county, Virginia is not a "dangerous" or violent place, but bitter people are everywhere.  This thread is not for bashing the homeless -- indeed, it wasn't very long ago when a homeless man close to here did a very honorable thing, and that should be commended.  I'm more or less pointing out that there is danger in both camps.  The tightwad guy with no patience or tact who's loading azaleas into the back of his Honda -- he may be armed, so don't come back waving a kitchen knife in his face because he didn't hook you up with a five-spot.

5 comments:

David said...

The headline in the print version of the Free Lance-Star blares "$1 snub leads to slaying".

As is typical for this rag they blame the shooter. It wasn't the snub by the shooter that led to the slaying, it was the knife attack by the dead guy.

ZerCool said...

Your local police agencies may have a blotter available...

Thanks for this post. Led me to congealing things that have been tickling around my brain lately.

agirlandhergun said...

You can't possibly know if the guy asking you for a dollar is going to become violent or not and while I don't recommend shooting anyone who asks for money, I do recommend at least understanding there is a possibility that the situation could turn ugly, so have a plan.

mike's spot said...

living in NYC for over 5 years made me not give any panhandlers money. I do not care. I'll give food, I'll go to a shelter and pay the fee for the night, but I will not give cash.

When in San Fran, I saw (and dealt with) the most aggressive pan handling in my life. Literally beggers would stop you from going forward and ask you for money. They then would get mad if you didn't give it up.

I don't begrudge a man or woman for falling on hard times- but you are totally right- people get desperate, and desperation makes people violent.

Drew said...

"two deputies who were in the area responded immediately"

aka

they were in a bad part of town

oh and good shoot!