Lucky armed robber steals money from a WalMart and then tries to carjack two vehicles. Both car owners were armed….not really.

A man was arrested Friday after he took a cash register drawer from the Walmart at River City Marketplace and then tried to carjack two people at knifepoint.
Christopher Raymond Hill, 36, was arrested on charges of strong arm robbery, carjacking with firearm or deadly weapon, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and trespassing, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office online inmate information search.

Jacksonville police: Man takes cash register from Walmart, tries to carjack 2 people at knifepoint

Interaction with the first Gun Owner:

“I turned the ignition off, grabbed my keys, opened the door and boom, there he was,” Scott Reardean said.
According to the report, Hill put the cash register in the Reardean’s truck bed and pulled a knife, cutting Reardean on the hands and leg, the arrest report said.
“I was bascially just doing this, trying to get the knife off me, and he’s like, trying to pull me and he yanked my shirt and ripped it all up,” Reardean said.
Reardean said to Action News Jax that he was able to grab his pistol from his truck and pointed it at Hill, who then ran away toward Starbucks. 

Interaction with the second Gun Owner:

The woman said Hill told her to drive because someone was chasing him. She told police she tried to push him out of the vehicle and he would not get out. According to the report, she was in fear for her life, so she got out of her car to to get her Ruger pistol out of her trunk.
Hill got out of the car and came toward her. She said she pointed her pistol at him and he ran away.

I am so very glad that both individual are OK save for the cuts to Mr. Reardan that appear to be non-life threatening. But Jesus Almighty people, carry the effing gun with you!

What are the excuses for not carrying? Let’s try to figure that one out. Obviously the orientation will be Florida, but some will apply to many places.

Not having a concealed weapons permit.  Really? In Florida? If you have a sidearm and you are not a prohibited person, it makes no sense for you not to have a CWP.  Some have complained about the fee of $97 being steep but you need to figure out that it is valid for 10 years which brings the cost to $9.7 a year.  Plus, having a CWP will save you from the myriad of stupid little grey areas in our Firearms statutes and even may help your interactions with the local constables.

Insecure on how to use the sidearm.  Get effing training.  You need training to get your CWP so go ahead and don’t just go for the basic pistol safe handling and operation  class, but for something more advanced. You don’t need a Super Ninja training week, just some basic self-defense training. You can also join an Action Shooting club after your basic training. 

Not wanting to carry in a non-binding Gun Free Zone (Posted but no legal force). “We should respect other people’s wishes. If they don’t want guns in their place of business, maybe we should not carry.” Bullshit. You are being too polite for no good darned reason. Do you think they will have special security just for you because you chose to leave your gun at the car? Screw that. Carry where is not bound by law otherwise. You only need to leave if you are asked to leave and do so expeditiously.

Not comfortable. (Too hot, uncomfortable, ignorant about carry options).  I am gonna revert to Clint Smith for this one.

The mating of a gun with your body is never ending. You will start with several holsters and carry methods then you will get other pistols till you realize it is like golf: not one thing fits all the time. There are no easy answers here, just time and patience trying out gear and behavior.

I think those four cover 95% of the complains and excuses I heard for not having a gun on your person. Feel free to add your opinion in the comment section.  Think about it this way: If you are seriously wounded and you need to stop a major bleeding, the super-duper Trauma Kit you bought online for several hundred dollars and which is safely tucked away home or in the trunk of your car, is not gonna help you save your life.  The tourniquet or gun you carry with you, will do so.