Police said Bartlett didn’t have a conceal carry permit for the gun, which was loaded and resting on the front passenger seat.

While in custody, Bartlett asked police, “Why am I being arrested when those kids are free to ride around? I did pull out my gun, but I never pointed it at them.”

Man arrested after video shows him holding gun while slinging racial slurs at black teens

IANAL WARNING.
He did not get charged with anything else, but he is going to be investigated for Hate Crimes because he used the November word.  The prosecution can always up the charges to Assault with a Deadly Weapon (and not pointing does not cover your ass) but the video seems to suggest the cops did not want to charge a man for coming to the defense of his girlfriend. The moment they surrounded and screamed at her , they kicked up the problem. Would a reasonable man think that his girlfriend was in imminent danger of death or grave bodily harm?

Click here to see three videos of the event. Not only you will see the specific happening with Mr. Bartlett, but other angles prior to that one. Sorry, but  people wearing masks in South Florida even if it was “cold” for our standards (70 degrees was the high that day) make me a little nervous.

Now, what are the lessons here? 1) Don’t go looking for trouble. I am gonna bet that the girlfriend is the type of getting insulted by stupid shit just for the sake of starting a fight and then say “My boyfriend is gonna kick your ass.”  2) Besides the obvious mistake of Bartlett having this woman for girlfriend, he failed to get a concealed weapons permit. I know, you can carry a gun in your car without a permit but in an specific manner specifically ” securely encased or is otherwise not readily accessible for immediate use.”

When in 1999 when I  bought Jon Gutmacher’s book FLORIDA FIREARMS — Law, Use & Ownership, what struck me in it  was his insistence that people should get a CWP whether they would carry every day or not, as it would save you trouble with the many pitfalls within the 790 statutes.  Back then there was so much little crap that could get you in trouble, it was not funny and the permit would shield you from that.

So, if you are a Floridian and have not gotten the book, go get it now , read it and then read it again. I will bet you there is stuff you did not know you could end up in trouble about guns.

And choose girlfriends wisely.

Yes, that was sexist, but women do tend to be better selecting partners.