I've been carrying for a year and I pulled my weapon for the first time.

This happened a few months ago, and I didn't really think it anything important or noteworthy but after discussing it with a fellow CCW holder I figured I'd share just to get feedback and share my actions with you to give you potential insight on what you might do in this situation.It was nearly 2AM in a small Route 66 desert town. A big rock and roll / car festival was having its last bit of party and the last bar had closed. The remaining party was in a classic Americana style motel parking lot on Route 66 and there were maybe 10 - 15 people standing outside with their doors open drinking and laughing spread throughout the motel. My room was tucked far from the entrance to the parking lot and in the corner I was standing about 20 feet away from it talking with someone when I heard a blood curdling scream and yelling from around the corner of the hotel maybe 200 feet away from me.It was very dark outside and only street lights were shining their yellow light, but from around the corner a man that was butt naked and jogging with a large butcher knife in his hand. At the time it looked like he was covered in dirt but later I found out it was his own blood.He was lightly pursuing a group of people into the parking lot and coming towards my group. Everyone was doing their best to stay away from him while screaming / threatening him with physical assault to stop him. He looked like he was on some kind of insane drugs or having a psychotic episode or both.I quietly pulled my Shield 9MM from 4 o'clock and held it behind my butt as to not alarm the attacker or anyone around me, I corralled the person I was with into the motel room behind me and screamed for everyone to go inside and lock your doors as loud as I could, nearly at the same time the naked guy with a knife locked eyes with me from 100 feet away or so I booked it into my room and locked the door.From there I heard sirens, and a scuffle. Two men had gotten into it with him physically and fortunately was able to disarm him while the cops showed up.I feel like I did everything right in this potentially very dangerous situation even though I beat myself up the next day for not being "brave" and going to help the initial group of people being pursued, I think I did the right thing.The cops had him in cuffs immediately it seemed like 20 cop cars showed up out of nowhere, which was amazing for such a small town. He was covered in his own blood from light scratches and marks he had given himself in his weird rage. He was truly terrifying to look at. I keep going back over things in my mind, had I been among the initial group surprised by him I may have been forced to pull and shoot. Not sure. via /r/CCW http://ift.tt/2uA6HzB