I thought about making a post here but never got around to it. Guess now is as good a time as any. I had already been reading this sub for about a year since the last shooting at the SAME Walmart in which an initial bystander intervened into an attempted armed kidnapping and was shot but a second person who was a CCW carrier killed one of the attackers.Shawnee, KS is a really low crime suburban area nearly 30 minutes of highway driving away from downtown, and about 20 minutes away from the slightly rougher Olathe so I feel pretty comfortable here. Additionally I've been in that location literally 400+ times in the 12 years I've lived here. Either way I am looking forward to turning 21 to get my CCW (I will be getting a Glock 19 later this month along with a Vedder light tuck to go AIWB).This event really solidified my desire to be armed and capable of defending myself.My girlfriend and I were at Walmart late on July 3rd to get some fruit along with a small blanket for a picnic we were going to have the next day. Mistake 1- being at Walmart after dark, and especially around July 4th. Since then I have been in Walmart exactly twice after dark, one of which was for medicine for my dad.We get produce and remember we need a blanket so we walk accross the store to the home supplies section to get a simple blanket to lay down in the grass. As we are walking toward self check out I overhear a Walmart employee walk by in the main walkway from the cashier's toward the back and I picked up on the word 'gun'. I was so lucky to have been working on my situational awareness since I had starting reading here (translated an excuse to tune out my GF when we're in public). I hear that and immediately grab my GF and walk toward the Walmart employee to ask her what she had said. My girlfriend followed reluctantly until I told her what I had heard. The employee ignored me and said "It's nothing, don't worry" and proceeded to walk toward a manager in the far back. I stood kind of dumbfounded because I was pretty sure I heard her say gun. I told my GF we're going to stand exactly at the end cap away from the front door and wait to see what the Walmart employee does.After waiting 10 seconds and seeing her talk in an excited way with her manager I continued towards them to find out what was going on. I take about 5 steps and - POP POP POP POP POP - from the front of the building. I couldn't tell if it was indoor or outdoor but I didn't have time to evaluate because I already had taken 3 steps towards the Lawn and Garden department. I quickly looked behind to see my GF next to me, and continued to find an exit. A couple with their 8 year old, was close behind and once in the outdoor lawn area my GF took to looking after the little girl. We took quick cover behind the brick stacks but I didn't feel content to stay there while the girl cried and the shooter could move toward us. So I checked the back gate to the outdoors and luckily it was unlocked.So my GF and I with strawberries, cantelope, and blanket in hand exit the side cautiously and by the time we get to the grass embankment on the side of the parking lot there is a small crowd lingering at the front of the building. I figured it was safe, and so as we slowly walked to the front 3 police cars arrive. This quickly turns into about 10 police cars with about 15 officers walking around organizing the crowd, taking statements, and looking for shell casings.It was a drive by shooting associated with either gang affiliation or relationship disputes. No one was harmed luckily. We gave a quick statement but because we didn't see anything it was basically to confirm that about 5 shots were fired in quick succession.All I can think of is that if we went straight out the front door we could have walked into that shooting, but more importantly that if something different could happen how helpless I was other than to run. Clearly the best option in a large public space is to just find an exit, but I can't just live the rest of my life with the chance of needing a gun and not having it.Thanks to everyone here for their tips, videos, writeups, reviews, funny comments, and more because it's been super helpful to me before I have even got my first gun. via /r/CCW https://ift.tt/2KQNQ9B
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