It's just another night in the neighborhood ... or is it?

This happened to me just recently and closest I've come to drawing my legally concealed firearm. For those interested, I carry a Taurus TCP (PT738) which I picked up used in the past year as it was what was available for conceal carry where I lived at the time. Plan to upgrade to something better in future, but it's reliable and goes bang every time, so it works for me. I carry an extra mag, pepper spray, and a small Olight flashlight, too.I'm out with the family for an evening walk in the neighborhood where I live. There's a another person across the street about 30 feet in front of us. Wife and I are talking with the kids about their school day when we hear it: Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!Around the back of a house comes someone with a flashlight held high in left hand and a muzzle of a weapon just visible in right hand. This individual takes a knee, aims flashlight and muzzle at the back of the person that was 30 feet in front of us who is now speed walking as fast as possible away using whatever cover he can find. The individual with the unknown weapon has their back to me. Again, I see just the black muzzle and flashlight. My hand is on my firearm ready to draw as I'm motioning my family back the way we came quietly. We beat a hasty retreat back to our house where I called the cops.Cops were on scene about 30 minutes later.My response was get my family to safety first. One of my kids was directly in front of me and I wanted them behind me pronto. Especially if the individual swung the muzzle around towards us. Second, I did not want to get involved as a third-party unless I absolutely had to do so. The person who was in front of us was actively taking cover and we were beating a hasty retreat. The individual with the weapon did not even know we were there which was fine by me (found out later from cops).Cops were able to make contact with the individual. Turns out weapon was a paint ball gun. Guy was not aware other people were on street and he was being stupid (officer's words). Officers gave some education to the individual ... including that night time was not the time for paint ball wars.I just recently acquired my CCW during the pandemic. Hopefully this can be a useful tool for others to think about. Definitely carry wherever and whenever you can legally. You never know what will happen, but you can be prepared when it happens. via /r/CCW https://ift.tt/3md0ClQ