First, watch these quick videos of previous ‘pranks’ that we have covered to see exactly what I’m talking about. The second and third videos are the most important for the purposes of this article:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAPNDjQ3Q28
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW7YSWGeFQg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVycIbGVzhs
These ‘pranks’ are nothing more than a few famous YouTubers acting childish and stupid, but they are becoming more and more prevalent on YouTube as people flock to watch these types of videos. The question remains, with millions of people across the country that carry a firearm on them daily, what would you do if you encountered this type of threat?
In all honesty, the man in the 2nd and 3rd videos above would have, at the very least, been staring down the barrel of my Glock 27. I don’t know of any jury that would convict someone for claiming self-defense after viewing the video.
It is our responsibility as concealed carriers, to make a decision when faced with a perceived threat as to what the appropriate response should be. Do I feel threatened? Do I feel that my life is in danger? Do I have the ability to get away? If the perceived threat is a man approaching me in the dark with what seems to be a shotgun, he is probably going to have a bad night.
Pro Tip for these ‘pranksters’: Please consider prank ideas that do not involve firearms or attempting to catch strangers off guard. It is only a matter of time before one of these ‘pranks’ goes horribly wrong, and it’s likely to be at your expense.
In the end, the likelihood of a person who is carrying concealed coming into contact with one of these pranksters is slim. Still, it places a burden on us for a) knowing that things like this happen in the name of entertainment and b) making a split decision as to what our reaction should be if it ever happens to us.
What would you have done in the videos above?
