SKAMANIA COUNTY, OREGON — A mother tried to defend herself and her son from an abusive ex through the use of a firearm. She brandished the firearm when an altercation turned ugly in Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
The family was allegedly on a camping trip when a fight broke out between the man and the woman, according to Skamania County Sheriff’s Office’s statement to the Columbian news. The man physically assaulted the woman, who then brandished her firearm in an attempt to stop him. He took the gun from her possession and suffered an unknown injury to his hand in the process. Micah Herrera, 36, of Medford, Oregon, then proceeded to force the woman and her son to drive him to a nearby medical center to receive treatment. She complied and once able to gain distance, did so and contacted authorities.
Herrera was booked for second-degree domestic violence assault, via strangulation, and for an outstanding warrant on his arrest.
This is a situation that went sour fast. People try to make-up and go on family excursions as a way to communicate and perhaps gain some understanding after a big falling out. That’s the best guess as to why someone would willingly go on a hiking trip in a remote section of wilderness with a man who had previously abused her.
The problem with domestic disputes is they often occur at close quarters and with little predictability. Because Herrera was booked for strangling his ex-wife, it’s completely unknown how the fight ended or under what conditions he suddenly prioritized getting to a medical center.
In either case, as hard and unsolicited as this advice may sound: don’t put yourself in unnecessary risk when dealing with characters that have previously demonstrated violence against you.
There’s no point. There’s nothing they have to say that they can’t say at a distance.
Protecting yourself through the use of a gun is but one means to defend yourself. Elements like distance, time of day, and other factors play into how effective that gun can truly be. If this man had been of a different mindset, he may have been able to enact a much more lasting violence than the acts he already undertook.
Stay safe, keep your distance, and neutralize your attacker. That’s the best advice we can give in a situation like this.