Last night I met Daniel Drezner for dinner at an Ethiopian place near my house. As he had fifteen minutes or so after dinner before he had to go to the airport, he walked over to inspect my new digs.
As we neared the gas station kitty-corner to my house, a very large man started following us along the street. He was walking way too close to us, but not so close that two compulsively well-mannered blue-staters were going to ask him to step back. He tailed us through two intersections, just a few feet behind us. Because Dan doesn't actually know where my house is, we turned off U Street later than I normally would, and the guy very obviously changed direction to stay behind us.
Unfortunately for him, I live only two doors off U Street, which is, for those who do not have the benefits of living in Washington DC, a very busy street. My house is set far enough back that the doorway is not visible from the street, so I just stopped and dropped my bag on the ground at the bottom of the stairs to hunt for my keys. Dan stopped. The guy stopped. Then he seemed to realize that there was no way to linger behind us without obviously communicating the fact that he intended to follow us into my apartment building and either mug us, or rob my house; nor, with the busy street in full view, was there any very good way to force us up to the door. Whereupon he very visibly stomped his foot in frustration and walked away shaking his head. I waited until he was around the corner before I "found" my keys.
I've lived in cities all my life, but aside from having bicycles stolen (four, at last count), I've only been the victim of three attempts at serious crime. And each time, I've been amazed at how inept the criminals were.
The first time was in Philadelphia by two young kids who ran away when I pretended to know karate. No, seriously.
The second time was a fifteen year old kid who spent half an hour wandering back and forth in front of the camera that my super (for reasons I have never fathomed) was using to video tape our garbage, while intermittently reaching through my jimmied window to grab things off my dresser. In case the videotape wasn't enough, he didn't wear any gloves, even though it was mid-November. He left fingerprints everywhere, and was caught a month later.
The third time was this guy, who couldn't have broadcast his intentions more clearly without hiring a skywriter and a marching band.
Are all criminals this stupid?
Careful, the internet will pull your L card for not engaging in fantasies of ventilating this guy
Yes - only TV and films present this fantasy world full of clever diamond thieves and brilliant serial killers. Most criminals are stupid because if they were smart, they'd know that jail is about the worst place on the planet, and would work within the bounds of society. Or they are just poor and desparate - poverty and lack of education go together.
Smart criminals go corporate. The risk/reward ration of individual muggings is way too high. It's much more profitable to rip of thousands of people for a few bucks each than to try to get a big score off one person. Plus, there's no need to commit ancillary violent crimes when your victim catches on.
Suddenly I realize why I'm happy not living in an "interesting" neighborhood.
You would be suprised by how many people wouldn't have noticed the guy at all. Criminals don't want prey who notice them.
I'm not sure why you think this guy was necessarily inept - the fact that he saw the situation and aborted rather than get caught tells me that he's not. If you didn't live on a busy street, how long would you have continued circling about in order to lose him? Nervous people make mistakes - you could easily have taken a wrong turn, and wound up on a dark, deserted corner.
Don't hex yourself!
Nonetheless, desparation, often in need of a fix, will drive people to commit all sorts of errors. Furthermore, as pointed out above, smart people will head for opportunities with distinctly better risk/reward trade-offs than mugging a couple of casually dressed, relatively young people on U street.
So he was smart relative to a pool that is heavily selected towards poor judgement.
Maybe he wanted to ask you whether the Ethiopians treated your meat properly? Or where you get pants in your size?
Sure, most of them are pretty dumb. Many of them are also desperate, cold-blooded and whacked out on drugs. A little (more) crack or meth working its magic on your guy, and rather than stomp his foot in frustration he might have pulled out a 9mm and wasted you on the spot. It happens somewhere every day.
A few weeks ago here, two guys gunned down a father of three beside his truck in broad daylight in a crowded WalMart parking lot. The victim was walking back to the truck after having bought diapers and formula. As he was bleeding to death, the killers went through his pockets for his wallet and keys and drove off in the truck. They were picked up in it, still cruising around, a few hours later. Several of the many witnesses had jotted down the license tag number. Stupid? Certainly. But I really don't think the widow and children care much about the killers' IQs.
Though some commenters have defended the criminal's (comparative) intelligence, Mrs. McArdle's point is worth exploring. In some countries -- Russia comes to mind -- the benefits to crime are possibly greater, and the benefits to productive economic activity are far less, than in America. Thus Russian criminals might well be smarter than American ones. This would probably have a self-reinforcing effect.
sammler: Miss McArdle has not yet been able to secure an MRS degree from any reputable issuer.
The second time was a fifteen year old kid who spent half an hour wandering back and forth in front of the camera that my super (for reasons I have never fathomed) was using to video tape our garbage,
It's actually not a bad idea. Most dumpster divers are little better than vandals and don't care how much of a mess they scatter around, which in turn is something the owner will have to clean up, since the trash company has no obligation (and is highly unlikely) to do it on the owner's behalf.
When I worked at a RadioShack franchise store years ago, the owner got so fed up with the divers -- particularly after they bypassed the padlock by completely wrecking the plastic weather cover -- that he started collecting his dog's crap out of his back yard, carting it to work, and depositing it in the dumpster. Which significantly mitigated the problem.
I would also add that for any halfway smart criminal, a random trash can or dumpster behind an apartment complex or business is an ideal disposal point for something s/he would rather not see found in proximity to his or her own place of residence or business. Thus, if you're the building owner, a camera with a time and date stamp is a very helpful indemnity device if the cops come around asking questions.
It's likely the number of Washington-based bloggers I read, but it seems like all of them have serious crime stories to tell. Whoa. I can't wait for the handgun ban to be over and the shooting to start.
A nice illustration of the inherent disadvantages of the urban environment. Much as I would like to subscribe to the "ventilating fantasy", I've got to admit that in this situation prospects of effective self-defense are iffy for anyone short of Green Beret training. How it all changes when you drive into your house instead of walking up to it!
How much training does it take to draw a gun, turn around, and smile?
"How much training does it take to draw a gun, turn around, and smile?"
That's the easy part.
Decent people have trouble pulling the trigger. Even when it is completely justified, killing someone is hard to do. Law enforcement training often includes desensitizing people to the hesitancy to kill.
The FBI found in a large number of police fatalities, it wasn't that an officer didn't recognize the danger, or was a bad shot, they just hesitated for no good reason.
Sociopaths, on the other hand, don't hesitate to kill. When you pull out your gun and hesitate to kill him, he takes it away and shoots you.
So, if you choose to use a gun for self defense, don't just learn to shoot. Learn to kill. And if you're going to learn to kill, please learn when it is appropriate.
No, no, no.
You're not telling it right.
Dude put on a ski mask and beat you and Drezner senseless because you advocated abstinence.
That's much more credible.
A much more common feature of urban living and more likely explanation is that of a person who is mentally ill. A disappointed criminal doesn't stamp his feet to announce his failure or his previous intention no matter how stupid he is.
No, not ALL are that stupid.
But many are. Dumber folks typically have less to risk (bad jobs plus dumb choices = bad finances).
However... Lots of people do pretty well at crime. We tend not to notice them unless they target us.
Even the idiot footstomper... He's still roaming free.
Decent people have trouble pulling the trigger.
True enough.
Njorl,
Most criminals are not sociopaths. Most criminals, when facing an armed victim, will simply hightail it out of the area regardless of the intended victim's state of readiness since the outcome is uncertain.
Also, I agree with the other commenters who wrote that this guy was not all that stupid. He followed you until he realized there was no opportunity for success.
And, if ever faced with this situation again, go into a public place and phone the police. I consider your actual, described actions to be a bit stupid too.
How much training does it take to draw a gun, turn around, and smile?
First, that is committing a felony (assault with a deadly weapon? IANAL) -- provided that the footpad did not yet move to an overt attack. Second, going by description, he was close: well in the range of a knife, a compact blunt weapon, or just a solid swing. Drawing from concealment will take time and will be conspicuous enough to provoke his attack (he's behind you and presumably not blind). Finally, he may already have his handgun at the ready, under the coat.
No, the tactical situation plainly sucks. The only halfway effective measure I can come up with is to start running away like hell in a non-secluded place. You'll look weird but won't be doing anything illegal. He won't be able to follow or attack without drawing attention.
Note that I most definitely do not subscribe to the notion of "decent people having trouble pulling the trigger". But, decent people definitely have trouble facing a criminal investigation and possibly trial and a jail term. Living in Texas, I could feel relatively safe shooting first when the assailant is clearly on my property. Out on the streets the Wild West mentality is ill advised, CHL or not.
It seems like walking up to your door and opening it is not the best idea in the world... glad it worked out though.
Guess it's not the year to talk about how safe it is down here in Blacksburg.
I don't want to be paranoid but I think it's a really bad idea to say what street you live in and what city - especially given that women online generally attract more stalkers than normal. It doesn't seem safe and I hope you'd consider editing your post to protect yourself. I just think, these days, you can't be paranoid enough no matter how stupid criminals remain.
Sorry for the creepy advice; but it always worries me how free people are with information online.
"I've only been the victim of three attempts at serious crime"
Only? Three? Damn, Megan. Join us in the gentle midwest. Aside from a long dark night of the soul in New Haven, I haven't been victimzed at all.
Here's another even more astute criminal:
http://www.collegehumor.com/picture:1793780
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Are all criminals this stupid?
To a first approximation, yes.
Pretending to know karate is a start, but I think you should take a basic self-defense class. One of the first things you learn is to be aware of your surroundings, and obvious with your alertness. Second is how to avoid shady situations, and third is how to get away fast, if need be.
I took mine when I was sixteen in an effort to get my curfew extended. Though I only received an extra half-hour for my efforts, the class was quite valuable. And it was fun to prove my new skills to skeptical boys.
You probably have no idea how many times someone has thought about (which seems to be your definition of attempt) committing a crime against you. For each attempt you have noticed there might be a number that you didn't notice that were contemplated, pursued, and then abandoned for whatever reason. How many times in your life do you suspect that a potential attacker has chickened out upon further inspection because they decided you were a risky target?
I suspect the minimum wage might pay better than street crime.
I continue to be amazed at the bank robberies around here. These geniuses walk away with two to four thousand dollars. If they are lucky, they don't get a dye pack. They always get caught, if not the first time, then soon thereafter and the sentences are long.
Flipping burgers at MacDonalds would be a better career move.
I suspect the minimum wage might pay better than street crime. I continue to be amazed at the bank robberies around here. These geniuses walk away with two to four thousand dollars. If they are lucky, they don't get a dye pack. They always get caught, if not the first time, then soon thereafter and the sentences are long. Flipping burgers at MacDonalds would be a better career move.
Flipping burgers at McDonalds doesn't produce $2-4k in less than ten minutes on an impulse.
Flipping burgers at MacDonalds would be a better career move.
McArdle's application was rejected. Luckily, The Atlantic isn't as particular.
The only halfway effective measure I can come up with is to start running away like hell in a non-secluded place.
Well, IAAL, so my preferred solution is to hand him a business card and invite him to call me when--not if--he finds himself in need of representation :)
You're right that the tactical situation sucks in the worst case, but in the worst case our gracious hostess would already be dead. This guy isn't going to run to the cops and complain about you drawing on him even though that probably is felony assault. A purse gun could easily be drawn relatively inconspicuously, and even drawing from the hip will most likely pop him into a new OODA loop for long enough to get it into position. If he expected you to be armed he wouldn't be tailing you.
I'm not suggesting blowing him away. I'm suggesting giving him a reason to give up. And I'm suggesting you don't have to be a Green Beret to pull it off.
Rob: far be it from me to argue with professionals, but I still find it unreasonably risky to "communicate using a gun" on the streets of a big city. Well... think for a minute -- what would YOU do if a guy/gal right ahead of you started drawing from concealment and turning your way? Especially if you contemplated hostile action against him/her already... though that is probably a hard hypothetical :-)
I dunno. Every self-defense course out there teaches that you only draw when you're ready to shoot. And that you shoot once your front sight is on target.
Max, you're right in that if someone asked me, as a lawyer, what I recommend, drawing a gun would most emphatically not be it. And only drawing when you're ready to shoot is undoubtedly a wise approach on many levels; again, it's certainly what I would recommend. To the extent that I have suggested otherwise, I was wrong to do so and I didn't really mean it that way.
I was just reacting to the notion that you need to be a Special Forces soldier to beat this guy. I don't think that's true.
Rob: let's agree that while you may or may not need to have a lot of training to win this one in combat, you certainly CAN get away without it :-)
And again, our hostess' adventure presented us with a genuinely thought provoking situation (I'm sure she'd rather not have it in the first lace). Since I am now so far away from situtations like that -- over a decade in time, thousands of miles in space -- I had to rack my brain to come up with something -- not the luxury you can afford while on the spot. Nope, all y'all may keep your urban BosWash. I am staying put in suburbia ;-)
I don't want to be paranoid but I think it's a really bad idea to say what street you live in and what city - especially given that women online generally attract more stalkers than normal.
Megan said only that she lives off of U Street, which is a long major street. She never gave the name of the actual street where she lives. Doesn't sound too risky to me.
Well, the discussion of using a firearm is moot in this case. Handguns are illegal in DC. You can't get a permit to have one in your home, which is required to move the gun from room to room. Any long gun must be disabled. They definitely do not have carry permits. Should a gun have been used to defend in this case, she would have been prosecuted far more vehemently than the potential mugger just for having a gun in the city.
Calling the police in this case is useless. Even after calling, the mugger would have 5-60 minutes to rob, murder or rape. That is if the DC police deign to respond. The landmark case on police responsibility to protect an individual, which they don't have according to SCOTUS, was from DC police who declined to respond to repeated calls from 3 women regarding an intruder, the women ended up raped and tortured for hours because the officers decided not to get out of their car even on the second and third calls.
Best response in this situation is to face the individual down. They generally don't want to hit a prepared and aware victim. As in this case, they go find someone easier to rob.
My only experience with urban crime was with a con man. Allow me to assure you that he was very, very smart. I mean, also, I'm dumb. But he was very, very smart.
Well, I've been robbed at gunpoint and they weren't that inept. In fact they seemed to have their system down. Pull up next to you as you're parking with the window down and sunroof open. Thug A pops through the sunroof, chambers a round in the short barrel shotgun he's holding and says "throw your wallets and purses to the driver." After receiving the wallets, off they go. We all got the same license number and the car was the same model and year as my brothers. Unfortunately the plates were reported stolen a couple of days before, so end of investigation.
As far as using a gun in defense, based on my time in the army, I'd agree with those that say you should bementally prepared for what you may have to do.
He might have been from the Brookings Institution wanting you to make an early contribution toward keeping Tiny Tim from being thrown out in the street because of the mortgage problem (you think?). Really it is reminiscent of the stalking montages in Vengeance about the hunting and being hunted of the Israeli counter terrorism team after the murders at the Munich Olympics. The most reassuring thing is the evident frustration and sense of closure with the person stomping his foot, shaking his head and walking off. Otherwise you might wonder if it was personally directed.
I have no idea what the right thing to do was in that situation, but I'm glad you're safe.
I'm smart. I steal diamonds and ladies' hearts and have never been caught.