Appalachian Trail murder and attack, too close for comfort

[TAFKALVS]

My wife isn't comfortable with the responsibility of carrying a fucking deadly weapon in the woods, nor does she want to go through the training to have the mindset and ability to use it and potentially KILL another human. So she carries bear spray.

Bear spray is a very debilitating tool. The people who I know who have accidentally been sprayed (One was just being dumb, the other had the canister left in a hot truck glove box and it discharged due to being over pressure.) They reported full debilitation with temporary lost vision, smell and hearing due to the intense pain and nervous system overload. It took them several hours to partially recover. I have the feeling Bear Spray would buy a person time to get the police.

I'm not arguing against carrying in the backcountry. I personally carry a handgun in the backcountry. But I'm against the mindset that the act of carrying a gun makes a person an instant demi-god super hero clint eastwood. The average person can't just pick it up and defend yourself. You need training. S-I-J's daughter does not need a Glock overnighted to her. While I would encourage her to at least THINK about a self defense plan while hiking solo on the AT, what defensive tools she carries come down to what she personally wants to be responsible with. I would encourage S-I-J to speak with his daughter and run through potential scenarios that she might encounter and discuss what she might do in those scenarios. (If he hasn't already.)

Reality is, the woods are pretty safe and bad stuff that happens is a major outlier, not a present danger unless you're in an area that has a history of crime (meth areas, border areas, cartel grows, etc.) That isn't really the AT. So that leaves you with planning for these sort of very random, very rare but also potentially very devastating events, which don't carry an easy answer or solution.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

more than a few self-declared "lawful gun owners" advocating for disregarding the law(s) because they don't suit them. interesting.

Yeah, well it was all kinds of illegal for that fuckface to go attacking people with a machete, too.

I guess I'll let other people argue about the legality of me carrying if I ever come into the need to use it.

[iceman]

You're never gonna hike the trail. But if they come for your Doritos you're ready.

[mall walker]

My wife isn't comfortable with the responsibility of carrying a fucking deadly weapon in the woods, nor does she want to go through the training to have the mindset and ability to use it and potentially KILL another human. So she carries bear spray.

Bear spray is a very debilitating tool. The people who I know who have accidentally been sprayed (One was just being dumb, the other had the canister left in a hot truck glove box and it discharged due to being over pressure.) They reported full debilitation with temporary lost vision, smell and hearing due to the intense pain and nervous system overload. It took them several hours to partially recover. I have the feeling Bear Spray would buy a person time to get the police.

I'm not arguing against carrying in the backcountry. I personally carry a handgun in the backcountry. But I'm against the mindset that the act of carrying a gun makes a person an instant demi-god super hero clint eastwood. The average person can't just pick it up and defend yourself. You need training. S-I-J's daughter does not need a Glock overnighted to her. While I would encourage her to at least THINK about a self defense plan while hiking solo on the AT, what defensive tools she carries come down to what she personally wants to be responsible with. I would encourage S-I-J to speak with his daughter and run through potential scenarios that she might encounter and discuss what she might do in those scenarios. (If he hasn't already.)

Reality is, the woods are pretty safe and bad stuff that happens is a major outlier, not a present danger unless you're in an area that has a history of crime (meth areas, border areas, cartel grows, etc.) That isn't really the AT. So that leaves you with planning for these sort of very random, very rare but also potentially very devastating events, which don't carry an easy answer or solution.

well said

[Bobby Stainless]

Unfortunately there are people that need to be killed in this world. Machete guy is one of them.

Its naive to think that guns are not a necessary evil in our society. Cops need guns. OPs daughter definitely needed a gun. As did the guy who was chopped up in front of his wife.

So go take your altruistic bullshit and pat yourself on the back. No one is coming to save you.

Im not sure any of you can imagine the horror that took place. But yeah... Guns suck. Lol.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

You're never gonna hike the trail. But if they come for your Doritos you're ready.

Flamin' hot cheetos, bro..

[Mazderati]

lol

[Bobby Stainless]

They should've had a hatchet or knife.

Splitting someones head open or stabbing them repeatedly is so much easier than shooting someone. Just ask Kai.

[iceman]

^^^Kai just got convicted of murder a couple weeks ago (not for the event in the video).

https://nypost.com/2019/04/24/kai-th...torneys-death/

[Svengali]

Redhawk Alaskan is the only choice.

Really Bobby? guess you'd buy your daughter a Hellcat for her 16th birthday too!

OP Sorry your kid had to deal with this and glad nothing more happened to her. Too close for comfort indeed.

Also too bad this thread had to degenerate into a rah, rah for guns. Fuck guns.

x2

[adrenalated]

My wife isn't comfortable with the responsibility of carrying a fucking deadly weapon in the woods, nor does she want to go through the training to have the mindset and ability to use it and potentially KILL another human. So she carries bear spray.

Bear spray is a very debilitating tool. The people who I know who have accidentally been sprayed (One was just being dumb, the other had the canister left in a hot truck glove box and it discharged due to being over pressure.) They reported full debilitation with temporary lost vision, smell and hearing due to the intense pain and nervous system overload. It took them several hours to partially recover. I have the feeling Bear Spray would buy a person time to get the police.

I'm not arguing against carrying in the backcountry. I personally carry a handgun in the backcountry. But I'm against the mindset that the act of carrying a gun makes a person an instant demi-god super hero clint eastwood. The average person can't just pick it up and defend yourself. You need training. S-I-J's daughter does not need a Glock overnighted to her. While I would encourage her to at least THINK about a self defense plan while hiking solo on the AT, what defensive tools she carries come down to what she personally wants to be responsible with. I would encourage S-I-J to speak with his daughter and run through potential scenarios that she might encounter and discuss what she might do in those scenarios. (If he hasn't already.)

Reality is, the woods are pretty safe and bad stuff that happens is a major outlier, not a present danger unless you're in an area that has a history of crime (meth areas, border areas, cartel grows, etc.) That isn't really the AT. So that leaves you with planning for these sort of very random, very rare but also potentially very devastating events, which don't carry an easy answer or solution.

Very well said. Another point - if you shoot and kill a person out in the woods, with no witnesses, you better have a whole bunch of proof that it was in self defense because you're probably going to be investigated for homicide.

[riser4]

A little pepper spray will spice up those Doritos nicely.

[BFD]

It is horrible your daughter had to experience this. I hope she can meet up with hikers she is comfortable with and have a great experience.

[Bobby Stainless]

Really Bobby?

My real response was a taser. Pepper spray can fly all over.

[Danno]

Unfortunately there are people that need to be killed in this world. Machete guy is one of them.

Its naive to think that guns are not a necessary evil in our society. Cops need guns. OPs daughter definitely needed a gun. As did the guy who was chopped up in front of his wife.

So go take your altruistic bullshit and pat yourself on the back. No one is coming to save you.

Im not sure any of you can imagine the horror that took place. But yeah... Guns suck. Lol.

If machete guy is coming for you, machete a-waving, and you have a gun in your hands pointed at him, then by all means fire. And be glad that you had the gun.

But that statement I just made doesn't really answer the question of whether you'd be better off having the gun with you on the trail, or "need" a gun with you. I realize that for those who like guns, they think it does, but the cold reality is that it doesn't. Which is not to say that you shouldn't have a gun on the trail, either. It's just that the example of machete guy doesn't answer the question.

[scrambledbacon]

Unfortunately there are people that need to be killed in this world. Machete guy is one of them.

Its naive to think that guns are not a necessary evil in our society. Cops need guns. OPs daughter definitely needed a gun. As did the guy who was chopped up in front of his wife.

So go take your altruistic bullshit and pat yourself on the back. No one is coming to save you.

Im not sure any of you can imagine the horror that took place. But yeah... Guns suck. Lol.

A lotta people forget the world/nature is inherently violent,you come in violently(birth)you go out violently(stroke,MI,trauma etc). Gotta realize you're the boss of your own protection detail. No one else is obliged to protect you.

[TNKen]

Live near this area. This isn't the first wacko that has appeared on the AT in this part of the world.

Say what you want, but if you are comfortable, carry concealed and keep your mouth shut. If not, make sure you have some means to protect yourself.

The federal judge handing the case is my former supervising attorney. He has ordered the guy for a psych eval. A little too late unfortunately. Frankly, I was shocked that the guy managed to get out of jail in Unicoi County on the first LE encounter.

[AdironRider]

The lady hacked up by machete guy definitely needed a gun at that moment, but the odds of that are so infinitesimally low to be in that situation I find it hard to say the average person would need a gun to go for a hike on the AT per se. Basically comes down to what makes you feel comfortable.

Also, as someone who's done a couple hundred miles of the AT (almost exclusively in the NE part) I remember meeting a few characters that seemed off, running away from something. I distinctly remember a guy drinking a bit to much at a shelter and letting it slip he was running from a child support payments and needed to figure out how to get out West and do the Pacific Crest. These types certainly weren't the majority, or even a sizable minority, but I personally haven't encountered basically anything like it since, nor did I before.

I mean, its not like the whole AT culture isn't unfortunately tailor made for certain types to disappear. They all have nicknames/aliai, show up every couple weeks at a random post office or store to stock up on supplies, are constantly moving.

[dunfree]

Pepper spray can fly all over.

that's the point. it's better for general purposes, not just fantasy. because fact is you are far more likely to encounter a bear, other predator, or nasty dog on the trail than some human asshole with a machete.

[2FUNKY]

S-I-J, glad your daughter is ok. Close one man.
Some of the replies here are pure humor. TGR never seems to disappoint in that regard.

[VTeton]

I have a buddy that packed heat on the AT. Said there's a lot of crazy people on the AT. Guessing that as long as you are not brandishing it, no one is going to bother you about it.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[east or bust]

I really hope this wasn’t my friend.. fuck. they were right around this area

haven’t heard back from her today yet

[wyeaster]

Wrong again my little maggot wife stalking friend.

https://www.nps.gov/shen/learn/manag...arm_policy.htm




I would just do what Spook would do, curl up in the fetal position and cry for my wife to come save me.


and get it right, cool hand luke was a petty thief not a gun toting shootem up shooter. now go take a lap.

uh huh. experience sez otherwise, birdbrain.

[iceman]

I really hope this wasn’t my friend.. fuck. they were right around this area

haven’t heard back from her today yet

Well that would suck, keep us posted please.

[Danno]

The person murdered is named Ronald Sanchez, but the other people haven't been identified. https://www.boston.com/news/national...tim-identified