Gang violence and intimidation is a fact of life. A majority of the major cities have a gang task force to help deal with the rising problem of gang related crimes.
I can honesty say I have never had a "gang" altercation in my life time, I am a lucky woman. Has anyone hear been confronted by a gang, what did you do, how did you handle the situation and what was the outcome. For those of you who haven't what do you do to prepare yourself in case you are confronted and/or protect yourself from it ever happening?
Flint Gangs - Yes.
Detroit Gangs - Yes.
Pontiac Gangs - Yes.
San Diego Gangs - Yes.
LA Gangs - Yes.
Plus lots of other situations.
A quick high light some.
LA - Driving from San Diego to Stockton (1988), and decided to get off express way. I went to turn right and there was a gang coming at me. I stopped and started to turn away from them and go left.But to the left was another group of guys/gang all armed and coming towards me. I put the vehicle in reverse and sped back on the express way. Yes I ran away.
San Diego (1988 as well), I was on the beach front, and these locals started beating up a group of students. They jumped the weakest in a knee brace and started to beat and kick him as all his friends ran away. I stepped up and stated I wouldn't do that if I was you. Of course they stopped and came at me. Exchange of words and I did not back down and the guy with me was right there at my side. We were out numbered 8 to 2. Their leader asked where I was from, and I said Flint. He said Where? I said Flint Michigan, the Murder capital of the USA. He smiled and said I knew there was something about you I liked and walked away. They staid in the area. The guy in the knee brace had crawled away. The police showed up and took control of the bad guys as they tried to run away.
Pontiac Gang (2005) - trying to get across town before everything shut down for the dream cruise. I missed the timing by a single light and was turned around. While trying to get where I needed to go I went through the wrong neighborhood. I came upon a "Business" deal, and my top was down on my convertible. I could not turn around so I just pulled up and smiled and told the truth. I am in the wrong neighborhood and just trying to leave. The leader from the porch smiled and said "Get the hell out off my street". I said thanks as I drove away.
Detroit Gangs ( late 80's ) - Hanging out down town, and I turned down the wrong street. I was approached on foot. I tried to back up but there was people behind me. I tried to leave but they continued to surround me. I ended up leaving it in Reverse where it was and just floored it to get away. I did not want to stick around with what they were saying to me.
Flint Gangs ( lots of dates and events )
1) 1995 - I was covering a door for a friend. At the place next door, a group of Neo-"Nazi's" showed up with flags and dogs and boots. Before I could get the 20 feet they had knocked out the two door guys and were kicking them with their steel toed boots. I pulled them off and then tried to protect them while others dragged them inside. I had one in my right hand and a second in my left hand but the third one on me reach over the hit me. I have never been hit so hard before. I turned so he caught my right eye and not my nose. My right eye turned inward and was looking at my nose. I closed it and continued to fight. I kicked the guy who hit me in the groin and then slammed the two together. They rushed me and I stepped back and fell when I stepped on one of the guys feet in the doorway. On my back in the doorway, I tried to use my feet to keep the guy pushing the attacks off of me. ( I was still worried about the dogs and the guys in the back of the other pick up and knew it could get real bad real quick *) The guy tried to jump on me and I caught him with my feet/legs and supported him with my left and jabbed with my right foot/leg. Since I was in the frame he could not get around me. I tried to jump back and kick me. I used heel checks to kick his feet until he jumped back on me and I caught him again. An off duty police officer doing security at a nearby bank sees the crowd gathering and comes around the corner and calls for back up and help. The bad guys left.
2) A local gang decided to hang out at my place. I asked them to go back outside and take all their weapons and leave them in their vehicles. (* August and they had long winter coats with lots of "toys" in them *) The leader asked me how I was going to stop him. I told I wasn't. But sooner or later someone would get out of his sight and call the police and I told him I did not like answering all those pesky questions. He smiled and took his boys outside and they came back in dressed for summer. I did not say anything for the knife that a couple of them were carrying. Given what they had left outside, I took it as a major win.
They spent lots of money and fun.
They came back.
They did not do business on site so we got along fine.
A rival gang walked in the back door and they were running out the front as I saw them. I locked the front door and asked them to just leave. They did because we had an understanding. The other gang was upset with me, and I told them that I did not like the paper work with the police and that if they choose they could follow them and stop arguing with me.
They left in the same direction the first gang did.
3) While downtown trying to ask people if they had a slim jim or coat hanger as a friend had locked his keys in his car. This gang took offense as they thought I was going to steal on their turf. I said hey guys relax and the rest of my crew is right there. I pointed and they started walking towards me calling out if I was ok. I said all is cool and left them behind. (* Note: I am 6'3" and was about 260 at that time and I was about the average size guy in the group. The other guys some were 6'8" and bigger than I with one or two that were smaller, but scrappy. *) The gang told me off about not poaching their turf. Later when we got the door open we just smiled abd pulled the keys out and locked the door and walked away. (* Car was parked in pay lot with guard *)