It’s something that makes many firearms owners nervous: being spotted and called out (“outed”) when concealed carrying. Perhaps when you’re reaching for the top shelf at the grocery store or bending down to pick up your kid at the park, someone sees your holstered firearm. You don’t necessarily know how he or she may react.
What Should I Do If Someone Yells, ‘This Guy Has A Gun!’?
The first tip that Attorney Grieve provides is to remain calm. Explain respectfully and quickly what happened and that you don’t intend anyone any harm. Let witnesses know that you are a lawful concealed carry permit holder.
Next, get out of there. Wherever you are, it is important to try to de-escalate the situation and then promptly remove yourself from the scene. The person who spotted your firearm may make a scene, causing hysteria among others in the public place.
If the person who saw your firearm calls 911, you will likely have an interaction with law enforcement. It is again very important to remain calm. It’s a good idea to disarm yourself before the police arrive. Make sure that the police officers understand that you are not a threat to anyone. Police officers will likely be skittish because all they know is that they are responding to a gun in public. Police simply want to make sure that everyone will be getting home safe to their families.
Finally, if this happens to you, after everything settles, you need to re-evaluate what happened and what you can do differently to make sure this doesn’t happen again. Take the time to evaluate what went wrong and how can you improve your carry strategy to make sure you are able to always keep your firearm concealed.
About Tom Grieve, Grieve Law
Tom Grieve is a highly awarded former state prosecutor who started Grieve Law, LLC, which is now one of the largest criminal defense firms in Wisconsin. He is respected as one of the top criminal defense lawyers in the state and has developed a nuanced understanding of Wisconsin firearms laws throughout his years of experience. Although Tom’s legal background speaks for itself, he has gone above and beyond the call of duty, receiving his certification as a firearms instructor, participating as a regular speaker and panelist with the USCCA for live broadcasts, training videos and national expos, and even serving as a speaker and analyst on numerous radio stations, television stations, and both college and law school campuses.
The information contained on this website is provided as a service to USCCA, Inc. Members and the concealed carry community and does not constitute legal advice. Although we attempt to address all areas of concealed carry laws in all states, we make no claims, representations, warranties, promises or guarantees as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information disclosed. Legal advice must always be tailored to the individual facts and circumstances of each individual case. Laws are constantly changing, and, as such, nothing contained on this website should be used as a substitute for the advice of a lawyer for a specific case.
