Got a gun brandished/pulled on me

[SteveInKA]

Hey guys,
I was in East Bay Oakland a little while ago. I'm producing a reality tv special about a local biker gang out there. I was with one of my ENG crews shooting b roll of the ghetto of Oakland.

My camera man, audio guy and assistant as well as myself hopped out of our van and put our digi beta cam on sticks on the side of the road to roll a bit. About fifty yards up i see a black man sitting in a green older model honda accord. He's been sitting there the whole time we've been filming, staring at us the whole time. It made me a bit nervous seeing as how the camera we were renting/using was worth almost $80k.

I told my camera man to be prepared and just know that some pos is watching us do our thing. He started to drive up, i maintained eye contact with him the entire time, while my camera man and audio guy were working. He stopped next to us...we were on the left side of the street facing north, he was coming south.

"What are you doin?"---scumbag
"Shooting a documentary about east bay oakland"---me
"word?"---scumbag
"uh, yes, word"---me
"shoot this"---scumbag

This pos pulled out what appeared to me to be a Glock G17. I couldn't really be sure though..but i'd put my money on it being a G17. Not sure how this ghetto *** pos got that pistol. Actually, yes i am but i don't need or care to assume things.

He didn't point it at me, just pulled it from his lap, under a towel or shirt or something. My camera man was really shaken up and was borderline shaking. We packed up and left. He was curious as to why i wasn't really reacting to what had happened. To tell you the truth i was a bit surprised at how i reacted too.

If anyone would've asked me prior to this happening..."how would you react if someone pulled a gun out/brandished a weapon at you". I would probably say that i'd get really upset and haul *** outta there. But i didn't. I simply looked the guy straight in the eye and didn't say or react one bit.

The only thing i said was to my crew..and that was "damn, wish i had my FN Five Seven with me." Of course i was just messing around, i wouldn't want to be in a gun fight if i didn't have a CCW.

So that's my first and hopefully last story about getting a gun pulled on me. Sorry about the length.

[EdinKali]

Maybe he was DEA and it was a glock "Foty".

[Rob P.]

What - you didn't have your camera guy shoot some footage of the scumbag waving his gun at you and his vehicle and license plate? Good clear film that LEO could use for prosecution purposes and which YOU could use for CCW purposes?

[savageevo]

I agree, you should of filmed him coming towards you and brandished his gun. then you could report that trash to the proper authorities so bubba could have another boyfriend.

[WokMaster1]

welcome to Oakland. Be careful out there. By any chance did the cameraman filmed the car details, license plate, driver? If you did, pass the info to OPD or CHP. CHP is real active there now because the Gov has authorized extra muscle to supplement OPD.

Just an idea here, if you want cheap LEO escort, post an ad on Craigslist. See if you can exchange security for learning how to do video/film work. You'll never know. They might have to report to the local station in your area just to let them know that 'he/she' is working security in the area. I don't know if it's legit but I think it's fine if no payment exchanged hands. Any ideas?

[Jicko]

Get some footage of that man....

Perfect line of work and reason for CCW....

You'd need it for work, since you are doing high risk work.... and here is the "proof"....

[paradox]

Hey guys,
I was in East Bay Oakland a little while ago. I'm producing a reality tv special about a local biker gang out there. I was with one of my ENG crews shooting b roll of the ghetto of Oakland.

..
a black man sitting in a green older model honda accord:
...
"What are you doin?"---scumbag
"Shooting a documentary about east bay oakland"---me
"word?"---scumbag
"uh, yes, word"---me
"shoot this"---scumbag

This pos pulled out what appeared to me to be a Glock G17.

Let me get this straight, you’re shooting a reality-TV show about biker gangs in E. Oakland and are surprised about getting a gun pulled on you?

I say you passed up on a great opportunity to get a sequel filmed: “Gats in O’town”

[SteveInKA]

You know guys i never really thought about requesting a CCW based on the field work i do. That is a damn good idea. Thing is, i'm not sure how my fellow crew members would feel about me carrying. Afterall, this is hollywood and most of the people i work with are liberal lefties who's argument of why have a gun is "just call 911". As far as getting the guys info/plate etc. It really happened all too fast. My camera man had his camera locked on sticks pointing north. Before it all happened i did notice that the guy's green accord had no front plate. Also, my cameraman wouldn't have panned over to the guy in fear of the guy seeing us do so and coming back, understandably so.

Forgot to mention a funny thing that happened five minutes prior to Johnny Ghetto Jackson flashing his piece at us. An elderly man walked up to us and asked us what we were doing. As i usually do i told him "we're shooting a documentary". He replied "it's strange to see a camera crew down here doing that, usually we just get the news crews here filming someone with a hole in their head". Not exactly what i wanted to hear.

[SteveInKA]

Let me get this straight, you’re shooting a reality-TV show about biker gangs in E. Oakland and are surprised about getting a gun pulled on you?

I say you passed up on a great opportunity to get a sequel filmed: “Gats in O’town”

Not a show, just a one hour special. Actually the safest parts of the shoot were when i was with the bikers. They get respect from EVERYONE out there, including the police. Big burley white dudes, tattoos and matching colors/jackets seem to intimidate people, even the ghetto *** gangbangers. I spent a long time in the trenches with those guys. Got to be good friends with a lot of them. Most of them are gun enthusiasts like ourselves...and stand up guys who would have your back no matter what.

[WokMaster1]

Not a show, just a one hour special. Actually the safest parts of the shoot were when i was with the bikers. They get respect from EVERYONE out there, including the police. Big burley white dudes, tattoos and matching colors/jackets seem to intimidate people, even the ghetto *** gangbangers. I spent a long time in the trenches with those guys. Got to be good friends with a lot of them. Most of them are gun enthusiasts like ourselves...and stand up guys who would have your back no matter what.

did you tell them about the green honda? Maybe they know the guy & will pay him a visit for frightening their friends.......

[savageevo]

instead of hiring an of duty leo, just hire a couple biker dudes just to hang around,

[paradox]

instead of hiring an of duty leo, just hire a couple biker dudes just to hang around,

That worked swell for the Stones...

[mecam]

Yaa Area East Oakland... Stay away mayne!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijb56pPwq20

-

[sloguy]

i went to visit friends who lived in oakland once. 5 minutes in town and i saw some guy and another guy arguing in traffic, and one was waiving a gun. as i was passing by i realized that i was then downrange of the guy with a gun if he started shooting at the other guy. i took the next side street to take cover.

[Piper]

Gee, can't think of any reason for law abiding citizens to carry in public. Just keep your cellphone with you and "POOF" the cops will be there.

Yep, Sir Robert Peel had one helluva and idea there. Glad we borrowed the metropolitan police concept from the Brits. We really need them to make us safe.