A&M at Galveston Student Attacked at Jack in the Box

[Aggie_engr]

All campus members,
Assault at the JACK-IN-THE-BOX

This morning about 10am, a student reported that he was approached by a
male white "bum", about 35-45 years old, 5'7" to 5'8" inches tall,
weighing between 160-170lbs. He is further described as having brown
hair and wearing a red plaid shirt and blue jeans. The student said the
man approached him and asked if he would buy some flowers, as he was
going to the Jack-in-the-Box on 61st street.

When the student declined the offer, he said the man bent over like he
was going to pick up something off the ground. As the student started
to walk away, the "bum" stabbed his calf with an unknown object, causing
a puncture wound, which had to be treated at the Urgent care center. The
wound was not serious and the student will be back in school.

This student failed to report the incident right away and the suspect
was nowhere to be found when the campus police and GPD went to check
the area. I would remind all campus members to keep a sharp eye out on
their surroundings and report any problems as soon as they occur. The
victim in this case did not get a good enough look at the suspect, who
ran away after the assault, to identify him for any future charges. The
suspect in this case may return to the JACK-IN-THE-BOX or move on to
some other business, so please be alert when coming and going to any
public place or business in the 61st street area.

If you see suspicious people on or around campus or if you feel the need
for an escort on campus, please call the campus police at 409-740-4545,
(ext-2 after hours) if there is a phone problem, you can call the police
cell phone directly at 409-771-5185. If you have an emergency, no
matter where you are, call 911. The Galveston Police dispatcher will
answer your call and they will direct the proper assistance to your
location ASAP.

This message is for all campus members. I ask that all supervisors of
employees without computer access to please share this with them.

Sam Martinez, Chief of Police

Texas A&M University at Galveston

This was sent out to all students/faculty/staff. It happened on May 5th, which was this past tuesday. What would you as a chl holder have done if this happened to you? Would you draw and shoot? Draw and hold the guy until the police arrive? Since he has no money the police won't do anything to him besides book him and let him out the next day so is it even worth it?

The reason I ask if you would draw and shoot is because you never know what your going to get stabbed with. It could be an aids infected needle for all you know. Or draw as you're backing away and see if he stops attacking?

[TexasComputerDude]

I would prob. turn and punch his lights out the moment he started poking me. The moment he said anything about aids, or needles or anything I would draw.

I also treat bums fairly well, If I have some spare change I may give them some depending on my mood. But then again country bums are different from city bums. It sometimes pays to have a bum on your side as you can sometimes get information from them about certain things and they are usually fairly loyal to you and it only costs a buck or ten a month maybe. I've had property stolen before and only learned who stole it from someone who wasn't as fortunate as me. I was also stopped outside a local business because one bum thought I was stealing, he said he had called the cops and given them a description of my truck and I said I will wait for them to get here. Fairly effective security system. (it was 3am and I was moving PVC pipe from outside a closed store across the street to another closed store (ours) lol.

[seamusTX]

Well, I wouldn't have been walking to Jack-in-the-Box from Texas A&M. That must be two miles. There are plenty of better places closer to Texas A&M. Also, I have a bicycle and a car.

That area (61st Street south of Offats Bayou) is always full of bums.

The number one rule in a case like this is not letting them close on you. An air of authority nearly always does the job. If they don't stop at a respectful distance, I use the voice of command, as in, "Stop. That's close enough. I can't help you."

I've never had a situation escalate past that point, so I can't say what I would do.

With bums, you always have to keep in mind that they may be intoxicated or deranged, and not act rationally.

- Jim

[Aggie_engr]

Back in highschool when I mostly got paid in cash for working for my dad and uncle on the farm I always had change in my pocket that I would throw their way. But now that I'm a broke college student, I have no income and all of my transactions are done with my debit card so I never have any cash/change on me anymore, which I've had bums get mad as if they don't believe me or something? All I've got in my pocket is my driver license, chl and debit card. And sometimes my LCP!

[bryang]

The number one rule in a case like this is not letting them close on you. An air of authority nearly always does the job. If they don't stop at a respectful distance, I use the voice of command, as in, "Stop. That's close enough. I can't help you."

- Jim

That was exactly what I was thinking as I read the op. He should not have let him get that close to him and should not have taken his eyes off of him. You should take control of the situation immeatly and with authority.

-geo

[Aggie_engr]

seamusTX wrote:

The number one rule in a case like this is not letting them close on you. An air of authority nearly always does the job. If they don't stop at a respectful distance, I use the voice of command, as in, "Stop. That's close enough. I can't help you."

- Jim

Ya now that I don't have anything to give them that's what I do. But it seems as though the attack was out of spite for not giving him anything. Sometimes the command may not work as Jim said they might be intoxicated or deranged. I guess after they fail to adhere to commands you would be forced to engage the same as any other threat would be handled.

[seamusTX]

That's where pepper spray comes in handy. Ask Mr. Harold Fish how shooting unarmed maniacs works out.

- Jim

[casingpoint]

The man Harold Fish shot was indeed armed with a screwdriver. But since Fish didn't know that because the screwdriver was concealed in a pocket, this fact was inadmissible. The first thing the cops do if they shoot somebody is find a suspect's weapon at the scene, whether is was seen in play or not. Sometimes, weapons are "found" in miraculous ways.

Fish appears to have been convicted on the false testimony of a ballistics expert. The judge admitted to a gross error on his part. Either should cause an overturn of the conviction on appeal. That, apparently, is not proceeding in a timely manner.

Fish also was shafted by then Arizona Attorney General Janet Napolitano, not Director of Homeland Security, when that shrewish, parsniping little bureaucrat failed to apply the intent of the Arizona legislature to the Fish case.

[seamusTX]

All of that will be a great comfort to Mr. Fish if his conviction is reversed on appeal and he gets to spend his retirement years in bankruptcy.

- Jim

[skip]

" Since he has no money the police won't do anything to him besides book him and let him out the next day so is it even worth it?"

I think my comment on this is going to be about the "book him and let him out the next day". You never know what this guy's background is, He could have warrant's for a multitude of things, and him getting caught for this may put him away for awhile.

[stevie_d_64]

The number one rule in a case like this is not letting them close on you. An air of authority nearly always does the job. If they don't stop at a respectful distance, I use the voice of command, as in, "Stop. That's close enough. I can't help you."

Respect in my opinion is a two-way street...Many times on the way out of places like this...If they are still around, I'll give them a lot more than just pocket change...And the fact that I carry doesn't even come into play, when it comes to folks like this who are in need...

[seamusTX]

I used to give money to panhandlers. After a series of eye-opening experiences, I now give to the Salvation Army and the Jesse Tree.

BTW, if a panhandler is selling flowers around 61st and Stewart, the flowers were most likely lifted from a cemetery.

- Jim