A 71-year-old Wisconsin real estate agent was found dead inside a home she had been showing, and authorities said Thursday that the man she had met there was arrested. Ann B. Nelson, of Cambridge, was found dead Tuesday night next to a smoldering mattress at the smoke-filled rural home in the town of Oakland, authorities said. Investigators say an autopsy concluded Nelson died of smoke inhalation, but she also had head injuries.
If only Realtor organizations across the U.S. would once and for all halt their irresponsible statements telling agents not to carry firearms for protection.
"Learn to use your body to protect yourself," they say. "Take someone with you," they say. Well, the former is not a realistic solution for most everyone -- particularly if you are older; and the latter, well a friend or colleague isn't always available.
Real estate agents should carry if they so choose. I've met many who do. It's not because they want to feel safe. It's because they know they will be safer.
20 March 2008
71-year-Old Realtor Murdered In Home She Was Showing
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
You may have already seen this, Brent, but closer to home:
http://www.wbns10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2008/03/20/man_shot.html?sid=102
It's not entirely clear what could have been done in this situation, and when. I think if they "demanded" money, I would have to decide whether I thought my wallet would buy my safety, or if drawing a weapon would have been appropriate. Obviously walking away didn't work...
A-
Thanks for reminding me of this story. I saw it and meant to mention it, but forgot. You are right. Every situation is different . . . every situation is a judgment call. When I teach, whether it is CCW or Refuse To Be A Victim, the optimal situation is to get away safely. To be flip, drawing your firearm usually means paperwork in a few hours. But in all seriousness, there are some situations where it may be too late to draw. And handing over a wallet, or throwing some "chump change" in the opposite direction, will give you the seconds you need. Ideally, you are so very aware of your surroundings that your senses start tell you something's wrong, and you draw a firearm - if you have one with you - before someone is close enough to demand your wallet. Like I said, every situation is different. And as you noted, walking away doesn't always work. In today's culture, youthful criminals consider that disrespectful, and they lose face among their peers. So they have to do something to the victim, besides just rob him or her. This was probably a no-win from the start. The bad guys knew they had the victim because his arms were full of groceries and he was vulnerable. I hope he recovers fully.
That's one advantage to my preferred mode of carry - in the pocket. In compliance to a request for money the BG would not be alarmed if I calmly reached in my pocket... for my .357 snub! (ok, well, that last part would cause alarm, but not the initial reaching)
Post a Comment