Two men brandish guns during citizen's arrest in Boise

[LAGC]

BOISE -- A bizarre turn of events Friday afternoon in downtown Boise after a man steals another man's duffle bag.

Two bystanders pulled their guns to stop the crime.

Police say what started this was a case of petit theft.

One man is now accused of stealing a bag from a homeless man near the corner of Americana Boulevard and River Street.
Misunderstanding could lead to assault charges

It was after this occurred that Paul Brookhouse stepped in to make a citizens arrest.

He now faces possible felony charges.

"Somewhat confusing when it all was wrapped up," said Lt. Ron Winegar with the Boise Police Department.

On Friday afternoon just before one, Brookhouse says he witnessed a crime.

"The other guy grabbed a bag, a duffle bag and started running across the street. The one gentleman turned around and started yelling, 'stop hey, stop that's my stuff'," Brookhouse said.

Brookhouse pulled his car over and intervened.

But in the heat of the moment this concealed weapons permit holder made an erroneous claim.

"I pulled my weapon and I told the gentleman, I made a mistake here, I said, "Boise Police. Stop. You're under arrest." So, he did, I asked him to get on the ground, we did all the hands behind your back thing. I frisked him and then held him at gun point until the police department got here," Brookhouse said.

Police identified the man Brookhouse stopped as 46-year-old John Dickey.

But before police arrived another man driving by saw Brookhouse holding Dickey at gun point.

He too held a concealed weapons permit.

"Saw that taking place and thought there was a crime happening and so he intervened, pulling his handgun and trying to detain the first citizen who had pulled the handgun to try and detain the initial suspect," Winegar said.

When police arrived they had both men put down their guns.

http://www.ktvb.com/news/local/64254017.html

Guess it just goes to show that taking the law into your own hands can have some potentially negative consequences. Now, I'm all for concealed carry, but pulling a gun to stop a petit theft is a bit much. Trying to chase or tackle the guy is one thing, but resorting to potentially lethal force over a non-felony crime, that's pushing vigilantism. I don't know that the two men who pulled guns should be charged, but they should definitely be more careful in the future. Just because you think you see a crime happening, doesn't necessitate you having to be a hero. Food for thought, to say the least.

[cynatnite]

1. They were playing at being cops...

This ONE time it turned out fine.

[gorfle]

14. Most of the time it turns out fine.

The rate of revocation for CCW permit holders is less than 2%.

[aikoaiko]

2. I usually support any regular person intervening to stop the commission of a crime, but

... it is required that they do so within the bounds of the law. If you stay within the bounds of the law when intervening then you're not a vigilante.

[GreenStormCloud]

3. For minor crimes a CCW has to be a good witness.

If we attempt to tackle the thief, we run the risk of the fight escalating into a shooting situation. Even if we don't draw the gun, it is on us and in the struggle the thief could grab it. We would be introducing a gun into a previously non-lethal situation. The risk isn't worth the guy's bag.

Getting involved on behalf of a third party is a high-risk situation. You have to be real sure who is the good guy and that there is a threat to his/her life.

[MadMaddie]

4. So the police pull up and have two men who are not police

officers with guns...anyone see the potential for this to be a cluster fuck?

I thought the concealed weapons was for personal protection?

[jtuck004]

5. If this isn't a poster shot for more training needed, I don't know what is.

People need to understand the CCW is just a state allowance to carry a concealed weapon. Has nothing, nada, zip to do with their defense if they pull that sucker. In this case I wouldn't be surprised if the first guy gets an assault with a deadly weapon charge -and as supportive as I am of CCW, I would support any DA that brought charges. As careless as he was who knows what he might have shot if he had pulled that trigger. Beyond having no business pulling a weapon to stop a property crime, identifying himself as a police officer takes it into the realm of real ignorance.

The second guy's case might even be a little shakey, though perhaps not. I would not have wanted to be him if that was a plain clothes policeman holding a weapon on someone. Course they probably would have secured him and holstered the weapon.

Even shooting someone in self-defense could put you in court defending your actions in some cases. Oklahoma, and probably other states, have passed laws which may keep you from even being charged when shooting someone in self-defense _in your own home_, but once you step outside of that perimeter it becomes much less clear.

I do wonder - if it had taken the police a while longer to show up if the line of people holding weapons on each other might have reached around the block...

[jazzhound]

6. I don't believe these guys did the right thing

despite the fact that there were no negative consequences. IMO the only time I would feel I'd have the right to pull my pistol is if my life or the life of a fellow citizen was in imminent danger.

[ManiacJoe]

7. Both men definitely screwed up, in different ways.

And the author of the article needs to look up the definition of brandish.

[TPaine7]

8. What did the second man do that was wrong? n/t

[ManiacJoe]

12. He needlessly entered into a ...

... situation that he knew nothing about.

[shadowrider]

11. Agree

But "brandish" sure makes a sensational headline, does it not?

[ManiacJoe]

13. That it does. Anything for sales.

[enough]

9. It does sound as if these two guys thought of their concealed carry permit as if

it made them some sort of Deputy. I wonder how many people think of it this way.

[Mike K]

16. Prohibitive gun laws over the years -

- have operated to convey a general impression that only cops carry guns, thus the (legally) concealed firearm has become the universal symbol of extraordinary social status -- that of police authority. So when these two characters, both of whom probably lead depressingly ordinary, uneventful lives and watch a lot of COPS on tv, started carrying legal guns, something which the Behavioral profession refers to as the Walter Mitty syndrome developed at a subconscious level. The sight of an exaggeratedly perceived crime in progress set these two Walter Mittys off. And now they're both in trouble.

I hope the court understandingly limits their punishment to revoking their CCWs and bringing them back to reality.

[MineralMan]

10. Impersonating a police officer.

The guy said he was "Boise Police." he should lose his carry permit, forthwith.

[gorfle]

15. The only thing done wrong here.

The only thing done wrong here is the first guy should not have tried to impersonate a police officer.

I have no problem with a CCW permit holder producing a firearm to stop a crime. I don't care if it's a little crime or a big crime. I would use a firearm to stop someone stealing in my home, so why not use a firearm to stop someone stealing on the street?

Also, in spite of two different CCW permit holders being involved, notice that no one fired a weapon, in spite of this very scenario being depicted as the spark to ignite an "everyone shooting at everyone" scenario, by people around here.