Lynn, Matt and J.P.'s regular waitress at the Wafflehouse, proudly displays a Guns Save Lives button
Two customers displaying holstered pistols deterred an armed robbery in a Kennesaw Wafflehouse recently.
There is some debate raging in Georgia about whether people should conceal their holstered handguns while in public. Some believe that wearing handguns openly will result in a loss of the element of surprise during a criminal attack, such as an armed robbery, while others believe that wearing handguns openly deters criminal attack. For Matt Brannan and J.P. Mitchell, who carry openly as a routine, the issue is no longer academic.
Matt Brannan and J.P. Mitchell were dining in the Wafflehouse on Barrett Parkway at I-575 in Kennesaw at 4:45 in the morning recently when a scout for an armed robbery crew entered the restaurant to case it. At the time, Matt and J.P. thought he looked a little suspicious, as he was wandering around the small restaurant like he was looking for someone. Unknown to Matt and J.P., two cars full of armed robbers were parked behind the restaurant waiting for the scout's report.
The scout saw that two of the customers were wearing holstered 1911 Springfield Mil-Spec .45 pistols, and he immediately turned and left the store.
Meanwhile, conscientious Cobb County Police Officer D. Lowe had noticed suspicious cars sitting behind the restaurant in the dark and decided to investigate. He caught men with masks and rifles who had been preparing to rob the Wafflehouse. The criminals informed the police that they had changed their mind upon discovering armed customers and were waiting for Matt and J.P. to leave. Ironically, the police car was pulling in to the parking lot just as Matt and J.P. were driving away. In other words, had Matt and J.P. not been armed, the robbery probably would have occurred before the police intervened.
Captain Jerry Quan, the Commander for Precinct One, where the Wafflehouse is located, confirmed Matt Brannan's story as one in which the open display of a pistol deterred a well armed robbery crew.
Matt Brannan is making an Open Records Act request, and there will be an update to this story when more information is available. The case number is 09-133500. There will be updates and follow up articles as more information becomes available.
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Comments (70)
This just reinforces my opinion and why I carry openly almost everywhere I am legally allowed to carry. I only conceal when my coat or jacket might cover it so I can be warm and comfortable. Otherwise, my 1911 keeps me warm and comfortable.
Glad to see it proven that just by exercising ones rights in Georgia can be a crime preventative measure. When will the GA lawmakers come to their senses and pass decent gun laws that allow us to carry everywhere and offer our services just by our presence.
It is estimated that 1.5 to 2 million crimes are prevented by guns without having to actually fire the gun. This is just another one in the same category.`
I am, and always have been, firmly with GotUrBack on this one. I open carry, concealing only, as GUB states, when winter clothing just happens to conceal my 1911. Has the presence of my openly-displayed firearm ever prevented a crime? I don't know, but the above story proves it does happen.
By all means, carry the way you feel comfortable, and allow those of us who choose open carry the same courtesy... we may just save someone's life without ever having to draw.
Kudos to these guys. Great news for open carriers everywhere.
Cocked and loaded, I have my permit!
I bet the Waffle House staff are glad that the two OC gentlemen were there as a deterrent. I conceal carry myself, but God love the OC men and women.
@tmoore912:
I'm sure the staff is indeed happy that their law-abiding customers were there and armed. I wonder how Waffle House Corp. feels about it??
Maybe we should ask...
I'm sure Waffle House Corp won't mind at all. They're from GA anyway! I hope open carry becomes more common in GA. Here in VA police and at least some citizens are aware of it.
How timely, Paul Helmke and his cohorts at the Brady Campaign to End Lawful Gun Ownership have recently called on Star Bucks to prohibit their customers from open carrying. What say you now Mr. Helmke?
The employees and the management of that store love the fact that there are a lot of carriers that come in. They feel much more safe knowing that they have someone there to might be able to help.
I regularely walk around with my M16 (with grenade launcher) over my shoulder when in town - locked and loaded on both counts. I am a proud gun owner and I don't know how many robbers I've scared the b'jesus out of!
So my new strategy is that me and my homies will wear our peices in hip holsters and go to these places. They'll give us free coffee while we wait for the place to quieten down, and THEN we'll rob it.
We had a similar story in Richmond, VA recently where a man openly carrying his pistol saved countless from being murdered. Reference: Richmond Time Dispatch, July 12, 2009, Two shot in South Richmond store
To those that question the value of carrying a firearm for protection I simply have a question to ask: who is protecting your family?
Do your job as a man, provide protection for your wife and children, they are depending upon you as a husband and father.
as per usual the two idiots were in here late. Hi, Gen Lee and broke di*k dog.
Yeah. Idiots. It's not like carry a gun around (NOT because you have to compensate for anything ...) causes any problems. I all those western countries without guns AND low murder rates are probably just com-u-nast or something. If carrying a gun makes you safe, why doesn't a bigger gun make you uber-safe? And is it OK for Blacks to carry as well?
And I love that you have numbers for crimes that never happened. I would estimate that nearly all the hand gun related murders wouldn't have happened if you weren't allowed to have guns at all.
Remember - any loser can pop a cap at a dude, but it takes a real man to walk across the room and stab someone.
Huck Tanner, ad hominem attacks demonstrate a lack of reasoning ability. Yes, it is "ok for blacks to carry as well." What kind of stupid question is that. Take your racism somewhere else.
And you ask about crimes that would not have happened if we were not "allowed" (thanks, Mom) to have guns? Do you really think that murder, robbery, and rape were invented after gunpowder? Did you think about what you wrote before you wrote it? Surely you can represent your views a little better than you have done if you consider them a little more carefully and try organizing your thoughts.
ED
Please visit www.Bornagainamerican.org
Huck said: "I all those western countries without guns AND low murder rates are probably just com-u-nast or something."
Huck, are you referring to Switzerland?
Be my guest Biddy Dig Dog. And then us concealed weapons holders who are NOT afraid of you will make sure you are apprehended....peacefully or otherwise.
Huck said, "I would estimate that nearly all the hand gun related murders wouldn't have happened if you weren't allowed to have guns at all."
While you are at it, it would nice if "you weren't allowed to murder people at all." Someone should make a law banning that practice.
All you gun toting rednecks probably voted re-puke-lican! That makes you traitors! YOU supported 2 illegal wars!!
YOU support the greedy corporations that let poor Americans stave to death!
and then you sit back and talk about how your guns save people! F+cking idiots!
This country needs to be cleaned up. Every republican in public office needs to be tried for treason and executed!
Same for the previous administration!
Same for our generals and commanders who are out RAPING foreign lands and killing innocent farmers, children, and old women!
Lastly, every wife beating, gun carrying redneck needs to be shot with his own gun. Then the gun and the filthy excuse for a human being need to be thrown in the sea! No more guns, no more racist rednecks, and no more crime! win-win-win!
Only then will we have a country that can be respected in the 21st century.
F4Freedom, you forgot one, "No more freedoms". The raping of children and women, and the killing of 60,000 innocent people in Iraq a year must be something that is OK in your book. You must be one of the people that claim that the holocaust never happened and the attack on Pearl Harbor was Roosevelt's idea. Yep, if we would have had more people like you in 1941, we would now be speaking either German or Japanese. You live in a dream world.
F4Freedom:
<sarcasm>
You're right! The country will be so peaceful when all that is left is those that advocate murder and the trampling of others rights.
</sarcasm>
f4freedom: I ain't a wife beater.
I wish that those with an IQ below room temperature would refrain from gracing us with their comments.
@F4freedom
I wish you were my neighbor, I would put a large sign in my yard saying that my neighbor HATES guns. I promise I won't use mine to help defend him and his property!
F4Freedom, I noticed your usage F in both your name and in the body of your dialog. I am not quite sure what your idea of freedom is. Not sure I want to know. While I can appreciate a good argument to an opposing view, it must be that, a good argument with well thought out ideas and an equally thoughtful presentation. I respect that you dislike guns and with the rant you presented, I hope you continue to dislike guns and not consider becoming a gun owner. For the most part, many of us licensed to carry are responsible gun owners and not wild west cowboys. If you noticed, nowhere in the article did the two patrons draw their holstered weapons. Apparently just the thought of someone being able to defend themselves was enough to keep the thugs at bay. They were waiting for the store to become defenseless. Some argument for an unarmed citizenry.
This just amazes me, the ignorance of the Left, anti gun ilk. As the old saying goes, Guns don't kill people, people kill people. I recently had a discussion with my Brit neighbors who abhor guns and feel the British NO carry laws are far more humane and civilized. I sent them repeated news reports from Britian regarding the citizen's displeasure with these laws and that the criminals DO have guns and use them against the unarmed. The wife then asked me, Would you actually shoot someone who broke into your house? I said, Of course. She brilliantly replied, Well, here's hoping he is equally armed and able to get off the first shot!!! I want one of those yard signs,Guns
ThisAmerican, maybe she had plans to break into your house.
Ugh. F4Freedom isn't a liberal. He's a troll. Just ignore him.
There is no reason to try reasoning with fanatics. They just reply with invective nonsense and ad hominem personal attacks. Anectodal evidence is illogical and without merit. Have a nice day
There's no telling how many times a crime has been detered by a visibly holstered handgun, without any one knowing, except the criminal that changed his mind for fear of getting hurt.
Had these two gentlmen been carrying concealed, that robbery would have been initiated as planned, because the bad guys wouldn't have known they were armed.
According to John R. Lott, Jr., in his 1998 book, "More Guns, Less Crime", 2.5 million crimes are halted EACH YEAR in the USA by use of a firearm. Yes, you read that right: TWO AND ONE-HALF MILLION CRIMES ARE HALTED EACH YEAR BY SOMEONE USING A FIREARM . . . and this book is 12 years old! We know from current reports that current crime rates have consistently dropped as the number of firearms have increased. Thank you, Barack!
America has more guns in private ownership than all the armies in all the world. You tell me this stops crime? Funny that you are more likely to be shot in the US than in any other country in all the world. But apparently there is no correlation (to explain for those of you who actually think carrying a gun makes you less likely to get shot, this is sarcasm). If your 'theorey' runs true, then gun crime in the US would have ceased years and years ago. Has it?
And for those of you who think the constitution says you can, it ACTUALLY says you have the right to an armed militia (funny that this right isn't extended to the countries that you invade by the way). Just to explain, this is an armed and coordinated if untrained army, usually for civic defence. Key words above are 'coordinated' and 'civic' (the latter in the modern sense relating to domestic society rather than the original meaning relating to the occupant of a city).
I love that there are screeds of gun owners quoting the amount of crime that hasn't happened (and therefore cannot be confirmed) yet y'all don't mention the number of people shot. but then if I remember rightly didn't your vice pres shoot some guiy and it was all good fun?
As for western societies where there are no guns and less crime? Throw a stone and you'll hit one. I don't actually know where to start. Try Canada (guns legal yet less crime), Australia, India, Kenya, the UK, France, Germany, Romania, New Zealand, Zimbabwe (for gods sake!), Germany, etc i.e ALL OF THEM! Except apparentlty Switzerland. Where, incidentally, everyone HAS to own a military gun by law (didn't know that did you). And they have to show aptitude in using it every year or so (so they have that on you). Wow - talk about freedom.
It should be noted that this is Kennesaw Georgia. Also known as Gun Town USA. There is a law that makes mandatory that all citizens of Kennesaw keep and maintain a working firearm.
No one said criminals were smart but this particular group should be lucky to be alive for even attempting such a thing in Gun City. They saw the 2 firearms that were displayed. I imagine everyone else in the place had firearms on them concealed.
Thank you Gunssave lives - you really have made my day. I will be laughing for a while about that (even harder after I looked it up to confirm). So in the US y'all fight long and hard with great knashing of teeth and rending of hair when there is a suggestion that guns (which do kill people as the 'armed' status of the potential robbers showed) might be truncated. Yet a city can pass a law that you have to have a gun without even an errant fart disturbing the peace!? I note that they then had to amend the law to exclude convicted felons at a later date. If I was a confirmed communist would I be allowed one?
Still - one lives adn learns. As guns save lives, next time I see a person drowning I'll throw them a handgun.
Huck...how many guns have been convicted of murder...uhh...NONE.
Huck...since the ban on firearms in the UK, crimes committed with guns has increased by 40%...take away guns from the law abiding citizens and make it easier for the criminals...do your homework!
Huck...do some homework, as to what a militia is....duh
Spence - thank you also. My day was a little dull but you have raised my spirits. It's like living in a Kurt Vonnegut novel.
So if no guns have killed anyone, how many have saved people? your arguement that it is the gun owner applies both ways.
Gun crime in the Uk relates to illegal firearms, mainly from countries that don't control it. This argument is the saem as saying that if your son isn't a bully, then he'll get bullied. Doesn't make it right. In fact by saying that since banning guns (and I do wonder when they weren't banned int he UK - they've NEVER been allowed to carry let alone OC, and until relatively recently it was even very difficult to have a HV rifle. Shotguns were pretty much all you could own. Do your homework) gun crime has increased, is saying that the law isn't strict enough.
Incidentally Spence, i know what a militia is. Here's what it isn't:
A group of little boys with soemthing to prove all working for their own egos and waving their willies around.
A militia has - and here's a key term - common purpose.
Was just supping my coffee and remembered something about militias that will turn you on. In spite of what you will claim, they are typically a socialist construct! Ha ha. That's almost com-u-nast
Huck, I appreciate and respect your right to own or not own a gun, be it a rifle or a pistol. I on the other hand own several of each, and I do have a CCW permit....the constitution is what allows me to do so. I am not a whacked out far right gun slinging citizen....but I am a reserved and well protected citizen....Protected against what you might ask? Protected from the scum that would rather rob, steal, rape or murder instead of being gainfully employed and working for what we most Americans have. Within 2 years of Texas allowing private citizens to carry concealed weapons the murder rate was literally down by 50%....more guns on the street (law abiding citizens) and less murders!! If guns were banned here in the USA (will never happen) imagine for just a moment what the criminal mind would think...Lord knows we'd all be in some real deep trouble.
Huck, I appreciate and respect your right to own or not own a gun, be it a rifle or a pistol. I on the other hand own several of each, and I do have a CCW permit....the constitution is what allows me to do so. I am not a whacked out far right gun slinging citizen....but I am a reserved and well protected citizen....Protected against what you might ask? Protected from the scum that would rather rob, steal, rape or murder instead of being gainfully employed and working for what we most Americans have. Within 2 years of Texas allowing private citizens to carry concealed weapons the murder rate was literally down by 50%....more guns on the street (law abiding citizens) and less murders!! If guns were banned here in the USA (will never happen) imagine for just a moment what the criminal mind would think...Lord knows we'd all be in some real deep trouble.
Huck...our current White House occupants are socialist...and attempting to add you and me to the list. lol
Huck...our current White House occupants are socialist...and attempting to add you and me to the list. lol
sorry...don't know why messages are posting twice
Hi Spence. I was going to debate and form an argument but as I worte I realised that the paranoia of the US is hard wired and unassailable. Fact is the more guns you put in pugnacious hands, the more people are going to be shot.
It isn't in the constitution (or even the Bill of Rights). Right to bear arms relates to "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed". So where does your good ol'boys fit into that - do tell? But then apparently I need to do my homework.
And where do you draw the line between your good ol'boys and some evil homey in owning a gun?
Incidentally if you think that's socialism in the white house, you need to read more. Get real man.
Huck...Owning a gun does not make one pugnacious...and for those of us who purchase guns we must conform to strict back round checks and have no felonies, for those of us that apply for a concealed weapons permit the process is even more in depth. I think you will find that a VERY high percentage of gun owners are responsible law abiding citizens...Please don't attempt to associate us with mindless thugs who commit thoughtless crimes. There's an old saying, but I think it stands true "If guns were outlawed...only outlaws would own guns"
I believe guns are "tool" for thugs, thieves and murderers...If guns were not available to them they would resort to another "tool"...but guns will always be at hand for the common criminal whether they be legal or not. I am thankful to be able to protect myself and my loved ones if and when the situation arises....I pray that it won't, but I am prepared if need be.
Funny that you have reversed my sentence there Spence. If I had said 'three legged cat' would you have claimed i had said all cats have 3 legs? By the same I don;t think all gun owners (myself included when I needed one) aren't pugnacious. Just, it seems, the ones who spout all the "I have a right" paradigm.
Again, I have an argument about needing to protect yourself with the same tools of a crime, but alas, I'd rather bang my head against a literal wall. i must say though, I am surprised I got no rise in saying that you don't have a constitutional right to own a gun. I had a whole spiel about having the right to be gay and therefore requiring you to demonstrate this lest you lose the right.
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