Honestly I wouldn’t go to a church that wouldn’t allow its parishioners or members to carry a firearm. Everybody knows the least safe place on earth is a gun free zone. This is why schools and churches of been targets for violence. I thought you handled it very well. Like you said nobody’s perfect and in a very tense situation specially when they’ve got you circled like you said I would do the same thing including not going back! Honestly the only thing that you can do to prevent this type of action from any sure sure establishment is that you either keep it completely concealed, or you get to gather with as many members of that church that carry guns and encourage others to do so and then when one person is singled out now you have a coalition or at least a network or group that will stand with you! Don’t get me wrong I really love God and I pray daily I read his word daily but I am not above leaving a church to treat people that way. I’m also a tithing member which means I give quite a bit and when I leave they lose a lot.
Sad to know that people who claims that they're follower the Lord Jesus Christ has no depolmasay it's sad; my friend stay true to your love for the Lord man
Chase Palagi I'm glade you n your family are ok sorry you had go thru that BS I'm thinking about CCL and wondering do you get harassed more when you have conceal and Carry
David Horton Thank you David. In fairness, I probably should have been more careful to keep everything concealed. It really is a shame that it has to be that way but I guess that is the world we live in. I personally prefer to conceal my firearms for several reasons. Most of which are strategic. Retaining the element of surprise. Also I find it very nerve wracking to be in close proximity to people while open carrying, especially when people are behind you like in grocery lines ect. I always try to be aware of my surroundings however it's seems like more work when open carrying. Also I suppose avoiding unwanted attention is not a bad thing. Every one has different preferences, this just happens to be mine. If you have anything you feel you may need help with or any sort of gear recommendations such as Guns, holsters, sights, belts, ect just let me know and I'd be happy to help. Thank you for your comment as well as taking the time to watch!
Exactly. Until they start flashing badges you didn't have to tell them a damned thing. Just let them know they're on a slippery slope what they're doing and if they have any other concerns to call the police.
I let them do the talk then ask them which one of you are going to jump in front of that bullet? Then shut up I'm the only person in charge of my safety not you because clearly your not going to protect me.
Were our own personal security detail.. you did the rite thing dude. I would have been pissd and I would have handled it the same 100 percent. It's a tough call!!
Gun ownership is NOT a crime no matter how much people wish it was you shouldn't be giving out your adress to people like that. They may have called the cops and said u were brandishing
"I keep my concealed weapon at home where it belongs" ??? That's why he also leaves his car in the driveway and walks #idiot. You did a great job in keeping your cool👍
@@dillidson8653 it just depends on what I am feeling for that particular day and/ or on the clothes I wear. Most common is a Sig p320 compact or subcompact or a good ol Glock 19. I will switch it up as I said but those are the ones that get carried most. If I wear a suit, normally a shield or xds
@@chasepalagi7675 nice I wish I could say the same sadly I just have 1 firearm scry cox I definitely am interested in looking into a another 1 or 2 maybe to just switch it up sounds good man you're awesome !
"I'm as pro 2A as it gets, but do you need more than 10 rounds to protect yourself?" "I'm a gun owner myself, all I ask for is common sense gun laws" "We don't want to take your guns, but do you need weapons of war to protect yourself?"
@@joeterp5615 Then how do you plan on putting an end to this? The "church security" team is doing nothing more than harassing new members. And they're not even concealed carrying! The level of weakness and cowardice exuded by this "security team" is shocking. They're literally accomplishing the exact opposite of the goal they were charged with.
@@keres993 hi - I no longer see the comment I was replying to, so I don’t have the context for my answer. I agree this was a gross overreach, but this other commenter suggested something that seemed like an inappropriate reaction to me too.
As a 22 year Police Officer, Concealed carry instructor and part of my church security team I calculated on any given Sunday we have about 50 armed people at services. You did everything right. These guys seem a little overzealous to me. Carry on…. Good job!
I’m watching this 5 years after you posted it. Within those 5 years there was two church shootings where an armed citizen took out the bad guy. I bet those security guards feel pretty stupid thinking back about what they did to you.
Remember people can be fickle and I'm being nice when I say that you did a stellar performance you respected where you were and you conducted yourself better than most
I’m so sorry you were treated that way. It reflects badly on us as Americans and Christians. You handled everything with grace and patience. God bless.
I am the Head of Security for my church and this gave me food for thought. Give me some things to take to my people of things not to do. Stay Strong and Be Blessed. Prior Military as well so I know tactful engagement and that was a bit much.
Zaccaria, I think it would have shown forethought and prudence for Chase to have introduced himself to the pastor first, in a private one-one-one meeting, explaining his rightful conceal-carry and that he is one of the "good guys". This simple act of consideration would have preempted this whole messy situation.
just cuz he has a gun, doesn't mean hes Clint Eastwood. You have absolutely no idea how proficient he is with his gun, yet you are willing to put your life in his hands!? I'm glad I'm not you dude!!
@@eenormus1688 so you would prefer the alternative? I'd rather have a good guy with a gun then a bad guy with one. I take your point and advocate serious training if one chooses to carry a gun. That being said, I still contend that most people have enough common sense to operate a handgun. I understand that things don't happen at all how you would think in a situation like that but anything to put pressure on an attacker and take attention off innocents is the end goal. Yes people with good intentions can do collateral damage but so can trained professionals. It is a forgone conclusion that the attacker is shooting fish in a barrel. If something tragic happens in order to stop the threat, that is not ideal but it beats the alternative.
shavguru lol. It is a pretty big church which I'm not normally a huge fan of. The "security" were some plain clothes guys with some ear peices. Based on their lack of poise and their general demeanor I seriously doubt they were pros. If I had to guess, I'd even say they were volunteer "security". Anyway, thank you for watching!
What sort of church has like a gang security. Id of told them if they are not law enforcement they have no reason to question me and i have no requirement to talk with them.
SpacemanMoto It was certainly a larger church. My first thought was to not engage at all. Then I was thinking that I wanted to keep everything smooth for my wife's sake as she worked there. When the one guy came up he was actually kind of timid. I figured that I'd talk to him outside alone to ease his, or whoever's mind. Honestly I was having fun with it initially but it got annoying in a quick hurry. Although I knew better even then, I figured it would be the polite and least confrontational way of going about it. At any rate, lesson learned! Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave your thoughts.
Chase Palagi So they have a whole security force but they all leave their guns at home?.... We call those folks victims... I’d rather have a couple good men with firearms than a whole group of unarmed targets....
@@chasepalagi7675 I actually was on a church security staff much like the one you've described for about 5 years. We all carried radios, and our primary focus was on the safety of the children. It is a larger church, at that time we had 1200-1800 members fluxing any given month with people who would attend once or twice and move on, perhaps trying other churches for the right fit. Another synchronicity, my wife at the time worked for the church as well similar to you. So I can definitely appreciate your situation, wanting to be as helpful as possible and ease the minds of her superiors. All these people saying they would have put the church security staff in their place, simply aren't able to appreciate your situation. You handled yourself very well in my opinion. You likely would not have been as frustrated if this had happened in my church, as our unofficial head of the team and long time usher was an avid 2nd Amendment proponent and often hosted recreational shooting events on his property. I'm sorry you were treated with such uneven respect even after fully cooperating with the security team. Nice job keeping your cool. Props sir.
***** well said! We can dance around precautions until the end of time but when evil people want to do harm, they will find a way regardless of laws and preventative measures. The very thing that scares these people, ironically it what usually saves them!
Except if someone wants to come in and shoot up the church, then metal detectors won't protect anything. Only having concealed carry holders, private security, or police officers present at the time of the attack will stop anything.
I think the State of Alabama, did a PSA on Active Shooter/ Place of employment. I was impressed with the whole video. I live North if DC in MD, we have VIP CCW (Slim to None chances any above average person will get one, extremely difficult, expensive and you need a Special Circumstance and Political connections. Next door in Virginia they have CCW and honor reciprocity, different world), anyway it's a wet dream come true to think you can prevent an Active Shooter scenario. AFAIK all the ACRONYMS around here practice, train and prepare for swift and immediate FIRST RESPONDER TACTICAL EFFICACY and the intrinsic value of the CCW (in all likelihood the CCW = 1stResponder.). None I know in that industry would ever ask or answer any question of the sort. There are so many people around our area that do work in that "Business"... When you visit the DC Metro Area, if someone cuts you off in traffic, you never know (LEO? FED? MIL? COURTS? DIPLOMAT? Probably a shmuck running late and low on funds looking to Ca$hIn so he can COP his Fix and meet his buddies so he can hit on your recently unescorted Wife at Church? You never know so we just let it go. It's easier that way. The last cost of this "Excellent Learning Opportunity" besides this guy getting free Rent in your Head... The Wife Tax, mine would have taxed me worse than the King of England taxed the soon to be Pilgrims. Hell I tried to take my BenchMade 941 into South Korea (In my checked in suitcase), South Korea's "ICE" x-rayed it and taped it uo with Yellow "DoNotPassGo" tape. I had an appt. an interview, a an education and an opportunity to temporarily forfeit possession, get a receipt, return upon departure, pay a storage and handling fee, Ship it via the Airline back to the States (on the same flight). SIX CENTIMETERs=Max Blade Length EDC Type of folder/Fixed. What about a Diving Knife 11-14 CENTIMETERs it's the Agents Discretion. Anyway that was two months ago and I am still paying off that tax. How is your account? I hope compassionate and understanding.
Thank you for exposing the hazards of concealed carry being seen. My Dad was a cop and I went into law enforcement. He carried every day and so did all his friends. I was never nervous or afraid.
Guy was being a "Barney Fife", he was trying to look like a real "operator" in front of his buddies, unless he was actual law enforcement, I would have just ignored him, if he insisted, I would have given him an earful. nothing like a bunch of "fudds" trying to impose their cowardly point of view on someone else. The Pastor would have gotten a phone call that's for sure. find a different church. You were more "christian" than they were.
Hi Chase, really a great story! Thank you for sharing it with the rest of the community. It is important for other people to think about how they would handle this type of situation. I think you handled this just right, being cooperative and sharing information. You don't want them to be afraid that you are in the congregation. You should be able to tell them that your wife works in the church to help build trust. You want to cooperate to help protect your wife's position with the church as a wedding planner. And if they ask why you are carrying, just say you are carrying to protect the rest of the congregation if necessary. God bless you brother, be safe.
One of the great things about a small town church. 90% of all men are armed including the preacher. And probably 30-40% of the women are also armed. Me and my wife both carry.
You went above and beyond to accommodate them. The church security team was nothing short of completely unprofessional and incompetent. If anyone walked into my church carrying weapons with ill intent they would probably have 50 concealed carrier's draw down on them before they realized what was happening.
This a good anecdote that well illustrates a scenario which a person doing concealed carry with a firearm might well encounter at some point. I have been on both sides of situations similar to this, and (since you asked) I will add in my two cents worth of opinion. In general I think you handled it well ( would be interesting to hear this tale told from their side, however ). Everyone who goes armed in public should of be aware of what legal limitations exist on concealed carry. This can vary quite a bit from state to state, alas. Restrictions almost always apply on school grounds, in banks and courthouses , and frequently churches as well. There may well still be a Federal law in effect in the U.S. that prohibits carrying a gun inside churches or any place of worship. The church in question should most definitely have posted signs stating their own policies. It actually sounds as though they did not know what their policy was, seeing as how they A) confronted you, then B) couldn't tell you if you were required to leave , or leave your weapon in your vehicle before returning to services. If they had a definitive policy in place there would have been no need for a lengthy Q&A session to attempt to ascertain your "motivations" and "intentions". As is common with amateur security efforts their methods of determining whether you were a potential threat were poorly chosen. Directly approaching you in a crowd could easily have precipitated the kind of incident I am sure they meant to prevent. Passive observation would have served them better at that time. It is also clear that they had NO game plan for handling things if you had presented a threat to them, as it would seem that none of them were armed. Unless at least one of them was playing coy and was in fact armed ( which would raise my assessment of their procedures a tiny bit). TLDR - Good job keeping your cool. Amateur security is exactly that.
I have to say, very well said! as mentioned in other comments, I did my very best to tell this story as true and accurate as I could possibly remember however, no matter how flat you make a pancake, there will always be two sides! That being said, I too would be very interested to hear their side of the story and as a matter of fact, I've been trying to make this happen on video for those who may be interested. I think it would be very educational for those who conceal carry as well as security personnel who may have not considered how to handle such things. If they felt it necessary to even address it, (which clearly they did). I believe this situation could have been handled in about 15 seconds whether it be inside, or perhaps right outside the bathroom when given the opportunity. I will not get into this right now as these are some of the things I would like to address if my interview with the church security comes to fruition. Suffice to say that if they truly had a problem with me carrying, they could have simply asked me to leave my sidearm in the vehicle. At which point I could have (and would have ) politely explained that I understand their position however I will now be leaving. It's funny how nobody wants good conceal carriers to have means of protection where we would need it most as the SC incident has unfortunately illustrated. Call me paranoid, but that is just where I'm at. If you don't mind my asking, do you think it's out of line to carry in a church setting? and if not what would you have done in my position? at any rate thank you for you well though out comment and thank you for watching! -Chase
Part of our church’s armed security team here. This is a lack of training and clear policies/processes for their team. We allow conceal carry, but not open carry. We scan for people who are conceal carrying. If we identify someone, we radio a description of the person, where on the body they are carrying, and where they are sitting. Extra eyes will be on them, but no harassment. There are times, depending on the situation, where we make contact. It’ll be no more than 2 people so the visitor doesn’t feel attacked. We let them know we allow conceal carry and thank them for not open carrying. Let them know we have a robust security team and if there is an active shooter, please do not engage so they are not mistaken for a bad guy. (Unless the threat is right beside them). And that’s rare contact. Mostly just keep a set of eyes on the person.
Example: a conceal carrier came in. I noticed he was carrying. I radioed the description and where he went to sit. Because of where he was sitting, we made contact. One member casually walked up and asked if he could speak to him in the foyer real quick. They went into the foyer. The person who made the contact did all the talking with one other security person off to the side. Polite, non threatening, non accusatory. He ended up being retired LEO. Placed membership, and joined our security team.
1) I would have probably been as cooperative as you were, I don't know if I would have been as patient. 2) Effective is a subjective term. If their objective was to make you uncomfortable enough to make you leave and not come back, I'd say they did pretty good. I will tell you what I did as a 'security" person the day a volunteer came up to me and told me the guy in line at the community meal (soup kitchen) was wearing a gun concealed. I asked the volunteer if he had done anything wrong or even acted suspicious, then politely educated the volunteer and even went as far as confiding to her I had my concealed weapon on me. Issue diffused. 3) Quite frankly, the best passive mitigation is profiling. Someone looks out of place, is dressed inappropriately, acting paranoid, standing in a corner or doorway at inappropriate times, etc. Watch from a distance, and if the behavior is disturbing, make contact, not confront. The attendant at the door should not be watching the service, he should be watching the people and the door. And if all else fails, hope to God there is a good guy in the congregation with a gun. In our service there is always at least one good guy with a gun under his shirt, and that is our pastor.
+thomabb I have not returned to that particular church. As I was saying in the video, I hold no animosity toward anyone there and I understand that they were doing what they believed to be right at the time. I simply don't want to be somewhere I am not wanted. It obviously made them uncomfortable and that is the last thing I want to do. I also understand that if it weren't for me neglecting to enter a stall to adjust my belt, none of this would have happened. I won't mention the church by name but it was a very good one and I felt very comfortable there until this incident. I would just rather attend a place of worship that fully supports our innate God given rights. Again, I wish that church the very best. I just don't think it is for me, as I prefer to remain armed.
@@chasepalagi7675 You should talk to the pastor about this situation. Obviously it wasn't handled correctly. He should be aware. I hope you can go back to services there with your wife.
@@chesshead3943 The pastor heard about this incident and was not bothered by me carrying, as I understand it. I should clarify. I did have my son dedicated there. So I guess I have been back.
when someone asks you why you're carrying you tell them: "please refer to the 2nd amendment of the constitution and your local municipal gun laws. have a nice day".
I am a licensed carrier and carry every time I leave the house. When there is a sign posted saying no guns, I either secure the gun in my locked car or I go somewhere else. In my state, you can only carry in churches when they specifically allow it. Now, I believe that gun free zones are potential hunting zones for anyone with bad intent. Mass shootings do not happen where licensed carriers might be armed. That said, as a licensed concealed carrier, I am a good guy. I am law-abiding. Carrying makes me extra polite. I do not wish to anger anyone, I do not want to start conflict. My gun doesn't make me right; it's only for unavoidable situations. Unavoidable means I had NO part in starting it. If someone asks you, it means your concealment strategy is likely not up to snuff. Uncool of you. Be better. You gave them a reason to ask, otherwise they'd ask everyone. Your response strategy just drips of being antisocial, which is not what I want to see in a concealed carrier. If someone asks you, it's probably your fault. Maybe you wanted them to see it, maybe you want to seem intimidating, which is not what guns are for in a free society. They are for the opposite. No one should ever know you're carrying. No strategy is perfect, but the only ones who should even think of it should be trained observers like cops, who probably won't care. I've had numerous interactions with police, and they are all very relaxed about it. They know I've had a background check. In short, don't be a dick. You're supposed to be a good guy. Act like one. Telling someone to go look up laws is not a good guy behavior; it's an angry, antisocial response to a question you yourself have likely given them reason to ask by doing a poor job of concealment. If the answer is yes, it's, "Yeah, how did you know?" I'd want to know what I needed to improve on in my concealment strategy, not tell someone they needed to go study law.
lol exactly, as soon as they asked if he was armed and if he'd accompany them outside, he should've just told them that he is, that he saw them scouting him out and that there is no safety concern and that he's a legal concealed carrier there with his family harming no one, then just be like "so leave me alone" and then not respond further because there's nothing else to say and if they can't accept someone exercising their rights while breaking no laws, then i guess they'll have to ask him to leave.
@@skipdreadman8765 I agree with you. My response is a last resort if a person actually sees that you're carrying that's what you tell them I have the right to carry by second amendment and local municipal gun laws. Have a nice day. What else can you do? Like you said cover it up carry it concealed so nobody can see it but in the event someone figures you out you have to do something.
Yep, time for a new church. The pastor at my church asked me to carry my pistol during service after about a year of going. I told her “good news, it’s never not been here”
+Vito Labella I don't know why I can't respond directly to you but thank you very much! I believe I will do more videos like this in the future. regarding the guy I knew, I have to say is an interesting take, That Frankly I have not considered. I took it as "I did what I could do but I'm not going to make an ass out of myself either". However, I totally see your point! I have to say that I put up with much more than I normally would have that day. I wanted to be as respectful as possible but You're right! There is no winning that! Thanks again for your comment as well as watching and although I (thankfully) don't have a ton of stories like this I have some ideas, along the lines of this. -Chase
I have a question were you in the dog house with your wife? Their reaction could have damaged it, did they not care how others would feel by them making a huge deal out of it. As a guy who has been divorced women will bring stuff like this up later, it may mot have bothered her now but your going to have to make up for this some how. Just my advice.
Stan Smith Hi Stan, Fortunately I have a loving wife that backs my play. She was very good about the entire incident and I'm so grateful to have such a supporting and loving Wife. I'm sure this ordeal was not exactly easy for her but when the chips are down, I can always count on her to have my back. On the other hand, I have been around long enough to know that some women have s very long memory, especially when it comes mistakes, so I am empathetic to your previous position. I hope you are able to find the one you're in search of. Thank you for taking the time to leave your comment as well as watching the video!
Wow! I am former Law Enforcement, also was a youth pastor for many years. Churches are full of not so perfect people like you and i. But maybe they need someone like you to help guide and direct. Many churches are having security meetings and even training drills with CCW members. I always say be the change that we want to see. Great video. Just you posting is helping all of us. A great training video on what not to do as a church security team! I would of invited you to coffee. Even said lets go throw some lead down range together. Then when comfortable maybe even asked you to sit in a good strategic spot on Sunday and make you a part of the security of the church; if you wanted. But also allowing you to be just as you are with no involvement. But had i had a talk with you it would have encouraged you. The only words that might have been forceful would have been. “ Don’t leave home without it, especially at church”! Bless the USA, and you and your family.
As a Baptist preacher, former police officer, 2A supporter and daily concealed carrier, based on the events you gave, not only was the security team untrained, unprofessional and in the wrong, but so was the church as a whole, including the pastor and none of them acted as a Christian should act. You did a great job staying calm. Always carry everywhere!
If that team is unarmed they need to just stop having a team. They would be useless in an armed attack. They are obviously not trained. Our church has an armed/trained team. After the shooting at White Settlement Church in Texas our Church had a “Second Amendment Sunday” where we were encouraged to open carry and the sermon covered the leadership’s responsibility to protect the flock.
Buddy of mine was lawfully concealing at a big brand store, he bent over to get something from the bottom shelf and a big lady behind him saw his gun, then she just SCREAMES "HES GOT A GUN!!!!" and is pointing at him! My buddy literally went to draw his weapon because he thought something was happening then realized she was screaming at him! Damn he was scared. Some people just will never understand the logic of law abiding citizens being armed.
TripleAstyle1 Wow, that is quite a story. I am seriously speechless. That would really piss me off. I get that it's up to us to keep our guns concealed but give me a break! I know that an armed populace scares the shit out of some people but how do these people (i.e the lady in your story) know that he was not an undercover officer or something similar. Lol I guess it's scream first, ask questions later... because that sounds like a solid course of action when seeing a guy with a gun! Whether he was good or bad, I'd think that that would be the very last thing you'd want to do. On the other hand, if logic was part of their process, This video wouldn't be up to talk about such things! Anyway, thank you for sharing your story as well as taking the time to watch the video!
Your choice but a week end dealing with a few hypocrites or spending an eternity in Hell with even more. Don't get upset. I'm not being judgmental here that is not a Christian's job. even many of them don't seem to realize that. We have just one job that we are supposed to do with humility and love. Jesus last command before His assent into Heaven was, and I'm paraphrasing here, was for His followers to go out into the world and tell everyone about Him. No judgement, that's His job later on.
Hope you have changed your mind. Once heard someone say "Church is a hospital for sinners, not a haven for hypocrites"! None of us are perfect, we ALL need the Savior! Blsgs, gg
To be perfectly honest, I felt as if I were in complete control of the situation. Granted I let it go on further than I should have but a part of me enjoys debating people. The part I left out was the fact that my wife worked there and my main concern was being extremely cordial as to not make waves for her. That being said, I was in no way intimidated by these guys. It was painfully obvious that they had no game plan and their approach was so bad that I could tell they were making it up as they went along. It was all mildly amusing until I noticed the guy following me to get my license plate number. That's when I lost my patients and went back in to make it known. If anything like this ever happens again, I will simply grab my wife and leave without saying a word. I think that is the most peaceful and productive way of going about it. Anyway, thanks for your comment.
What sad is, with no game plan and making it up as they went along was the most dangerous thing they could have done. If they were really concerned about someone with a firearm, they could have called the Police. I take these guys are not armed, so being confrontational with a armed person is stupid thing to do.
+Michael Henriques I agree 100% The entire confrontation was incredibly counterproductive! Simply by the way they addressed the situation, they not only incited the panic that they were trying to avoid but potentially put their lives as well as everyone else's at risk if I were the person they were treating me as. The entire event was nothing more than a quagmire of unorganized powertrips. So in short, I think you hit the nail on the head!
+Chase Palagi That was probably the most exciting day of their careers. They wanted to all get in on the action. It reminds me of working at the movie theater watching "security" kick out kids from R rated movies. they act like an anti-terrorism task force.
As a fellow Christian. Thank you for your sharing your experience. I let our pastor know up front that I would be carrying at all times. He said it set his mind at ease knowing that. God bless
I think you handled it like a perfect gentleman, cant say I would have done the same. I likely would have either denied or refused when he approached me while sitting.
Thank you, I appreciate your comment. I have to say, I was tempted. My Wife worked there and my main concern was keeping everything as easy as possible for her sake. If something similar happens in the future, I think I would simply get up and leave for everybody's sake!
Chase Palagi I hear that for sure my friend, and I respect your consideration of your wife and peers. My pride game is too strong, it's something I'm working on. Lol Thanks for the reply :)
+ZIGMAN775 Thank you again, and I can certainly relate! The mere fact that you're working on your character is admirable! You bet, Thank you for your comment as well as taking the time to watch the video!
Chase, Great video. I just retired from doing security work at a state-run university for 30 years. Your situation is very typical. It comes down to a person's desire for safety on one hand and freedom from the inconvenience of being contacted on the other. Nobody likes being stopped by police or security (especially security). Departments spend a significant amount of time training their officers to be professional when they make contacts. I have found that volunteer personnel, like the ones you encountered, do not get much training unless the state requires it. Even then on-going training is sparse. I don't know if the people who contacted you were armed or not, but I imagine that contacting someone with a firearm is not something they do with any frequency.. So they are scared. I think your actions during this contact were absolutely great. Being calm and non-confrontational helped to keep their emotions in check. I was a deputy sheriff for a while in my career and I taught defensive tactics to patrol officers and to the swat team. Patrol officers, in general, do not take such training seriously. Here's an example: Would you be interested in watching a professional basketball game if you knew they only practiced for 40 hours initially and just 8 hours a year after that. I wouldn't. But that is about what the average police officer gets from his or her department. Even if they got four times that amount it would be insufficient. In my case, I trained between two and four hours every week for 40 years. I started training when I was 16 and continued until I retired. Since you have no control over the training or the mental state of people you encounter, your only option is to change your behavior. Never display your gun in public unless you are going to use it. If you need to adjust your belt or anything similar to that do it in a completely private location (i.e., a bathroom stall). If you are contacted by the police or security do not defend your rights. Instead, defend your life, because that is what is at stake. If you survive the contact, you can defend your rights later in front of a judge. I'm going to make a comment on this comment. I want to include a link to another video that shows what a scared officer with a firearm does when the person he is contacting doesn't follow commands. Based on the video alone, the shooting seems unjustified, but the video alone is not all of the facts. Stay safe.
You handled it very well and seemed to be way beyond cooperative (understanding keeping the peace) in this incident. I haven't had to draw my weapon once, however this evening was close in the several years I've carried now. The security seemed uneducated about the laws and kept you way too long. You were trying to attend the Church service, and get harassed the entire time. I recently went to a wedding and was concerned about someone noticing. I hardly ever am, but I try to take extra precautions, especially b/c we've got our first baby on the way, due in Jan. My situational awareness has gone berserk. I enjoy your videos and have watched them for awhile. Couldn't believe I wasn't subbed. Thanks for sharing a story that I'm sure many can relate to, or may come upon a similar instance in their future. I feel an obligation to carry. I think anyone with CCW should.
Thank you, I really appreciate your well though out comment. It sounds as if you have taken your decision to carry, very seriously and that is admirable! It's unfortunate that you were put in a position that you even had to consider using your firearm but I sincerely hope everything worked out okay. That is a story I wouldn't mind hearing but please don't feel obligated if you'd rather not. Congratulations on having your first child! I bet you're very excited! I wish you and your new family all the best! Thank you for watching, taking the time to comment, as well as your subscription! I really appreciate your support.
+Chase Palagi Thanks for the response my friend! And the kind words. We're both anticipating such a miracle. Never planned on having children, and I wasn't supposed to be able to produce. So it's a big deal in our families for sure. Much appreciated! I'm thinking about making an upcoming video about the incident. It literally occurred around 10:30pm central time this evening. I've never once thought I would have to put my hand on my pistol. It got very close b/c it was dark dealing with a belligerent, intoxicated fool yelling and screaming through the neighborhood. I try my best to always stay calm, like you say, and non confrontational. Stayed on my porch, kept my distance and didn't say anything until he almost stepped on our property. The guy started shaking the stop sign on our corner trying to take it out of the ground. Stuff hardly ever happens around here. Very safe, friendly folks. Guy wasn't from here and 2 girls walking behind him were trying to control his drunken rage.
+Bushcraft & Banjos That is wonderful! I enjoy hearing things like that! (your baby I mean.) I have to say, dealing with drunk and belligerent people is no fun at all! Unfortunately I have had my fair share of dealing with them as well. I do my very best to mind my own business until they make it my business which can happen very easily as you may now know! I feel for the police that have to deal with that on a daily basis! The problem with situations like the one you discribe is most of the time any altercation is done and over with before the police arrive! If you don't mind some unsolicited advice, I would STRONGLY recommend pepper spray! I don't know if you saw the video I did where I sprayed myself but I am a firm believer in it! The nice thing about it is you can error on the side of your saftey and spray someone if you're put into a situation where you unsure. I'm telling you, It will take the fight out of anyone (aside from the very small percentage uneffected by it). Obviously I advocate CC and always will, but pepper spray bridges the wide gap of leathal force and compliance very nicely. It would be terrible if you had your gun drawn and he charged you with no weapon! You could possibly go away for a long time! Anyway, I'll tell you what, if you're interested, I'll send you some of the stuff I was sprayed with on my dime. Just let me know if you'd like that and I'd be happy to. Anyway, good luck with everything and if you have any questions or I can help in any way just let me know.
+Chase Palagi My officer buddy called me shortly after the incident. I reported the 4-way stop sign being damaged. All were arrested. Caught as I was talking to dispatch😆. This highly populated neighborhood intersection is way too busy w/kids-pets-humans! Chaps my ass. My neighbors appreciate my awareness. A nurse of mine lives across the street. After years of her drawing my blood for lab work, we're now neighbors, close friends. She and her husband just acquired a Kel-Tec PF9. They're older folks and new to semi-autos. Said she wanted her old, simple 357revolver! Taught her how to break down and cleaned it. Fantastic area to be IMO. Nice fella who owns local gun store, lives on same street. I'm working on getting my community more involved with responsible gun ownership. It's goal of mine to unite like-minded neighbors in this small area. I believe it is so important to establish that dialogue, be known and share your knowledge. Enjoy talking w/ya and your Intriguing videos!
+Bushcraft & Banjos Oh nice! I'm glad everything turned out well for you! Good for you, that's cool that you you are establishing a sense of community! Anyway, it was nice chatting with you and all the best to you and yours! Thanks again for the support!
This type of situation could result in someone leaving their CCW at home next time, no doubt that would be the day you need it most and could cost you your life. Sounds like this security team needs more training
You handled it well, better than i would have. The church i attend frowns upon people carrying as well. I guess its the warm happy feeling they get with the ILLUSION they are safe there. In reality church is one of the most dangerous places to be, especially unarmed. I applaud people like you, good people, who see the realities of life and prepare for them. Keep up the good work. Next time, just make sure you are in a stall, when you adjust things.
Blessed beyond belief 1 Thank you very much for your comment. Yes, I'm not quite as cavalier while adjusting my belt in open stalls. Lesson learned for sure. Thank you again and I appreciate you taking the time to watch the video!
"Yeah I got my concealed carry permit but I keep my gun at home." ummm...ok let me see if I got this straight here bubby....you own a sidearm, you can legally carry it on your person concealed, you are part of the church's security team....and you leave your sidearm at home? I hope armed security isn't actually your job cuz I'm not sure if I'd trust you to do your job cuz ya don't seem very good at it
You did a great job. You could have easily been much more confrontational with your responses and you were not. You maintained your composure and were respectful when they were essentially questioning your constitutional right. You did not escalate the situation, you defused it. Excellent job man!
if anything they should have just came up and said sir can we speak to you in private? and confronted you in private they were the ones that incited panic. you did everything right
Nate Benware I agree, if they really needed to make an issue out of it, something subtle and brief would have sufficed. Ideally when the opportunity was given to them. That being said, if there is no policy as he admitted, there isnt much to talk about anyway. If infact I had bad intentions like they thought, the only difference would that he would have been the first one bleeding out on the titles. I don't mean to be crass but I hope you take my point. Thank you for your thoughts as well as you taking the time to watch the video!
It’s hard to say what I would’ve done, but listening to you I believe I would’ve done and said the same things. Even laughing at the small joke about “S.W.A.T”. Also good that you asked questions about there being no signs visible and if it was legal. It appears you handled it professionally and I respect that. Don’t be hard on yourself because you’ve had time to think about it and realize there are many different things you could have done, besides hindsight is always 20/20. You seem like a really good man with good intentions so your actions of following your instincts in those moments were genuine. We can’t control the fears of other people as you know. All we can do is deescalate situations to the best of our abilities and you did just that. Bravo to you sir for being a good 2A ambassador
I think you handled this perfectly. There was no need to be aggressive, yet you didn't let them walk all over you or diminish your freedom. As a former five year church security staff member, I can tell you from my perspective you handled yourself well.
"Ok shoot" probably wasnt the best choice of words when they confronted you in the room hahha! But on a more serious note, thank you for sharing your story. That was completely inappropriate of them! You were more than professional and accommodating of their "different views". I don't blame you for getting a little ticked off at the end. I think most conceal carriers are worried sometimes that others will see and get spooked, because for many guns still = bad guy/ danger. Like the conceal carrier that got tackled at Walmart when seen holstering his weapon in his car before he entered, and had to explain he was licensed.
I carry concealed in church at the pastors request.He’s a good friend,and we have been shooting together.He knows.I’m an excellent shot.He said”if someone comes in here to shoot up the place,I can think ofno one I would rather have armed here.”He also knows,I am reliable,and effective in a tense situation .He told a parisioner who figured out,I had a gun,and was concerned,He said”there is no one,I would rather by my side with a gun than,Scott,if we have a SHTF situation”.That was the end of any talk about me carryingin church.I’ve also provided security for some church fund raising eventsI’m a big guy anyway,6’1”,at about 250 pounds know,and muscular.So people don’t ordinarily want to mess with me.I think you acquitted yourself well. Thanks for the video
There are a lot of us at my church are armed. Our sheriff told us that it would be a good idea for us to be able to take care of ourself because of us being in a rural area.
Our church has trained and armed security among the congregants and they are well supported! Good for you. You did exercise restraint. I would have left earlier.
Wow . . . I attend a little country Baptist church that actually encourages concealed carry, As a matter of fact, our pastor organized classes to get members a chance to get their permits if they weren't yet licensed. That scenario you described would never have taken place in our congregation.
My church has an 'alert' team, which is security in all but name. Some are armed, and some are not. They try to keep everything low-key. If there was an unkown guy seen carrying at the church, the head of the 'alert' team would have approach him in a friendly, low-key manner and casually feel the guy out. If everything seemed legit, nothing would have been said. If something was suspicious, an alert team member or two would have been keeping an eye on the unknown guy. No need to aggrivate anyone or escalate anything.
As a church goer, former pastor, and concealed carrier, I believe that church is perhaps the most important place to carry. People don’t shoot up churches because they hate God, they do it because it is a “soft” target.
i work on a church security team and there is no way to balance checking up on someone and infringing upon rights. we don't pull anyone aside unless they are blatantly being irresponsible or their firearm is showing. even then ill get real close to them and say that they need to pull their shirt down. if someone is sketching us out then we will watch them but we don't stop people and pretend to be cops. that team was EXTREMELY unprofessional and in todays day in age when christians are under attack world wide i like knowing I am not the only one carrying. granted, I live in the south and a lot of people are armed down here.
"Are you armed?" "Are you a cop?" Is as far as that exchange would have gone. Its none of their business at all if you carry. I would be up in somebody's ass cheeks for that level of BS.
I know that this happened to you a while ago, but being true to form, I'M LATE AS ALWAYS, SORRY!!! I think that you handled everything perfectly, and I truly believe that the police over reacted and you handled it like a real trooper. No backtalk from you, and the way the cop approached you in the church and asking you about your in front of the other people whether you're carrying a firearms. YOU DID EVERYTHING RIGHT , AND THE POLICE DID EVERYTHING WRONG,!!!!! YOU DID EVERYTHING 100% CORRECTLY AND THESE OFFICER's DID EVERY. THEY WONT BOTHER YOU AGAIN. GOOD JOB!!!
Man, I really appreciate your patience. I would've told the guys to eff off & mind their own business. Especially if they asked me my personal info. Right then n there I would've walked off. You shouldn't be interrogated by simply exercising your right. You're not obligated to answer any questions.
Hey Chase, GOD Bless you for handling that situation the way you did. What I would do is to talk to the Senior Pastor to find out exactly what the protocols for the congregation to carry concealed weapons. GOD Bless you and GOD Bless America.
You were observant, and prepared! This was a deter-ant for the perpetrator to stop his further actions! Good for you, glad no one was hurt! The bad guy will get his one day!
You were very professional in mitigating some worse scenario, especially at church and accompanied with your wife.👏 If you accept my recommendation, Just pocket carry. There are some fine options out there. You don’t need a big and heavy gun to defend yourself. Good luck and Gob bless!
Chase, as a Christian a former deputy sheriff and the head of security at my church. I believe that you handled yourself very courteously and professionally. Unfortunately the general public has bought into the lie that guns and people who carry them are bad. As a concealed carry (armed private citizen) I try to educate people especially at church that we as Christians are a huge target for people who have bad motives and intent. Lastly I would like to suggest that you carry coverage in case you are involved in an unfortunate incident. I don't get paid to suggest this company, but its who I use and believe that they are the best. God bless.
Thank you Scott! I appreciate your comment! it means a lot coming from someone of your ilk. Coverage is a good idea that frankly, I have never considered. I know it is a prerequisite in places like California but a good idea all the same. Thanks again!
Yes, Chase. A simple case can run you between $300-$700, 000 dollars. If you don't have coverage you had better have a huge pile of cash. The coverage we have covers my wife and I with a million dollar bond and full legal representation with no further out of pocket exspence all for $25 a month. When you think about it we carry insurance if every other form. God's blessings to you and your family
I am on the risk management committee at my church and had a similar issue with a guy that decided to open carry during vacation bible school which was alot worse then your situation. When I talked to the guy he was a total ass I told him i supported the 2nd amendment and that i was armed as well. Open carrying with a shitty holster around a bunch of kids not a good idea and the guy told me off several times i tried to be professional and decent but it still involved changing protocols at our church and having the police involved. I think from what you said having your weapon concealed the security guys were in the wrong for multiple reasons. They should of been carrying and prepared and since they weren't they should of thanked you and welcomed you back. That's probably what i would of done except i wouldnt of been unarmed especially in church especially being a part of security lol. You did good man just remember that everyone has different views and try to be as reasonable as possible which it sounds like you did. Freedom on!
This Security team at said church needs a shakeup! New Leadership and better organized. You did nothing to warrant this reaction..And if people dont feel comfortable around guns they probably should find a church that has no Security! Good video Best God Bless you ! Semper Fidelis
Responding to your request for advice, you were doing the right thing by carrying at all times possible, the partial printing or show is what started their show! Sounds like you kept your cool; I wouldn't have gone back in, also see next comment I wrote about half way in.
It doesn't surprise me that uninformed individuals overreact, although the length to which this exchange went is a genuine concern. In Virginia, it's actually one of the limitations to concealed carry, to possess a firearm in a place of worship, during the time which religious services are taking place, without a compelling and sufficient reason. I might want to move to your state... You were more than reasonable and a proper reflection, I think, of a responsible gun owner. Hopefully, they learned something from this experience to either develop a public policy or at least a plan to handle it better when it happens again... but I doubt it seriously. Well done.
Well said! I was looking and I can't find anything in Montana state law that prohibits the possession of a firearm in a place of worship. My Hope is that whoever happens to watch this video will either understand the things that can happen as a conceal carrier or perhaps, think their approach through a little better if they happen to be security. If they were set on approaching me, the conversation should not have lasted more than about 10 seconds. They clearly had no protocol in place for this type of situation. I guess when your "winging it" it isn't until after the fact that you realize how counter productive your approach was. I hold no resentment, It was just one of those things. I thank you for your well though out comment as well as watching this.
Reply to Brad not Landa They have no right to your info. Cops don't have the right Title 18 USC section 242 says ANYONE acting under color of law is to be treated as an assailant, and if they escalate their assault upon your rights, you can defend yourself to the death. This happened in MANY states and the civilians were declared innocent after killing cops in defense of their rights when the " officer " escalated the situation. I only recall the innocent decree for certain in Texas, North Carolina, Indiana, and Minnesota...
Thank you sharing. You were very polite. With a license to carry you already have had a background check. You could have been the person that stopped an active shooter. The men that questioned you have it all backwards.
I am from holland. Dear sir i work in security. Here were i live. You cant carry and to own a firearm is very hard. I am a sport shooter or you need to be a hunter. To own one. What you did was the right way. Being polite and even supporting the security the way you did sir. I have respect for that although they went over the top. Ofcourse you have emotions. But to carry gives a certain responsebility wich you know. So you didnt do anything wrong. Go on and carry to protect famely and friends. If i could i would do the same. Sorry to say its a mad world. Respect brother.
Your patience is near limitless. Long ago, I lost the desire to be compliant with morons. Polite, yes but intolerant. You in that church will do more than any metal detector. Keep it up, Sir. Glad to have you with us.
We have two retired former police officers at our church that conceal carry. Just recently someone visited our church visibly carrying a belt holstered pistol. Nothing was said to him but our two men had him under observation the whole service! If your not well known in the church it is better not to go to church armed.
As a fellow Christian, and CCP holder, I fully understand your frustration gleaned from your experience. Based on your testimony, I don’t think you did anything wrong. In fact, I am a bit surprised that you maintained your composure as well as you did. Well done my friend!
Haha, so I go to a small nondenominational church that's actually fairly closely associated with John MacArthur if anyone knows who he is. A year ago or so, we did a fairly large remodel, because we still had orange carpet and pews from the seventies, so forty years ago or so. It's a fairly small church so all the work was done by people who volunteered their time. So it took a few months but finally we got the whole thing finished. The first Sunday when everything was done, the pastor just said hey, please be careful with all the knives and guns you guys carry, and make sure you don't put holes in the new pews, and he said it as a joke, but it just made me thankful for the like minded attitude by most people in my church. Also, one of the elders is a former deputy sheriff, and one time, he went up to close the service in prayer, and his suit jacket got caught on his pistol so everyone could see, funniest thing ever haha. Sorry that you had to deal with this though.
I have to say, your congregation sounds a little more to my liking. I am very surprised that that these guys acted like this. I guess with more people comes more regulations and when regulations grow, freedom dies! California, or perhaps New York would be a prime example. Anyway, thank you for sharing your story as well as taking the time to watch the video!
I've carried in our Church with out any problems . Our preacher just said thank's to me after we had all those drive buy shootings. Keep head up you done just fine. Or find a different Church one that will accept you for what are. God bless you and have good night.
