Violent World

[rickps]

I'm like most of us, I think.  I "tsk tsk tsk" when the news babbles on about some senseless act of violence.  But it doesn't invade my world or the world of those close to me. 

I was shocked back into reality last night...

Dan has been a good friend for something approaching 15 years.  He's a lifelong San Diego resident, in decent physical shape at 50 years of age.  A week ago, while calmly eating breakfast and checking his mail on his iPhone while seated at an outside table at a local juicery, an individual reached over his shoulder, grabbed the phone from his hand, and started walking away.  Dan did what I suspect most of us would do, he followed the man, and demanded his phone back.  The perp whirled around, punched Dan in the jaw, knocking him to the ground.  Dan got up and was rewarded with a few more punches.  Dan was able to trip up the perp, which sent the phone flying, and Dan was able to retrieve it.  Perp once again walked away (no, not running).  Dan flagged down a mall maintenance man and then a security guard.  Their reward was an excellent Rod Blagojevich response from the perp.  When the guard attempted to restrain the perp, yet another scuffle ensued.  Dan and the maintenance man jumped in to aid the guard when it became evident that the perp was about to pummel the guard.  Dan was again thrown to the ground, this time using his bruised but still functioning iPhone to call 911.  Four police cars responded rapidly, the officers finally able to take the perp into custody.

Dan's injuries were a fractured jaw and elbow as well as some severe sprains in one leg and arm.  In hindsight and from the relative security of my office chair, I can say that Dan got off pretty easy.  Best not to imagine what might have transpired had the perp used a knife or gun.  Dan will recover, the perp will hopefully be incarcerated for some time.  Dan, a world class pun-ster, is already making jokes about the whole incident.

The message - we do live in a violent world that can unexpectedly come crashing down on us.

Comments

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

That is shocking! I'm glad that your friend wasn't more seriously injured. I've been mugged at gunpoint. From that experience, I think I would have let the iPhone go and cancelled it immediately.

Hope you're doing well, my friend ...

HUGS!

[squalidbear.livejournal.com]

In SF the guy would have been cited out and be back on the streets before Dan was out of the hospital.

[ricksf.livejournal.com]

That's the aspect of this that scares me most.

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

The spiral of violence does come closer and closer to all of us, day by day. Part of it is longevity and the odds that SOMETHING bad will happen TO us without any help on our part.

[ricksf.livejournal.com]

It seems also a given that when economic times get rough, violence increases. While I know nothing about the perp in this incident, I have to wonder if economics didn't in some way contribute. It is indeed, I agree, a sad marker of our times.

[rwcubdad.livejournal.com]

I certainly hope your friend recovers quickly, what a horrible thing. I still believe in the good of the world...it gets me through the day.

[beardoc.livejournal.com]

It's a horrible thing - and I'm not condoning it in any way. I hope this never happens to me - I also hope that Dan is healing soon.

But it's one reason that resisting or escalating in a conflict can often make things worse.

It's a situation where there are no real winners. I guess that's one of the reasons I try not to have the "latest thing" too - all of my belongings (including my car, phone, computer) are far less likely to walk.

I really hope that the fracture jaw isn't too bad - have you seen him in hospital?

[ricksf.livejournal.com]

Knowing Dan as I do, I know him to be not prone to violence, very even tempered, and emphatically not one to jump into high risk situations. My sense is that, like a snowball rolling downhill to become an avalanche, this incident simply blew up before he could stop himself long enough to reflect.

As to the owning of new 'more steal-able' things, everything is new at some point. From the actions and reactions of the perp, I don't know that it mattered if the phone was old or new. It was merely something his clouded mind desired. So he took it.

I didn't burden my post with the details of Dan's injuries. His jaw was wired shut and will be so for 6 weeks. However, he was held in the hospital only long enough to fully evaluate his condition and address his injuries. He's in good spirits, fully engaged in a new business venture, and well on the way to full recovery. I'm sure though that he'll be touched by your and the others concern for him.

[rootbeer1.livejournal.com]

Oh dear ... I'm surprised it was his iPhone, and not his iPod Scuffle.

[labeartorycub.livejournal.com]

Sadly, it's so true. I'm sorry about your friend, Dan, and I hope he recovers quickly.