Wal Mart crime

[woodartist]

Your right, everyone should check the laws. There are surprises LV Metro, Clark County require a permit to open carry and they also have jurisdiction in Lake Meade National Rec area. Of course the permit is not accepted for N. Las Vegas, Henderson, etc. So technically you could violate the law by being in different areas of the same county :

I'll keep a watch on the local papers and if any additonal info on the Wal Mart case comes up, I'll post it......Sad story, in one way but a good story in another....

I bought one of those peep holes like you see in hotels, for the door. Home Depot has some large ones with different angles. I'd rather look oput that way, than open a door or window.

 

[motojavaphil]

I always put a perspective on things.  I have been threatened in my life, generally when I was younger but not since I have been older.  I have camped in a lot of places from truckstops to rest areas.  I have never stayed in a WM.  I have never been bothered and folks generally had a friendly veneer when I saw them.  Did have a prostitiute try to snag me but Carol cut that short.  She was also grabbed by lesbians in San Francisco and I pulled her out of that.  There was a lovesick redneck who took his dumptruck thru a Harley Rally, running over tents, in a campground.  More guns were fired in that episode than a Clint Eastwood movie and no one got hurt.  As we used to say in Nam, there is bullet out there with your number on it.  Hopefully no one will fire it!  My counsel is to just use caution like not opening the door and precautions with the stairs.  Carry a shotgun or mace or whatever so you can protect yourself.  Never initiate aggression...seen that done by some irate RVer's.  Just flow with it and be part of the landscape and no one is going to bother you.  Remember, there are far more good people than those 1%ers.

 

[John From Detroit]

Without being there I can tell you there may well have been a drug connection of sorts.  This gets kind of involved.

Let us assume (Which is a dangerous act, if you want to know why write down assume again, only this time put a space before an dafter the "U")  that someone else was parked in that same place the day before with a very similar rig...

And that person was the drug supplier

And the deceased (you may notice I don't call him victim) came, expecting to find THAT person, and got the wrong RV.

This might explain why he was there.  Or, it may be as someone else commented he was hoping for a ride to Florida, or it may be the daughter caught his evil eye (or the wife) or it may be something Else entirely.

Bottom line is he came in, with or without permission, started hitting on people (in the sense of using them as punching bags) and was instructed to stop, when he continued he was stopped.  With extreme prejudice,  And now he's appealing his case to the highest court.

Appears the police are happy with the outcome, and the streets in that town are now safer as a result. 

The only concern I have is the ability of the victims to recovery mentally.  And of course having physiologists forced upon them.  I really hate that when it happens.

 

[woodartist]

The only thing that might dismiss your possible scenario is that the motorhome was a very unique style. Don't know if you saw the picture on one of the links, but I have never seen one like it. In general your thoughts are valid. I'm always paranoid when I rent a motel room wondering if the previous guest was dealing ;D

 

[John From Detroit]

I saw a picture too but do not recall it.  I should stress here, In the scenaro I suggested the folks in the motor home had NOTHING to do with drugs...

I might add... To a properly charged up Druggie,  a Pace Arrow and a Winnabago might well look a lot alike

(To a sober person of course the difference is like night and day)

In any case the important thing is the police and prosicutors have decided no fault lies with anoyne save the deceased.  And that is good

 

[scottydl]

The only thing that might dismiss your possible scenario is that the motorhome was a very unique style.

Gotta agree here... see attached photo.  If I ever saw two of those in my life I'd be surprised... especially in the same town, same store, same parking lot, same parking space, two nights in a row. 

 

[woodartist]

Very unusual rig indeed. Not sure of the age of the folks in there but it looks like something maybe a younger RVer would have?? Of course the old people use meds and maybe that could be a reason. I tend to think that maybe the intruder might be on drugs and of an irrational mind. Will be interesting to see the end analysis and does serve as a wake up call...did for me

 

[Ray D]

"Will be interesting to see the end analysis and does serve as a wake up call...did for me"

Thanks to the folks who have kept us informed, so far. You've done a good job. We await the Crime Scene Investigators. May take a while. They are pretty careful, these days.

Don't forget the Civil case, if any. That will also be in the news, and may be filed locally or in Federal Court. That may be a while, also.

Ray D

 

[Jim Dick]

Having the phone number for the Wal-Mart store when staying in a Wal-Mart parking lot seems to me like a pretty good thing to have handy. Someone knocks on your door and says they're 'security', give the Wal-Mart a call and ask the manager.

As for what really happened in the Cedar City case, we'll never know. The parties involved probably don't even know what 'really' happened.

And it's very easy to do. Whenever we think we'll be staying at a WalMart, we call ahead. Dial 1-800-WalMart. Punch in the zip code of the store you want, found in their road atlas, and it will give you the phone number.

 

[NWRVer]

Thousands of WalMarts (and similar) accross the country.  Millions of RVers who park there at least once per year.  If only one or two incidences occur, the odds are that they're pretty safe.  Of course, if your not comfortable there, leave.  There is also safety in numbers, so if you stay at a WalMart and there are other RVers there, park near them.  You don't necessarily have to visit and socialize with the others, just make the group larger.

I personally have stayed at several WalMarts.  They've always been well lighted and sometimes with security. I'm rarely the only one there, but have never felt uncomfortable.  Many truck stops and rest areas I've had to stop at, I've felt very aprehensive about. 

Anyways, If you don't like it, move on.  You're in an RV afterall, the freedom to go where you want, need, are comfortable at.

 

[John From Detroit]

Good point and execelent advice NWRVer (If you don't like it move on)

Speaking as a retired police dispatcher... The best way to get of a bad situtation is to not get in one in the first place.

Don't like the neighborhood... Thy the next stop down the road  Wall Marts are becomming like cell phone stores... There are places where they are only a mile or two apart

 

[Shayne]

I've only stayed at 1 WM in many many years of RVing and that was in my home town this year.? Usually when on the road and not stopping at a CG, I will try to find a patrolman and ask them the best place to pullover for the eve.? Not only do they? tell me the best place? they generally will lead us to the spot and the we'll begin a comversation once there and they will normally check on us throughout the night and have their next shift do likewise.? Best of all worlds that way.

 

[scottydl]

This is becoming quite an educational thread, aside from the actual news story discussed.

I personally have stayed at several WalMarts.  They've always been well lighted and sometimes with security. I'm rarely the only one there, but have never felt uncomfortable.  Many truck stops and rest areas I've had to stop at, I've felt very aprehensive about.

Very good point NW, it seems that this story seems to have made news because it happened in a "family friendly" Wal-mart lot.  Similar incidents at truck stops and rest areas probably happen often across the country and never make the news.  Within this thread alone is an account of obvious open air drug and prostitution deals happening while RV'ing at a truck stop.  I don't think that stuff happens *too* often at Wal-mart, at least not right out in the open.

Usually when on the road and not stopping at a CG, I will try to find a patrolman and ask them the best place to pullover for the eve.  Not only do they  tell my the best place  they generally will dlead us to the spot and them we'll begub a comversation once there and they will normally check on us throughout the night and have their next shift do likewise.  Best of all worlds that way.

Right on Shayne, never hurts to make friends with the local police. 

 

[Ray D]

it seems that this story seems to have made news because it happened in a "family friendly" Wal-mart lot. Similar incidents at truck stops and rest areas probably happen often across the country and never make the news.

Bingo!

Wish I'd said that! You got right to the point in just a few words. Wierd stuff makes the news. Very unusual stuff makes the news. Ordinary minor crime, done every day, several times a day, doesn't get there. Violent death almost always gets there, at least locally. But, even that doesn't have staying power unless there is something unusual or unique about it.

This event was unusual, unique, nationwide. Got nationwide coverage with staying power. Actually should "reassure" people who camp at Wal Mart. Very rare event.

Ray D

 

[trac209]

That kind of thing is tragic but it doesn't pain me to see a man protect his family. That kind of thing can happen anywhere as well,a guy I knew of was killed at a campground for confronting noisy campers. It happened right infront of his wife and kids and the guy who did it didn't serve one day in jail either. There's a real tragedy!

 

[John From Detroit]

==And the guy who did it didn't serve one day in jail either..."

You know,, there are states where I can more or less guarentee the murderer would not spend a day in jail.... Unless he ran very very fast that is.

What would he do for oh, the next 3 days (Lie in state perhaps)