yeah...very serious. Come to Florida, go up to a group of kids causing trouble and just observe. At least one of the dumbasses is going to pretend he is packing.
I am not saying that is an excuse to shoot someone, but it's a trend down here.
I have no idea what Martin was actually wearing. A hoodie can be just a sweatshirt with a hood and your entire face is exposed.
The style that is a problem is those that go down to their (I say their not as 'blacks' but as kids as a group here, and not ALL kids just a large group) mid thigh, hang at least 6" down around their faces and conceal their hands.
They usually wear slider pants and have one hand holding their pants up and the other stuffed in a pocket. They just sort of strut and look around a lot as if they are casing every car, house, item they see.
For the most part it's kids being 'kids', but playing a stupid game. For a few they are known criminals. Some of those I have called on have 'rap sheets they could make a book with' according to one cop. The problem is no one wants to make the penalties serious on 'children' so they end up back on the street 9 times out of 10 and get a few days of community service or some weekends at a juvie hall.
We have adults enlisting 12 and 13 year old shooters down here, they have them shoot to kill even if the victim cooperates.
To those above that only carry when carrying large amounts of money...that is pretty stupid. You either need your gun or not. A crook doesn't know if you have just pocket lint or a $25k roll in your pocket.
However, chances are if you have nothing to give them; they will think you are lying and beat your ass/shoot you.
I don't carry my Fox 5.3 everywhere...but anywhere I could be in danger it's with me. I am not quite ready to move to a firearm, but I am getting closer and closer each day.
I have had a few close calls where the spray has been enough and I was able to get some distance and make a phone call to the police. I am usually on foot in the middle of nowhere during really early morning hours or really late after hours...usually in the last to leave a job site and often in an area I am unfamiliar with.
Recently I ended up in Albany, Georgia. I had no idea it was one of the murder capitals of the country. I walk into a gas station and the whole place is more fortified than a bank. They have to scan your items through the glass...there wasn't even a drawer for them to slide back and forth and just a thin enough slot for a credit card or cash.