Calling in individual who is acting erratic

[Jakus]

So I had a strange encounter while eating lunch today. There is a small Cuban bakery in Carrollton TX I go to lunch at from time to time as it is close by my office. As I am finishing up my sandwich in walks a early 20 something male in black pants and bright orange "scrub" looking shirt. He was holding onto his belt somewhat when he walked in, so he immediately had my attention. I half expected the orange shirt to have detention center markings on it somewhere but it did not. When he sat he started messing with his shirt enough that I got a clear look at his entire waistband to confirm he wasn't holding onto the belt because a gun was weighing them down, but because his pants where 8 to 10 inches lower than his boxers. He came in, left, and came back and all the while he was either mumble singing to himself or asking the customers random questions. He asked a lady ordering pastries whether she was married or not. She ignored him. He asked the girl behind the counter for some water or tea. She replied "Hot tea?" and then walked back into the back. He asked me if I was worried about anything and I replied "No, I am on my lunch break." I offered him my water, and asked if he was alright, to which he replied "Not really" and then started mumbling to himself again. This guy was all over the map and never could seem to keep any train of thought moving in the same direction.

At this point I've finished my meal, and the girl behind the counter has given me the "I am freaked out" look anytime I make eye contact with her. She hasn't asked this guy to leave or engaged him in any meaningful way. I know that there was at least one other person back in the kitchen and another guy just sitting down to eat lunch, so I get up and leave since I'm not leaving counter girl alone with orange shirt guy.

The whole thing didn't feel right to me. I don't know if they guy was high, homeless and looking for a handout, or what, but I went ahead and called the non emergency police dispatch number from my car, and relayed my unease feeling as well as his description and demeanor. I did say that he had not be aggressive towards anyone, but that the situation just felt off. They took down my info, and said they'd have someone stop by the location.

Part of me thought about leaving it alone and letting the store handle it if they wanted him removed, but I thought it at least warranted a phone call.

Anything else to be done in these kinds of situations?

[txdpd]

The important stuff first, what's the name of this bakery and do they have good tostones?

You did the right thing. There is nothing else you could have done.

[GardoneVT]

It appears you did the best you could.


I will say one thing about shoulder holster carry: it enables the wearer to grip the pistol discreetly whenever erratic individuals are encountered yet their behavior hasnt left the "potentially dangerous" category.I discovered that firsthand at a memorial where a homeless man made a direct beeline for my position-and I was literally the only other person in sight. He looked at me,I looked at him,and he continued on his way.

[jeep45238]

You did fine in my opinion.


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[rjohnson4405]

I'm always torn in situations like this. For the most part I want people to have the freedom to do whatever as long as they aren't hurting anybody. But I'd also worry about walking away and something happening that I didn't help prevent.

I think just involving LE and letting them make the decisions is probably a good idea but I do wonder if it's overkill.

I will say that in my experience (and my wife's in the service industry) that employees are very protective of each other, especially women. You alert the guys in the back that something might be off and they usually take it seriously (what I assume she was doing).

I have hung around and made small talk with employees before making it obvious that I was letting them tell me when they're comfortable with me leaving. Would be interested in hearing other opinions.

[Jakus]

The important stuff first, what's the name of this bakery and do they have good tostones?

You did the right thing. There is nothing else you could have done.

I don't recall seeing any tostones. They don't have their menu up on their website. I'll check next time I am there. I go for the sandwiches and coffee. My wife and clients speak highly of the pastries.

https://cubanbakerydfw.com/

[voodoo_man]

Sounds like he was high and/or crazy.

The average American would be extremely surprised as to the number of normal looking people who walk around every/all day just completely out of their minds. Those same people are usually heavily medicated and/or self-medicate with any number of drugs and/or combinations.

People like that are exactly the reason tasers, OC spray, thick gloves and steel toed boots were designed.

[NEPAKevin]

One time during a power outage, this woman walks into our waiting room looking like she had not slept in two weeks asking about her boyfriend's pick-up which was wrecked and impounded by the state police. In the process of telling her life story, she stumbled over the part where she needed the truck to get to the hospital in Allentown because she had shot her boyfriend. So, I leave her to continue telling her life story under the dim glow of our emergency lights to Marie (the girl in the office who one of the guys nicknamed Moe, short for Mo-ron) and go into my office to run this by PSP on the off chance they have an interest in this lady's where-abouts. Turns out, yes, they did. So, I walk back out into the office to hear the woman/suspected murderer asking if the girl can give her a ride to the Hospital. Moe looks at me and asks if she can leave early to give the woman a ride. I walk over and and nicely explain that that won't be necessary as a nice state trooper from the Swiftwater barracks has offered to give her a ride and is on the way, right now. The woman looks up, eyes like two piss holes in a snow bank, and says "Really? That's wonderful. I think my luck in changing. " And so it did. And she seemed impressed with the trooper who she apparently found quite handsome, who indeed did give her a ride, however, not to the hospital. That was the last I saw or heard of the woman aside from a story in the local paper. When Moe asked me if it was probably a good thing that she hadn't given the woman a ride, I concurred and not too long there after encouraged her to explore employment opportunities else where.

ETA: For "normal" crazy people, I call the control center's non-emergency line and just request a welfare check of a suspicious person, possible EDP and try to give a good location and physical description. Seems to get the right response with out annoying anyone. Nude female seems to garner a good bit of attention.

[Peally]

High/batshit crazy people are far more common than you may think. It helps to have a restaurant/bar owner that isn't afraid to eject people like that.

[Coyotesfan97]

ETA: For "normal" crazy people, I call the control center's non-emergency line and just request a welfare check of a suspicious person, possible EDP and try to give a good location and physical description. Seems to get the right response with out annoying anyone. Nude female seems to garner a good bit of attention.

Ha if you want to garner a quick response with extra unassigned cars drop the nude female description. Never mind that the overwhelming majority of the nude female calls are something that you'd never want to see and what's seen can't be unseen!