What are the odds of getting hit by a stray bullet.

Toyman01 said:

So I did a little reading this morning. North Charleston SC, where my office is, has a crime rating of 2 with 100 being safest. Meaning N Charleston is safer than 2% of other cities. Chicago, on the other hand, has a crime rating of 8. 

This is according to https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/sc/north-charleston/crime and https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/il/chicago/crime

Still not moving my office to Chicago. 

That is misleading for Chicago. There are parts of Chicago (within city limits) where I'd guess the crime rate is around 100. And there are parts where it is 0. 

I would add that it seems to me (based on penetration) that someone was shooting FMJ (or rifle rounds?), which leads me to some theories.  FMJ is cheaper than high-quality self-defense rounds, so likely the shooter is not wealthy.  The shooter also fled, which leads me to believe that they knew they were in the wrong (if I ever have to discharge a weapon - and I pray never to - I will be waiting for the police myself).  

Glad you're safe.  Statistically, you're extremely safe from random bullet strikes.  Also, given the abysmal accuracy of most criminals, you'd probably survive a drive-by as well.

Glad you're OK. Pretty sure I would ask the workplace to invest in a metal plate behind my desk next to that wall. It's unlikely to happen again. But not impossible. It also sounds like the apartment complex may be the kind of area where the odds of a stray bullet are much higher than average.

mtn said:

Toyman01 said:

So I did a little reading this morning. North Charleston SC, where my office is, has a crime rating of 2 with 100 being safest. Meaning N Charleston is safer than 2% of other cities. Chicago, on the other hand, has a crime rating of 8. 

This is according to https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/sc/north-charleston/crime and https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/il/chicago/crime

Still not moving my office to Chicago. 

That is misleading for Chicago. There are parts of Chicago (within city limits) where I'd guess the crime rate is around 100. And there are parts where it is 0. 

That the case with most cities. Even Goose Creek, where I live, has areas you don't want to be in at night, whereas the area I live has pretty much zero violent crime. It's rating is only a 24. 

North Charleston is the same. Where my office isn't that bad as long as you aren't hanging out here at 2am.

North Charleston was not a place to go and hang out in the late 80's when I worked a summer job down there a couple summers.

Glad you were not standing by the door.

FIYAPOWA said:

 

Glad you're safe.  Statistically, you're extremely safe from random bullet strikes.  Also, given the abysmal accuracy of most criminals, you'd probably survive a drive-by as well.

this is thankfully true. The gang Shootout I drove through, I was driving a panel van, not a single shot hit it. The Burger King on the opposite corner, with all it's glass did not get hit either.

Toyman01 said:

I wonder what a piece of 3/8 plate costs. I'm getting the urge to bolt some to the wall behind my desk.  

Alternatively: Phone books. Lots of phone books. The thicker the better.

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Toyman01 said:

The apartment complex was bought last year and a pile of money dumped into it to move it up the market some.

It would seem there may have been a flaw in that plan.

I've been on both sides of the gun.  I'd almost rather be in front of it.

We have a lot of hunters close by, we now live in the country, and have never had anything like a stray bullet come near us.  The deer and the turkey are everywhere so shots go in every direction.  But with that said, I'm very, very careful that when I shoot a gun there's nothing potentially behind it and I never shoot up in the air even after Mythbusters said it wouldn't kill anyone.

Driven5 said:

Toyman01 said:

The apartment complex was bought last year and a pile of money dumped into it to move it up the market some.

It would seem there may have been a flaw in that plan.

Just think how bad it must have been BEFORE they improved it!

Glad you're alright! That's awful. I haven't been shot at specifically but I've been around gunfire in the hood. Not a great feeling.

Driven5 said:

Alternatively: Phone books. Lots of phone books. The thicker the better.

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sandbags are cheap...

I'd suggest a sheet of tile board & ceramic tile. It *might* be cheaper than the plate steel, and ceramic will stop at least one bullet. On tile board, with a solid backing, it should stop more than one. 

slantvaliant said:

Toyman01 said:

The PD says the complex is well covered by security cameras so there is a good chance they will catch them. And with people, namely me, so close to the line of fire, an attempted murder charge could well be filed. 

Attempted murder?  Hmmm ... seems a stretch, having shot through a closed door and all.  Deadly conduct, maybe.  

Depends on who it was.

I've been shot at a few times. Once by Dishka (DShK) Dan lol 

I've had a few E36 M3 myself moments:

Riding on a bus while the rear got hit by a rocket. Luckily everyone was sitting up front. 

And drove through some motor fire in a box truck through Smack Town while it was snowing. Drove it between two buildings, dove out into a bunker. Afterwards we found so many holes and dents from shrapnel. 

A rocket once hit the side walk next to our building and bounced up went through 3 walls and stopped right over my coworker desk. We hauled ass out of there. It took EOD awhile trying to remove it. 

I've been pretty lucky. But a lot of people weren't. 

Well, the natives were a little restless again today. A silver Lexus and a black Mercedes had a gun battle in the apartment complex behind the shop today. 10-12 shots fired, nothing in our complex was hit this time.  Hopefully all bullets went into parties involved. Maybe if they go ahead and kill each other off, this will stop. According to the PD, it is drug and gang related. 

I got $5 on the Lexus.

In reply to Dr. Hess :

I don't know it was a black Mercedes and we all know about big black Mercedes. 

In reply to Stampie :

I think he means he's bidding $5 for the abandoned, shot-up, VIN-less Lexus you now have in your shop. I'll bid $5 on the Mercedes next to it and you don't even have to wash out the blood!

In reply to Javelin :

Oh . Naw y'all can have them both.  Everyone knows that Infiniti's come with the best engines and diffs. 

Glad I live in my peacefull little Canadian farming town.

Now way, he's betting, and the Merc is the way to go.  When you go into battle, you want a tank!

Now, if it was some sort of road race that involved trading shots with pistols (you paying attention here NASCAR!) the Lexus is likely a better choice.

I drove a silver Lexus into work today.  NOTE:  IT WASN'T ME.  I'M NO WHERE NEAR NORTH CAROLINA.  So, this is just like NASCAR, you support your "team", you know, you drive a chevy, so you support Kurt Bush and his chevy.  YEAH! GO LEXUS!  WOOP MERCEDES!

Dusterbd13 said:

Having been shot at many times, and shot once, it sucks. Glad it missed. That could've been ugly.

Id still rather get shot again than stabbed again. 

The reality is that we live in the areas and times we do. Anxiety, paranoia, and fear at an all time high, with personal responsibility at an all time low. Fearing the odds of a stray bullet connecting with you will lock you into a downward spiral of fear. Live life, love your family, di the next right thing. and when your numbers up you got nothing to regret.

And bullet proof vests, that DO stop the 38 slug thet hit center of mass, are inexpensive.  But a previously  broken sternum from the vest is painful every time it snows. Beats the hell out of the alternative. 

Dare I ask how a social worker gets stabbed and shot?  Previous life?  Bad neighborhood?

I quit hunting after being fired at twice.   The second time I returned fire in the general direction.  Guy yelled. 

Years ago a friend was driving down down a country road and his car was hit, the round hit the rear door and went though.  He was licensed to carry, jumped out and fired in the shooters direction.   Shooter walked out with hands up, thought the driver was a cop.   Troopers later arrested the shooter for firing across a state highway.

In reply to Toyman01 :

Might be time to move shops if you can my man.