Cops followed me home after the Saxet gunshow!

[TxRyan]

Cops Targeted me at the Saxet gunshow!
I hope this goes in this thread, if not I'm sorry.

I went to the saxet gun show with a few co workers today on my birthday. I went with a few buddies from work and ended up bought my 1st AR15. After leaving saxet i got something to eat and headed home. Either they were following me that whole time and i did not see them or they were waiting on my street to catch me. As soon as I pulled in my driveway they flashed their lights and told me they stopped me for not using a turn signal to turn into my driveway. While they were writing the ticket i asked them what was going on and they told me they got a complaint 3 guys were at the gun show and seemed suspicious that we all split up into different vehicles. Just to clarify i am mixed but my skin is white, my buddies are black. My buddy joe bought his first handgun today after i talked him into going to the gun show. They could not follow him to far because both of them live in boerne, however i live 7 minutes away from the show. I can't figure out if i was targeted for buying the AR15 or if it was because my buddies were black. I hate bringing race into any discussion but i can't see to many other options.

Can anyone think of something i missed or fill in some of the blanks i would appreciate the help.

 

[45tex]

It could have just happened, but I would tend to think somebody wanted you ID'ed.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

I'm sure he was ID'ed at the gun show, unless he made a private purchase.

 

[AustinN4]

While they were writing the ticket i asked them what was going on and they told me they got a complaint 3 guys were at the gun show and seemed suspicious that we all split up into different vehicles.

And................? That's all? They didn't ask you anything about the gun show or what you might have bought?

 

[toddnjoyce]

Cops Targeted me at the Saxet gunshow!
...After leaving saxet i got something to eat and headed home. Either they were following me that whole time and i did not see them or they were waiting on my street to catch me.

...While they were writing the ticket i asked them what was going on and they told me they got a complaint 3 guys were at the gun show and seemed suspicious that we all split up into different vehicles. ...

Can anyone think of something i missed or fill in some of the blanks i would appreciate the help.

Did you ask what the suspicious behavior was?

Were you the only group of 3 at Saxet today that came in separate vehicles?

There’s two sides two every story, but someone sold you a firearm, could be that you were the most convenient person for someone who doesn’t agree with the concept of gun shows and called in a random complaint.

 

[Dawico]

What kind of questions were you asking or conversations were you having at the show?

Could have been something innocent said that was taken the wrong way.

Thinking of the time I took my dad to a show. Keep in mind he has always hunted but isn't really a gun guy besides for hunting. He is also half assed deaf so talks loud.

We aren't 5 steps in the door and he exclaims "Look at all the machine guns everywhere!"

Of course they are all ARs but he doesn't know any better.

 

[TxRyan]

And................? That's all? They didn't ask you anything about the gun show or what you might have bought?

Yes they asked what i purchased and i told them an ar15 to which one of the cops exclaimed well you did do anything wrong, we just got a complaint about 3 people at the gun show. Then the 2nd one responded tbat they used anything they could to pull me over.The problem i have is that 4 cops followed or were waiting at my home when i had not broken any laws leading up to that point.
Why were they on my street. They had to of run my plates to get my address. They saw i had no criminal record but they chose to wait for me.

 

[TxRyan]

Yes they asked what i purchased and i told them an ar15 to which one of the cops exclaimed well you did do anything wrong, we just got a complaint about 3 people at the gun show. Then the 2nd one responded tbat they used anything they could to pull me over.The problem i have is that 4 cops followed or were waiting at my home when i had not broken any laws leading up to that point.
Why were they on my street. They had to of run my plates to get my address. They saw i had no criminal record but they chose to wait for me.

Didn't *

 

[TxRyan]

What kind of questions were you asking or conversations were you having at the show?

Could have been something innocent said that was taken the wrong way.

Thinking of the time I took my dad to a show. Keep in mind he has always hunted but isn't really a gun guy besides for hunting. He is also half assed deaf so talks loud.

We aren't 5 steps in the door and he exclaims "Look at all the machine guns everywhere!"

Of course they are all ARs but he doesn't know any better.[/QUOTE

The only thing i said was this was going to be my 1st ar15.
I was asking one of my buddies for advice about the gun and if he tought it was a good deal.
I mean general stuff like that.
I didnt even buy any ammo for the gun.

 

[TxRyan]

I'm sure he was ID'ed at the gun show, unless he made a private purchase.

No private sale, i sat and waited for the background check. Then i trpacked down my buddy and stood there talking to him why he waited for his to clear. While waiting we talked to another guy waiting on his Background check. That convo included a conversation about building ar15s being cheaper.

 

[EZ-E]

Damn...that's crazy. I'd be freaked out too. It does make one wonder what the "trigger" was for them to classify you as "suspicious" if you were pretty normal.

So they started to follow your buddies? But had to stop because out of jurisdiction? And the cops that stopped you told you this?

 

[HKShooter65]

Just odd.

Cops have a tough job.
If something suspicious is reported they have a responsibility to investigate.
If something suspicious is reported and they were to ignore it they have created a terribly culpable liability.

The only answer is that every one of us should follow the law and say "Yes, sir" when dealing with law enforcement personnel.

Glad, for you, that it all worked out OK.

 

[Maverick44]

Any person can call the police for any stupid reason, and they are obligated to investigate. As for how they knew where you lived, there are several ways. The most likely being that the person who reported you saw your license plate.

 

[TxRyan]

Damn...that's crazy. I'd be freaked out too. It does make one wonder what the "trigger" was for them to classify you as "suspicious" if you were pretty normal.

So they started to follow your buddies? But had to stop because out of jurisdiction? And the cops that stopped you told you this?

No i called my buddy and apparently someone was following him until he reached city limits.
At this point im assuming it was the cops.

 

[TxRyan]

Any person can call the police for any stupid reason, and they are obligated to investigate. As for how they knew where you lived, there are several ways. The most likely being that the person who reported you saw your license plate.

See i do not believe that anyone called the cops because 2 of the 4 cops were in plain clothes. So I feel targeted for nothing other than buying a legal rifle and driving home.

If it was just about checking out a report, a warning could have been given. Instead they opted to write a ticket. Now i have to pay that because decided to buy a rifle on my Birthday. The other thing that bothers me is that the 3 cars leaving the show never used a blinker. I did up to the point i pulled into my driveway because no cars were driving on the street at the time. Like i said I'm just trying to make sense of the situation because I did nothing wrong. I purchased the rifle legally, i have no criminal record, i never even purchased ammunition for the damn rifle.

 

[Maverick44]

See i do not believe that anyone called the cops because 2 of the 4 cops were in plain clothes. So I feel targeted for nothing other than buying a legal rifle and driving home.

If it was just about checking out a report, a warning could have been given. Instead they opted to write a ticket. Now i have to pay that because decided to buy a rifle on my Birthday. The other thing that bothers me is that the 3 cars leaving the show never used a blinker. I did up to the point i pulled into my driveway because no cars were driving on the street at the time. Like i said I'm just trying to make sense of the situation because I did nothing wrong. I purchased the rifle legally, i have no criminal record, i never even purchased ammunition for the damn rifle.

Let me ask you, what makes YOU so special as to warrant 4 officers taking time out of their day just to target you, and what exactly did they gain by doing so? There had to of been at least dozens, if not over a hundred people at that gun show, and probably more than a few were buying ARs. If not a call, why in the world would they want anything to do with you vs anyone else there?

I have seen zero evidence to suggest that they went out of their way just to target you for some unknown reason. Take a step back and start thinking about this logically. Why? Why would they do that? As for the plainclothes officers, you had a rifle and they likely knew you had a rifle (or at least had a strong suspicion that you had a gun of some kind). They don't know anything about you, so they were probably just taking some extra precautions and using them as backup. More than likely, they just happened to be available and close by vs some more uniformed officers.

You got a ticket because you failed to signal. That is a law, and why they chose you over someone else and why they chose a ticket over a warning doesn't really matter. They wrote you a ticket for a valid reason. Yeah, it sucks, but that's life. You might be able to talk to the judge and either get the ticket reduced, tore up, or at least kept off your record. Don't mention your theories of being targeted, or it's likely he's not going to do much about the ticket.

I doubt these officers were targeting you. They more than likely got a call about you and your friends by some idiot, and maybe they singled you out over the others. Why that is, I doubt we'll ever know. People are stupid, and the police end up going on wild goose chases because of that stupidity on a daily basis.

If you are that concerned about it, call the police department and ask to speak to a supervisor regarding that incident.

 

[Hoji]

Use your turn signals.

Swear to God it is like they teach people here that using the lever on the left side of the steering column will cause genital acne or something.

Please don’t excuse not using your turn signal by saying “ 3 other cars didn’t use their signals”

Now that that is over, sounds like a snitch working the show may have pointed you and your friends out and you are the recipient of a profile stop.
Sucks, but it happens. Glad your dog didn’t get shot.

 

[AustinN4]

Didn't *

You can make corrections within the post that has the error. No need to make another post.

 

[AustinN4]

Now i have to pay that because decided to buy a rifle on my Birthday.

No, you got a ticket because you didn't signal when you should have. I am sensing a lack of personal responsibility here.

 

[TexasRedneck]

With all due respect.....does anything add up? Why wait until he's home to get him out of the car? And 4 units?