Preparedness
Michigan Woman’s Fearless Face-off Against Armed Carjackers in Parking Lot
A daring young woman from Michigan recently made headlines for her courageous retaliation against a group of would-be carjackers. The 24-year-old, Rachel Smiglewski, chased down the alleged criminals in her flip-flops, ultimately leading to their arrest.
The episode unfolded in Taylor, Michigan, in the parking lot of a Target store on Pardee Road. The police reported that the incident occurred around 4:50 p.m. on a Monday. Smiglewski was in her boyfriend’s car when the assailants approached her, wearing surgical masks and wielding a gun.
“Something in me snapped,” Rachel Smiglewski stated to local news station WXYZ-TV. Fear and shock initially flooded her, as she grappled with the sudden, violent confrontation. She tried dialing 911, but one of the culprits batted the phone out of her hand and pistol-whipped her, leaving her bloodied but defiant.
‘You just get sick of it, and I’m not going to let anyone do that to me anymore.’
Despite their coercive tactics, Smiglewski, rather than submitting to the criminals, found an unexpected surge of courage. She handed over her car keys as demanded, but an internal switch flicked on. Determined not to be a victim, she resolved to resist and protect herself.
“All of a sudden, something snapped in me and I was like, ‘You know what? No, I’m not going to let this happen to me. This is not going to happen,'” she recounted.
Armed with nothing but her determination, she began to make a scene, yelling for help and slamming her hands on the roof of the car. The spectacle she created was enough to deter the carjackers, who, despite possessing her keys, fled the scene.
“I chased after them. We ran the whole parking lot and I was wearing flip-flops. Then I lost my shoes, so my feet are all cut up,” Smiglewski stated, describing her gritty pursuit.
‘I was back ready to fight all three of them.’
She was prepared to confront the culprits, three scrawny teenagers, as she put it, and fight back. During their escape, one of them tossed her keys back. The carjackers eventually sought refuge in a nearby BJ’s restaurant, where the alert staff notified the police about the suspects hiding in the restroom.
Following this information, the police arrested three teenagers aged between 14 and 18 years old. They also confiscated a 9mm Glock. According to investigations, the trio had originally gathered to play basketball but ended up scheming a carjacking when they missed their bus to Detroit.
When asked about her motivation to resist, Smiglewski expressed her exasperation with being taken advantage of. “I’ve had everybody walk all over me and take advantage of me for years and years. You just get sick of it, and I’m not going to let anyone do that to me anymore,” she declared.
In a Facebook post, Smiglewski, who works as a sandwich artist at Subway, expressed her relief at having survived the encounter. “I fought and won and am so glad to be alive and not shot dead over some car,” she wrote.
Smiglewski’s full interview recounting the incident can be viewed directly on YouTube, following a decision by WXYZ to disable its video for other websites.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Preparedness
Dad’s Heroic Fight Saves Son from Mountain Lion Attack
A California family experienced a terrifying ordeal during their Labor Day picnic when their 5-year-old son was attacked by a mountain lion. The incident occurred just before 4:30 p.m. on Sunday at the Tapia Day Use Area of Malibu State Creek Park in Calabasas, as reported by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office.
The boy’s family and several other adults and children were enjoying their time when the mountain lion suddenly grabbed the child by the head and began to run.
“Somebody screamed the baby’s name, and his dad started running,” the boy’s aunt recounted.
“The father grabbed the mountain lion with his hands, and he just fought. Then the mountain lion let go.”
The dramatic rescue unfolded in front of about 40 onlookers, some of whom noted that the mountain lion appeared completely unafraid during the attack.
Male mountain lions can weigh up to 150 pounds and measure up to 8 feet in length, making the father’s actions even more heroic.
The boy was promptly airlifted to Northridge Hospital Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. He was released later that Sunday but had to return to the hospital on Monday due to complications involving his eyes.
Upon arrival at the scene, California State Park rangers and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) officers found the mountain lion crouched in a tree near the picnic area.
The animal was deemed a threat to public safety and was euthanized by a ranger.
Wildlife officers collected evidence from the boy’s injuries, including DNA swabs from the bite marks, which were matched to the mountain lion.
“CDFW and State Park officials are thankful that the family is safe, and the child is recovering and no one else was injured,” the CDFW stated.
Watch a local news report about the incident below:
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Preparedness
Oakland Chao: Gunfire With No Police In Sight While Residents Fear For Safety
Just a month ago, five individuals were injured during a chaotic street takeover in Oakland. These unruly events, commonly referred to as “sideshows,” involve drivers blocking intersections and performing dangerous stunts like peeling out and burning rubber, all while large crowds gather to watch and record the spectacle.
Early Saturday morning, Oakland experienced yet another street takeover. This one lasted an hour and included participants firing guns into the air, all of which was captured on video. Shocked residents complained about the absence of police, as reported by KTVU-TV.
“We know that we don’t have enough police officers. … We can’t afford it.”
A video report shows what appears to be cellphone footage of individuals discharging firearms during the sideshow. Residents expressed their fear that stray bullets might cause serious injuries or worse.
“I just heard gunshots, like gunshots coming from all directions, people trying to hide. They just fire up in the air, and you don’t know where it’s going to land,” a neighbor who requested anonymity told the station.
This resident was among several who mentioned that such sideshows near 98th Avenue and Empire Boulevard have become routine occurrences.
“Like a whole hour. No police. I didn’t hear no sirens at all. … Some people were on top of that house’s roof. There were fireworks included. There were blue lasers, green lasers,” another neighbor revealed to the station.
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Police Chief Floyd Mitchell have made appearances at recent town halls, promising to take more action against these sideshows. Potential solutions discussed include using new technologies like drones and cameras, as well as enlisting the help of the California Highway Patrol.
“We know that we don’t have enough police officers,” the mayor said at one town hall, according to KTVU. “We can’t afford it, but that doesn’t mean that we use that as an excuse or reason not to be sure that people feel safe.”
Chief Mitchell noted that police are “working hard to try to curb this activity. We have a sideshow detail that goes out every Friday and Saturday,” the station reported.
Mitchell also mentioned that redesigned intersections could potentially help, but KTVU reported that residents near Saturday’s sideshow are still waiting for city leaders to fulfill their promises.
“I’ve been here my whole life, and it has changed, it has changed so much, and it’s frustrating because it seems like they don’t care,” a neighbor told the station.
KTVU said it reached out to both the police and the mayor’s office for comments on the residents’ concerns about local crime, but the station did not receive a response in time for its report.
Watch a local news report about the incident below:
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Preparedness
Chicago Mom Defends Daughter from Intruder with Concealed-Carry Firearm
A mother from Chicago, who holds a concealed-carry license, found herself in a harrowing situation over the weekend when she had to use her firearm to protect her daughter.
The incident occurred at the family’s South Shore apartment late Saturday night. The mother, who requested anonymity, shared her experience with WLS-TV.
“That motherly instincts kick in, so as soon as something happens, it’s like fight or flight,” she explained.
Her 18-year-old daughter had just finished bathing and returned to her bedroom shortly before 11 p.m. when she noticed a man attempting to climb through her window.
“So, I put the towel on, and I run out my room, and I ran right there. I’m like, ‘Yo, somebody’s trying to come through my window.’ So, my mom immediately acted on it,” the daughter recounted to the station.
The mother, a long-time concealed-carry license holder, had never fired her gun until that night.
“He was, like, hanging on her window. I just told him that ‘I have a gun. I’m going to shoot.’ And he just didn’t stop. I fired a warning shot. I didn’t even know that he got hit,” she told WLS.
The police later discovered the 36-year-old suspect on East 69th Street near Oglesby, with a gunshot wound to his leg. He was taken to a hospital and was reported to be in fair condition. Charges against him were pending as of Sunday night.
Both the mother and daughter had some stern words for the intruder.
“Next time you think about coming through somebody’s window, you just remember how that bullet felt,” the daughter warned.
Her mother echoed this sentiment, advising, “Try not to be out here committing crimes, especially trying to come into somebody’s house, because you never know what’s on the other side of that window.”
In the aftermath of the incident, the police confiscated the mother’s firearm.
This event highlights the importance of preparedness and the potential consequences of criminal actions, especially when intruding into someone’s home.
Watch a local news report about the incident below:
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
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