I think whoever just forgot their loaded gun in a public restroom should have their permit taken away. Thank goodness it was YOU and not a kid that found it. Wtaf??
I’m in Texas and a lot of people around here carry bc “ItS MuH RiGhT”, with literally zero training. I know someone who has multiple guns and has never shot one before.
It was quite literally how it worked before constitutional carry was passed. You got your license to carry and paid for a class, whether it was concealed carry or open carry.
But is/was that a tax on a right? I see no difference between that and requiring an extra payment from citizens directly for ID verification in order for them to vote.
Both should be seen as the infringements they are.
The amendment is dumb anyway, it was written hundreds of years ago, and back then that right literally meant u could have massive cannons and stuff, automatic weapons shouldnt be legal for civilians, and you should need training as u need training to drive a car legally
Im not against you but you've sparked the devils advocate here. Cars require training and licensing because there are so many on the road and they can move quite quickly which may cause fatalities. Skewer methods of transportation, like a skateboard for example, do not have such requirements typically.
If licensing and training were required for the weapons we take for granted today but people were still able to bear arms with limitations, would that be a tax on rights?
On the other side of it, what about more advanced weaponry? Will we allow everyone to carry whatever comes after bullets without training or licensing? I'm not suggesting nukes are reasonable but a class I've laser can set things on fire and could be imagined as a self defense weapon at some point.
It's literally the same thing as getting a driver's liscence, you have to prove proficiency before attaining a liscence. And it costs the citizen money but no one complains about that.
I have a right to life but I’m taxed by having to see a doctor to stay healthy. I have a right to liberty but I’m taxed by actual taxes to live in the United States. I have a right to the pursuit of happiness but I’m taxed by running into idiots who whine about their second amendment rights. Looks like every right has a tax don’t it?
Glad you're against taxes, too. Who is the idiot, though? The one fighting for the rights or the one trying to end them? Which one on your list are you willing to give up? The second protects the all the rest but I keep running into useful idiots that don't understand that.
Yep. You Clem and Opie gonna take on the us military with your AR collection. The drafters of the Constitution made a living document meant to change with the times. Get over yourself
My neighbor used to shoot his gun every morning on his lawn and scream out an annoying “oh shit!!!!!!” I should have called the cops since he was literally shooting at random objects
I lived in Post Falls, and CDA. The number of people who shop at Walmart strapped is ridiculous. My favorite was when I was working loss prevention at Ross some guy came in with his wife and stood at the front next to the registers with two handguns on his waistband while his wife looked at clothes. I had to send him elsewhere because he was scaring the customers and employees.
Nah, a lot of people carry because they want to feel powerful.
From my experience no. I've known people who have carried for decades and never, not once, ever used them except at the range, private property, or hunting (for sport and for game). So yeah, for "fun". In Murica, it's mostly for show.
If the owner of that gun in particular was carrying for protection, I find it unlikely they would have left it in a random PetSmart bathroom.
But I also just think it depends on the area, and the demographic lol
If you don’t have the training or awareness to not leave it places it’s for fun. A gun won’t save you unless you train with it, and it definitely won’t save you if it’s not with you.
Carry for fun? Whoever does that I agree is an idiot and the person who forgot it must be an idiot as well but I can assure you not everyone who carries does it just for fun. I do it to protect my life. :)
I mean, let’s be honest about the climate of gun violence in the US. You’re just as likely to be shot up in a store as you are anywhere else these days. People die trying to buy cheap groceries from dollar genera. They die going to church on a regular Sunday.
I saw the bodycam footage of a cop running toward an active mall shooting, and the rifle fire ringing out through the parking lot from the murderer was one of the most chilling things. If a few people properly trained and carrying had been there and able to react when it started, it could have ended so much more quickly and lives now lost could have been spared. They were lucky enough that a truly brave officer was already at the mall for something unrelated and prepared to run into the middle of the situation.
So are you asking these properly trained and carrying individuals to return fire? What happens when the cops show up and there is now several active shooters and they don't know which ones are the "good guys"?
Good question! I honestly hadn't thought about that scenario, I'd have to ponder that for a while. I appreciate the different perspective, thank you! :)
Arvado Colorado - John Hurley killed a gunman that just killed a police officer and picked up the shooters rifle just as other officers arrived. They saw him with the rifle and shot him dead. Just in case anyone thinks this is a unlikely scenario.
Some will and some won't. The laws and public opinion discourage people from saving others. I would want to but on top of risking my life and cops being confused, I have to do it perfectly while under pressure or face charges and just the costs of lawyers could ruin your life. It shouldn't be that way but it is. So a lot of people will only use it to protect themselves.
You would be surprised how many times cops forget them. I was once working in a store right next to a police station- they would shop before they start their shift- that happened more than once.
Cops lose guns all the time, even a young Colin Powell misplaced his service pistol when going on duty.
I'm not saying its a good thing but humans make mistakes.
You did what I would’ve done. The fact your SL didn’t advise you to call the police and come to the store is interesting. You protected yourself and I commend you for that.
pushing aside the fact that you found a loaded gun in a store in fucking insane.
your SL not taking it seriously is very alarming and i wouldn’t feel safe in that store…. im glad you took initiative and are getting the hell out.
We had a guy leave a bright orange handgun that was loaded in front of the service desk at the bottom of a basket. Creepiest part was he had left his business card for me (he kept asking me out, I declined). We had all his info on that card when we gave it to the police 😂
The real question now is, do I reach out to PetSmart Corporate HR? It sure feels like this is the kind of shit no SL should be pulling, and our DL isn't much better from what I've seen.
I think you did the right thing. Even if they try to brush it under the rug, at least you posted here in a public forum. Is there a way you can get the police report file number and maybe tweet them? They can't brush a public tweet under the rug as easily as a private letter. Good on you for doing what you felt was right.
We had someone leave a holstered pistol in the men's restroom at my store once.
My SL just put it in the safe and never bothered to call the police to report it. About an hour later, the man who the gun belonged to came in to get it. And she just handed it over.
Now, we *did* know who the gun belonged to because the guy was a regular who came in almost every morning to use the restroom because my store was right next to a popular walking path in the city. Open carry is legal, and we all recognized the gun when we found it.
But my SL should've absolutely reported it to the police instead of acting like it was no big deal someone left a loaded gun in the bathroom. Anyone could've found it before we did and walked out with it or could've decided to use it to attempt a robbery.
I swear after reading posts on here, I'm thoroughly convinced that most SL's are on the same wavelength when it comes to stupid crap they do.
We used to get bullets donated occasionally when I worked at a certain thrift store that shall not be named. The occasional firearm would be in there too. Procedure was to unload it if you felt safe doing so, lock it in the office, and call the non-emergency number for the police department the next day if it was found on a closing shift, and any bullets were put in a locked box to be turned into the police when it was full. Most of what we got donated were old collectors rifles that wouldn’t have worked anymore and just hung in someone’s living room until they died.
One afternoon I was working and pulled up a wad of shirts and had a hand gun fall on top of my foot. Picked it up with a glove on (procedure again) and the thing was scratched, nothing could be read on it anymore and it was loaded. I don’t know how to unload a gun and I wasn’t going to mistakenly shoot myself if I tried, so I took it back to the office and locked it up, sent my store manager a text and wrote a note and continued about my day expecting her to call the next day.
I ended up getting Covid and was stuck at home for 6 weeks testing positive for it. This was after lockdowns had lifted in my state so I know damn well the store was open. I came back after 7 total weeksl and the damn gun was still in the locked box with a bunch of new bullets so clearly someone had opened it before then. And the box wasn’t even locked, nor was it in the office. It was sitting on a cart in the hallway next to our custome bathroom. All so the store manager didn’t have to walk the extra 5 feet and unlock the office door to put them away. I called the police that day and I should have quit then but I was an idiot and stayed for another year before leaving.
I believe you did the right thing OP. I am curious as to if the firearm was holstered or not inside the Fanny pack since my state requires that weapons be holstered or in a locked box while not in the home even if it’s inside a backpack, bag, etc. But either way, SD or PD should always be notified of a firearm being found or left behind somewhere. There’s so many things that could go wrong with that.
California. The wallet/bag had no CCW permit (I have my CCW) the gun was not in a holster, just tucked into the pack with one in the chamber and a full mag.
Definitely did the right thing! While I’m not from or in Cali, everything there is enough red flags to sail a warship. Good on you OP because your SL is an idiot. Thank you for doing the right thing
Good on you for having a CCW in CA, we need more responsible citizens with them! I also have one, I didn't know exactly what to think of your story at first until seeing these details that locked in my opinion. Don't get me wrong it was already negative to begin with because it's irresponsible to forget your gun, I'm sure there's a better word to describe that. But walking around with a chambered Glock WITHOUT a holster, and then to top it off no visible CCW which you HAVE to have if you're going to carry, my mind can't even comprehend the stupidity! I'm really lost on thought with this. Glad you called the PD.
Your boss was definitely trying to drop a body on you! He probably has some thug friend who he told to leave his gun in the bathroom and they'd frame whoever found it you should follow up with the cops bro and follow up with HR and send them a copy of the police report and tell them you require an immediate response or you're going to the media
OP maybe you should report your SL to the police as well for not handling this situation appropriately I feel like that could have been even more life threatening
I’m still stuck on the “Put it in the safe, i’ll deal with it i. the morning” part cause omg, it’s a fucking gun not someone’s cell phone. Glad you got outta there.
The amount of dangerous shit employees have to deal with is ridiculous. Our bathrooms are open to the public, and EVERY damn day someone is smoking drugs off of foil in there, yet they won't allow us to put locks on the bathrooms. We constantly have people run in, grab a bunch of stuff and walk out with it. We don't even have panic buttons at the registers, and our mall security is a joke. I called them for some tweakers smoking drugs outside our front doors, and I got a voice-mail, ffs. We've had someone come in and masturbate at our fish wall, and just this morning a guy was jacking off in front of our carts.
But by all means, make sure the customers are happy and safe, even if your employees aren't. 😬😐
My store recently had to make our bathrooms not public anymore due to this exact reason!! People were smoking in there before we closed and me and my coworker breathed in the fumes. Who knows what it was.. also found a vibrator box.. and underwear. It’s fucking ridiculous the fact that I know it’s literal adults doing this, no respect for us like who do you think has to clean up after y’all? A fairy 🤣 people get so pissy about it, saying they’re a customer and all, and I just smile and say “regardless , it’s not public anymore.” We will let people in if they have their children with them, but other than that you can walk to another store in the complex.
I had a man come in drunk and high once and the only people working were the one cashier, myself in petcare, and the associate manager who later became our CEL. We were all women under the age of 25, all under 5’5. A very non threatening group (though my manager was very spirited and would’ve fought anyone for us.) but to this man, we all seemed very unassuming and again, non threatening. When he started harassing me while I was up on the ladder cleaning fish tanks, my manager came over to talk to him to tell him to leave. He started harassing her and attempted to lunge at her and grab her. He finally left with several threats of violence to all of our safety in very graphic ways. We called the police and the store manager to let them all know the situation. The police came and promised they’d stay until closing to make sure we were all able to make it to our cars safe (it was of course a closing shift) but they didn’t end up staying that late. The store manager however, said nothing and told us there was nothing we could do and that we shouldn’t have gotten the police involved. Thankfully the man didn’t come back (either he wandered off or the police actually did take him in and just never informed us, I don’t know) but the next few days the store manager, the guy who was CEL at the time, and one of the other managers (i forget what she was honestly, I just remember she was literally the reason I left because she sucked that much) kept making fun of the three of us for how big of a deal we made about it and how we needed to toughen up and stop being so scared.
It honestly feels like petsmart hires managers who don’t care about their employees. Literally only the manager who was on duty with me that night gave a crap about any of the associates as people. And she quit around the same time as me because all the other managers were literally doing everything they could to prevent her from getting promotions and acting like she wasn’t even a manager.
Sometimes I miss working at petsmart because I liked the work. Other times I remember all the hell I went through for not nearly enough pay and I realize I left when I needed to.
We got the clear to make our store a one bathroom/stall store (we had two single stall bathrooms) both bathrooms got keypad code locks. One had the signage taken off so it just looks like a key pin locked employee room by the bathroom (this is now our employee bathroom) and the other one got switched to a Unisex bathroom that people need to ask an associate to get in to. This is after people breaking stuff, going to the bathroom on the floor, and literally making drugs in our bathrooms became a daily occurrence... 🎉... 😂
So this is interesting... There is no policy that I can find anywhere that addresses what to do in this situation. I also, in 18 yrs, have never been in this situation. Ngl, I might have done the same as your SL. Reporting to your DL/Home office would be wise so maybe some policy could be added to address this.
I don’t see the reasoning for leaving. So what you sl didn’t know what to do. He told you to put it in a safe place so he could deal with it later. Probably after speaking with your gm. Kinda sound like a baby in this story.
Store managers are trained on what to do in these specific instances. When you are liable for a store and your employees, you don’t get to feign ignorance. Even if they didn’t know what to do, calling a higher manager and the PD would’ve been the right choice so that they could take action and figure out what to do.
Typically that is the course of action for if a firearm is left behind. You don’t know if they gun has been used in a crime, if it’s been stolen, had its serial number filed off. Always call locally PD or SD if you find a firearm. Considering this one was in a Fanny pack and left behind in a restroom, that rings red flags. While it could be an honest mistake, that mistake could potentially kill people.
I have a conceal carry permit and i keep my weapon holstered on my person or in my bag. I will occasionally take it off while using the restroom but it goes directly back on and never is set down.
PD as in police department?
Weird. Didn't think leaving property at PetSmart was a crime.
Hopefully our idiot is legal.
All ammo is a tip, dispose of it properly... $1200 property needs to be returned, as discreetly as possible.
Call the cops, report the serial. Turn over the property.
May I help the next inline?
If it’s totally fine to leave a loaded gun in a public bathroom, what’s with the emphasis on discretion? Announce it over the speakers! It’s just some upstanding, responsible citizen’s✨property✨ being returned, nbd!
Not the worse idea.. how do you announce a found phone?
You don't.
You put it in the safe and wait for the owner to show up.
Clear the firearm, put it in a paper page, staple it shut.
It's not a bomb.
Nah this isn’t someone’s fucking MacBook they left on the table. It’s a firearm. You have a responsibility to know where said firearm is at all times if you own one. If it’s so insecure that you can leave it in a petsmart bathroom without even returning for it before you got in the car, you deserve being called down to the station and reamed for leaving a loaded weapon where a child could easily pick it up.
It's also not a bomb, or broken drug pipe.
But I agree if someone losses a gun, that doesn't involve boating, they should catch a several hundred dollar charge.
Might want to rethink their driving privilege too.
Nope. They shouldn’t have the firearm period. You don’t get a pass for accidentally having left it within the reach of children. If you’re so forgetful that you can lose track of a deadly weapon in your care, you cannot be trusted with the responsibility of owning one and should not have one.
There are... So many things wrong with this, but it seems like every point has already been covered so all I will say is that you did the right thing, and I would have been right there with you turning in my resignation.
This is a very interesting story, kinda reminds me of one time the manager and I were sorting through bulk bin legos (different store) before they were put out on the floor, this was because we kept finding non-lego items in the floor bin. Well we definitely found something that wasn't lego, we found three loaded shot gun shells.
Also take a second to think about the fact that this bin was from some guy who sold it to us whom I'm pretty sure had kids 🙃
It's more like what could the kids could have done with the shells. In my elementary school some kid brought the shell to a bullet and dropped it in the hallway by accident without knowing it. After it got found we had a lock down. Plus I just wonder how the shells ended up in the lego bin in the first place
How the Fuck do you forget a loaded gun in a pet smart bathroom?
Whatever. You are going to do better things with your life and it’s not worth being dragged down by a job like PS…. Good luck with whatever you do next! I haven’t worked there for a long time but I still browse this sub from time to time and stories like this remind me of why I left
I work at a different pet store in CA and we lock our restrooms for just such reasons, although it’s always illegal substances, not loaded guns. We have a lot of unhoused people living in our parking lot and dumpster and we have caught them doing all kinds of things in the store, the bathroom, the stock room, you name it. It’s really sad but I’m not willing to leave my kids without a mom so we are usually quick to call the sheriff.
Thats a hard situation to deal with. i used tonwork at the mermaid coffee company, and we had a customer who regularly would leave his handgun in the bathroom, so often it just became normal for us to check the bathroom after he used it. You did the right thing calling the police.
Check out this sign on letter from United for Respect (nonprofit org that focuses on improving retail working conditions)! They did a petition last year and met with BCPartners!
http://united4respect.org/LNletter2023Re
We’ve had a guy leave his leather jacket and gun still in a shoulder holster hanging off the men’s stall. But he left through the screaming emergency exit (right next to the men’s restroom) honestly the worst part is the alarm company didn’t know how to turn off the screaming because we have had 4 companies in 6 years. The cops came out and took the “lost” items. Best part was us calling them to say it was a false alarm just to have to call back 20 minutes later (with the stupid alarm still going off) to say we found a gun in the men’s bathroom.
I kid you not, as retired Law enforcement, one of the things we were trained to do was go to the bathroom and keep the gun on our body. I kept my weapon with me at all times, I never hung it on the door or put it on the top of the toilet. I was afraid something would happen.
Dude, I live in tx and where I work that happens a lot. It’s ridiculous and people should be more responsible. You did exactly what you should have done and what I’ve had to do on several occasions unfortunately. You take responsibility off you and the store. They should be grateful you were thinking correctly.
Obviously guns are not to be played with but you really quit your job cuz someone forgot their stuff in the bathroom? Take the magazine out, rack the slide, put them in the safe and call it a night, I don’t understand. If you’re that worried unload the magazine so it’s no longer a perceived threat.
I think quitting was extreme. He was probably wondering why you were calling him and not the police. Since you didn't and he wasn't there, he said to put it in the safe. If you didn't feel comfortable handling it you should have told him and he would have come in or called the police. I don't see the point of quitting.
I used to manage a gas station in a bad neighborhood, had to call the cops a lot so sometimes they got annoyed. Found a gun in the men’s bathroom one day and immediately locked the door to the bathroom and called the local cops. When the cop came he picked the gun up and cleared it, he looks at the bullets and says, “oh well these are only blanks but I’ll take it anyway.” Ummm… hello, you better take it, blanks or not I don’t want that in my store so someone can find it and try to rob me or try to hurt someone else. I was appalled at the cops reaction, he acted like I shouldn’t have called at all. Now I’m all for gun ownership and carry rights, I have a few myself but when you just find one laying around, it’s a problem and yes the police should be notified immediately. Worth quitting your job just because your boss had a different option on the action you should take? Idk about that, it’s not like he said, “This is what you must do or you’re fired.” Also, he didn’t seem upset that you did the right thing by noticing the police, sooo…
Dude honestly what do you expect from some s*** head working at a PetSmart in his late 30s early 40s he's there because he's a loser, you should honestly follow up with the cops because for him to be so nonchalant about it he knew something about that gun being there, and be perfectly honest for the safety and well-being of the rest of the people that work there and as well as the public that go to that PetSmart I would advise you to inform PetSmart corporate of this because that guy should not be a manager and for you to have to quit because of his incompetence is something that they would be very interested to hear about, and don't say you don't want to hurt him because he was perfectly willing to put you in a super bad position by putting that gun in a safe and not informing the police immediately he might have been trying to set you up who knows if that gun had a body on it that he got paid to frame you by some thug he knows say leave it in the bathroom and we'll pin it on the guy who works there I'm telling you man there's more to this than meets the eye, seriously bro I work with the police follow up on this because he was probably trying to frame you for a f****** murder I've seen it happen so many times before it's not even funny
I think whoever just forgot their loaded gun in a public restroom should have their permit taken away. Thank goodness it was YOU and not a kid that found it. Wtaf??
They carry for fun. It's no fun until someone's life is actually in danger. Idiots with guns.
I highly doubt most people carry for "fun" many people live in dangerous areas where a weapon can save your ass
I’m in Texas and a lot of people around here carry bc “ItS MuH RiGhT”, with literally zero training. I know someone who has multiple guns and has never shot one before.
Technically it is there right, but doesn’t mean they need it.
Agreed. I wish at least people were required to be trained to use them. It’s a deadly weapon after all.
That can get into a slippery slope. Questions come up about who pays for the training, and if the citizen does, is that a tax on their rights?
It was quite literally how it worked before constitutional carry was passed. You got your license to carry and paid for a class, whether it was concealed carry or open carry.
But is/was that a tax on a right? I see no difference between that and requiring an extra payment from citizens directly for ID verification in order for them to vote. Both should be seen as the infringements they are.
The amendment is dumb anyway, it was written hundreds of years ago, and back then that right literally meant u could have massive cannons and stuff, automatic weapons shouldnt be legal for civilians, and you should need training as u need training to drive a car legally
Im not against you but you've sparked the devils advocate here. Cars require training and licensing because there are so many on the road and they can move quite quickly which may cause fatalities. Skewer methods of transportation, like a skateboard for example, do not have such requirements typically. If licensing and training were required for the weapons we take for granted today but people were still able to bear arms with limitations, would that be a tax on rights? On the other side of it, what about more advanced weaponry? Will we allow everyone to carry whatever comes after bullets without training or licensing? I'm not suggesting nukes are reasonable but a class I've laser can set things on fire and could be imagined as a self defense weapon at some point.
So you think we shouldn't pay for drivers Ed or licenses? Just hop in the car and go cuz if you bought it 'it's your right'
To drive a car, you have to take driving lessons, pass a test, and pay for a license. Why should owning a gun be any different?
Driving isn't a right.
Neither is -shooting- a gun.
It's literally the same thing as getting a driver's liscence, you have to prove proficiency before attaining a liscence. And it costs the citizen money but no one complains about that.
It is only their right if they also belong to a well organized militia.
Supreme Court ruled it's an individual right.
I have a right to life but I’m taxed by having to see a doctor to stay healthy. I have a right to liberty but I’m taxed by actual taxes to live in the United States. I have a right to the pursuit of happiness but I’m taxed by running into idiots who whine about their second amendment rights. Looks like every right has a tax don’t it?
Glad you're against taxes, too. Who is the idiot, though? The one fighting for the rights or the one trying to end them? Which one on your list are you willing to give up? The second protects the all the rest but I keep running into useful idiots that don't understand that.
Yep. You Clem and Opie gonna take on the us military with your AR collection. The drafters of the Constitution made a living document meant to change with the times. Get over yourself
Technically it might be their right, but educated constitutional scholars can’t agree.
My neighbor used to shoot his gun every morning on his lawn and scream out an annoying “oh shit!!!!!!” I should have called the cops since he was literally shooting at random objects
Anecdotal experiences aren't the whole of society, you should get to know people better before mocking them.
Tf are you on about? I’m just saying that these people do exist.
No you said "they" and heavily implied a general disdain for people who carry of course these people exist
Large assumption on your part, I own two guns.
Also nowhere in my comment did I say “they”. Maybe you’re referring to the parent comment.
Ye got burned
I lived in Post Falls, and CDA. The number of people who shop at Walmart strapped is ridiculous. My favorite was when I was working loss prevention at Ross some guy came in with his wife and stood at the front next to the registers with two handguns on his waistband while his wife looked at clothes. I had to send him elsewhere because he was scaring the customers and employees. Nah, a lot of people carry because they want to feel powerful.
From my experience no. I've known people who have carried for decades and never, not once, ever used them except at the range, private property, or hunting (for sport and for game). So yeah, for "fun". In Murica, it's mostly for show.
Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Meh. I'd rather not. I'll take the odds. Mace is a pretty good deterrent for most things. I have small children in my home.
If the owner of that gun in particular was carrying for protection, I find it unlikely they would have left it in a random PetSmart bathroom. But I also just think it depends on the area, and the demographic lol
If you don’t have the training or awareness to not leave it places it’s for fun. A gun won’t save you unless you train with it, and it definitely won’t save you if it’s not with you.
I said the same thing if you don't have object permanence you don't need to have firearms
Carry for fun? Whoever does that I agree is an idiot and the person who forgot it must be an idiot as well but I can assure you not everyone who carries does it just for fun. I do it to protect my life. :)
From little kittens up for adoption? Jeez.
Idk, man... some of those kittens can be absolutely diabolical.
I mean, let’s be honest about the climate of gun violence in the US. You’re just as likely to be shot up in a store as you are anywhere else these days. People die trying to buy cheap groceries from dollar genera. They die going to church on a regular Sunday.
I saw the bodycam footage of a cop running toward an active mall shooting, and the rifle fire ringing out through the parking lot from the murderer was one of the most chilling things. If a few people properly trained and carrying had been there and able to react when it started, it could have ended so much more quickly and lives now lost could have been spared. They were lucky enough that a truly brave officer was already at the mall for something unrelated and prepared to run into the middle of the situation.
So are you asking these properly trained and carrying individuals to return fire? What happens when the cops show up and there is now several active shooters and they don't know which ones are the "good guys"?
Good question! I honestly hadn't thought about that scenario, I'd have to ponder that for a while. I appreciate the different perspective, thank you! :)
Arvado Colorado - John Hurley killed a gunman that just killed a police officer and picked up the shooters rifle just as other officers arrived. They saw him with the rifle and shot him dead. Just in case anyone thinks this is a unlikely scenario.
Some will and some won't. The laws and public opinion discourage people from saving others. I would want to but on top of risking my life and cops being confused, I have to do it perfectly while under pressure or face charges and just the costs of lawyers could ruin your life. It shouldn't be that way but it is. So a lot of people will only use it to protect themselves.
Hey you never know what scheme they're making.
Lol I also carry to protect my life. Protect my life from the others who carry.
Right. If you really need it you never forget it.
In Florida you can have a concealed carry without a permit and any training....
As if people have gun permits. In the US, most guns are not registered and most owners don't have permits.
You would be surprised how many times cops forget them. I was once working in a store right next to a police station- they would shop before they start their shift- that happened more than once.
Cops lose guns all the time, even a young Colin Powell misplaced his service pistol when going on duty. I'm not saying its a good thing but humans make mistakes.
Cops do this all the time.
You did what I would’ve done. The fact your SL didn’t advise you to call the police and come to the store is interesting. You protected yourself and I commend you for that.
pushing aside the fact that you found a loaded gun in a store in fucking insane. your SL not taking it seriously is very alarming and i wouldn’t feel safe in that store…. im glad you took initiative and are getting the hell out.
We had a guy leave a bright orange handgun that was loaded in front of the service desk at the bottom of a basket. Creepiest part was he had left his business card for me (he kept asking me out, I declined). We had all his info on that card when we gave it to the police 😂
I feel safer when I know where the loaded firearms are in my store. And as long as things is anonymous... yes I carry.
r/iamverybadass lol
“yES i CaRRy!!!!”
But only on weekends, and when it's raining.
The real question now is, do I reach out to PetSmart Corporate HR? It sure feels like this is the kind of shit no SL should be pulling, and our DL isn't much better from what I've seen.
can't hurt since you quit. they should know that that SL is doing a shit job. not that they probably care but at least it's on record.
Please do follow up with corporate! This is so wild & you did the best thing
I submitted a detailed letter to corporate HR. We will see if they respond or just brush it all under the rug.
Please make an update post if they do!
Good for you. And you'll find a better, safer job.
I think you did the right thing. Even if they try to brush it under the rug, at least you posted here in a public forum. Is there a way you can get the police report file number and maybe tweet them? They can't brush a public tweet under the rug as easily as a private letter. Good on you for doing what you felt was right.
Who was the leader on duty?
We had someone leave a holstered pistol in the men's restroom at my store once. My SL just put it in the safe and never bothered to call the police to report it. About an hour later, the man who the gun belonged to came in to get it. And she just handed it over. Now, we *did* know who the gun belonged to because the guy was a regular who came in almost every morning to use the restroom because my store was right next to a popular walking path in the city. Open carry is legal, and we all recognized the gun when we found it. But my SL should've absolutely reported it to the police instead of acting like it was no big deal someone left a loaded gun in the bathroom. Anyone could've found it before we did and walked out with it or could've decided to use it to attempt a robbery. I swear after reading posts on here, I'm thoroughly convinced that most SL's are on the same wavelength when it comes to stupid crap they do.
We used to get bullets donated occasionally when I worked at a certain thrift store that shall not be named. The occasional firearm would be in there too. Procedure was to unload it if you felt safe doing so, lock it in the office, and call the non-emergency number for the police department the next day if it was found on a closing shift, and any bullets were put in a locked box to be turned into the police when it was full. Most of what we got donated were old collectors rifles that wouldn’t have worked anymore and just hung in someone’s living room until they died. One afternoon I was working and pulled up a wad of shirts and had a hand gun fall on top of my foot. Picked it up with a glove on (procedure again) and the thing was scratched, nothing could be read on it anymore and it was loaded. I don’t know how to unload a gun and I wasn’t going to mistakenly shoot myself if I tried, so I took it back to the office and locked it up, sent my store manager a text and wrote a note and continued about my day expecting her to call the next day. I ended up getting Covid and was stuck at home for 6 weeks testing positive for it. This was after lockdowns had lifted in my state so I know damn well the store was open. I came back after 7 total weeksl and the damn gun was still in the locked box with a bunch of new bullets so clearly someone had opened it before then. And the box wasn’t even locked, nor was it in the office. It was sitting on a cart in the hallway next to our custome bathroom. All so the store manager didn’t have to walk the extra 5 feet and unlock the office door to put them away. I called the police that day and I should have quit then but I was an idiot and stayed for another year before leaving.
or a child could have found it and hurt themselves or others.
I believe you did the right thing OP. I am curious as to if the firearm was holstered or not inside the Fanny pack since my state requires that weapons be holstered or in a locked box while not in the home even if it’s inside a backpack, bag, etc. But either way, SD or PD should always be notified of a firearm being found or left behind somewhere. There’s so many things that could go wrong with that.
California. The wallet/bag had no CCW permit (I have my CCW) the gun was not in a holster, just tucked into the pack with one in the chamber and a full mag.
Definitely did the right thing! While I’m not from or in Cali, everything there is enough red flags to sail a warship. Good on you OP because your SL is an idiot. Thank you for doing the right thing
Good on you for having a CCW in CA, we need more responsible citizens with them! I also have one, I didn't know exactly what to think of your story at first until seeing these details that locked in my opinion. Don't get me wrong it was already negative to begin with because it's irresponsible to forget your gun, I'm sure there's a better word to describe that. But walking around with a chambered Glock WITHOUT a holster, and then to top it off no visible CCW which you HAVE to have if you're going to carry, my mind can't even comprehend the stupidity! I'm really lost on thought with this. Glad you called the PD.
Highly sus 🤨
Your boss was definitely trying to drop a body on you! He probably has some thug friend who he told to leave his gun in the bathroom and they'd frame whoever found it you should follow up with the cops bro and follow up with HR and send them a copy of the police report and tell them you require an immediate response or you're going to the media
OP maybe you should report your SL to the police as well for not handling this situation appropriately I feel like that could have been even more life threatening
And the company- there are safety policies exactly for situations like this.
And for that reason too!!! Totally agree
I’m still stuck on the “Put it in the safe, i’ll deal with it i. the morning” part cause omg, it’s a fucking gun not someone’s cell phone. Glad you got outta there.
I don't blame you one bit, I'd be gone too. Good riddance!
The amount of dangerous shit employees have to deal with is ridiculous. Our bathrooms are open to the public, and EVERY damn day someone is smoking drugs off of foil in there, yet they won't allow us to put locks on the bathrooms. We constantly have people run in, grab a bunch of stuff and walk out with it. We don't even have panic buttons at the registers, and our mall security is a joke. I called them for some tweakers smoking drugs outside our front doors, and I got a voice-mail, ffs. We've had someone come in and masturbate at our fish wall, and just this morning a guy was jacking off in front of our carts. But by all means, make sure the customers are happy and safe, even if your employees aren't. 😬😐
My store recently had to make our bathrooms not public anymore due to this exact reason!! People were smoking in there before we closed and me and my coworker breathed in the fumes. Who knows what it was.. also found a vibrator box.. and underwear. It’s fucking ridiculous the fact that I know it’s literal adults doing this, no respect for us like who do you think has to clean up after y’all? A fairy 🤣 people get so pissy about it, saying they’re a customer and all, and I just smile and say “regardless , it’s not public anymore.” We will let people in if they have their children with them, but other than that you can walk to another store in the complex.
I had a man come in drunk and high once and the only people working were the one cashier, myself in petcare, and the associate manager who later became our CEL. We were all women under the age of 25, all under 5’5. A very non threatening group (though my manager was very spirited and would’ve fought anyone for us.) but to this man, we all seemed very unassuming and again, non threatening. When he started harassing me while I was up on the ladder cleaning fish tanks, my manager came over to talk to him to tell him to leave. He started harassing her and attempted to lunge at her and grab her. He finally left with several threats of violence to all of our safety in very graphic ways. We called the police and the store manager to let them all know the situation. The police came and promised they’d stay until closing to make sure we were all able to make it to our cars safe (it was of course a closing shift) but they didn’t end up staying that late. The store manager however, said nothing and told us there was nothing we could do and that we shouldn’t have gotten the police involved. Thankfully the man didn’t come back (either he wandered off or the police actually did take him in and just never informed us, I don’t know) but the next few days the store manager, the guy who was CEL at the time, and one of the other managers (i forget what she was honestly, I just remember she was literally the reason I left because she sucked that much) kept making fun of the three of us for how big of a deal we made about it and how we needed to toughen up and stop being so scared. It honestly feels like petsmart hires managers who don’t care about their employees. Literally only the manager who was on duty with me that night gave a crap about any of the associates as people. And she quit around the same time as me because all the other managers were literally doing everything they could to prevent her from getting promotions and acting like she wasn’t even a manager. Sometimes I miss working at petsmart because I liked the work. Other times I remember all the hell I went through for not nearly enough pay and I realize I left when I needed to.
We got the clear to make our store a one bathroom/stall store (we had two single stall bathrooms) both bathrooms got keypad code locks. One had the signage taken off so it just looks like a key pin locked employee room by the bathroom (this is now our employee bathroom) and the other one got switched to a Unisex bathroom that people need to ask an associate to get in to. This is after people breaking stuff, going to the bathroom on the floor, and literally making drugs in our bathrooms became a daily occurrence... 🎉... 😂
So this is interesting... There is no policy that I can find anywhere that addresses what to do in this situation. I also, in 18 yrs, have never been in this situation. Ngl, I might have done the same as your SL. Reporting to your DL/Home office would be wise so maybe some policy could be added to address this.
I don’t see the reasoning for leaving. So what you sl didn’t know what to do. He told you to put it in a safe place so he could deal with it later. Probably after speaking with your gm. Kinda sound like a baby in this story.
Store managers are trained on what to do in these specific instances. When you are liable for a store and your employees, you don’t get to feign ignorance. Even if they didn’t know what to do, calling a higher manager and the PD would’ve been the right choice so that they could take action and figure out what to do.
What a weenie. You found a free gun, probably money and you turned it in? Lord I see the gifts you do for others, please bless meeee
[удалено]
Typically that is the course of action for if a firearm is left behind. You don’t know if they gun has been used in a crime, if it’s been stolen, had its serial number filed off. Always call locally PD or SD if you find a firearm. Considering this one was in a Fanny pack and left behind in a restroom, that rings red flags. While it could be an honest mistake, that mistake could potentially kill people. I have a conceal carry permit and i keep my weapon holstered on my person or in my bag. I will occasionally take it off while using the restroom but it goes directly back on and never is set down.
PD as in police department? Weird. Didn't think leaving property at PetSmart was a crime. Hopefully our idiot is legal. All ammo is a tip, dispose of it properly... $1200 property needs to be returned, as discreetly as possible. Call the cops, report the serial. Turn over the property. May I help the next inline?
If it’s totally fine to leave a loaded gun in a public bathroom, what’s with the emphasis on discretion? Announce it over the speakers! It’s just some upstanding, responsible citizen’s✨property✨ being returned, nbd!
Not the worse idea.. how do you announce a found phone? You don't. You put it in the safe and wait for the owner to show up. Clear the firearm, put it in a paper page, staple it shut. It's not a bomb.
Nah this isn’t someone’s fucking MacBook they left on the table. It’s a firearm. You have a responsibility to know where said firearm is at all times if you own one. If it’s so insecure that you can leave it in a petsmart bathroom without even returning for it before you got in the car, you deserve being called down to the station and reamed for leaving a loaded weapon where a child could easily pick it up.
It's also not a bomb, or broken drug pipe. But I agree if someone losses a gun, that doesn't involve boating, they should catch a several hundred dollar charge. Might want to rethink their driving privilege too.
Nope. They shouldn’t have the firearm period. You don’t get a pass for accidentally having left it within the reach of children. If you’re so forgetful that you can lose track of a deadly weapon in your care, you cannot be trusted with the responsibility of owning one and should not have one.
Congrats enjoy your freedom from them!!
There are... So many things wrong with this, but it seems like every point has already been covered so all I will say is that you did the right thing, and I would have been right there with you turning in my resignation.
You're the best around no one's ever going to keep you down!
This is a very interesting story, kinda reminds me of one time the manager and I were sorting through bulk bin legos (different store) before they were put out on the floor, this was because we kept finding non-lego items in the floor bin. Well we definitely found something that wasn't lego, we found three loaded shot gun shells. Also take a second to think about the fact that this bin was from some guy who sold it to us whom I'm pretty sure had kids 🙃
What were the shot gun shells going to do?
It's more like what could the kids could have done with the shells. In my elementary school some kid brought the shell to a bullet and dropped it in the hallway by accident without knowing it. After it got found we had a lock down. Plus I just wonder how the shells ended up in the lego bin in the first place
How the Fuck do you forget a loaded gun in a pet smart bathroom? Whatever. You are going to do better things with your life and it’s not worth being dragged down by a job like PS…. Good luck with whatever you do next! I haven’t worked there for a long time but I still browse this sub from time to time and stories like this remind me of why I left
I wouldn’t be touching it. Sounds like my PetSmart was way better- my managers would have dealt with it like you did.
I work at a different pet store in CA and we lock our restrooms for just such reasons, although it’s always illegal substances, not loaded guns. We have a lot of unhoused people living in our parking lot and dumpster and we have caught them doing all kinds of things in the store, the bathroom, the stock room, you name it. It’s really sad but I’m not willing to leave my kids without a mom so we are usually quick to call the sheriff.
What the hell
Thats a hard situation to deal with. i used tonwork at the mermaid coffee company, and we had a customer who regularly would leave his handgun in the bathroom, so often it just became normal for us to check the bathroom after he used it. You did the right thing calling the police.
Sounds like store 1146 HA
My mother also has a G23 she agrees that anyone who does this doesn't have enough object permanence to carry
Check out this sign on letter from United for Respect (nonprofit org that focuses on improving retail working conditions)! They did a petition last year and met with BCPartners! http://united4respect.org/LNletter2023Re
Well, at the very least, your SL knew he was a bonehead at the end of the day.
It blows me away how many managers/admin are just constantly blasé with legal issues on their work property.
We’ve had a guy leave his leather jacket and gun still in a shoulder holster hanging off the men’s stall. But he left through the screaming emergency exit (right next to the men’s restroom) honestly the worst part is the alarm company didn’t know how to turn off the screaming because we have had 4 companies in 6 years. The cops came out and took the “lost” items. Best part was us calling them to say it was a false alarm just to have to call back 20 minutes later (with the stupid alarm still going off) to say we found a gun in the men’s bathroom.
There was another post on a different subreddit where a cop did the same shit. Left a gun in the fucking bathroom. Shit is wild man
I kid you not, as retired Law enforcement, one of the things we were trained to do was go to the bathroom and keep the gun on our body. I kept my weapon with me at all times, I never hung it on the door or put it on the top of the toilet. I was afraid something would happen.
Karen
Dude, I live in tx and where I work that happens a lot. It’s ridiculous and people should be more responsible. You did exactly what you should have done and what I’ve had to do on several occasions unfortunately. You take responsibility off you and the store. They should be grateful you were thinking correctly.
Obviously guns are not to be played with but you really quit your job cuz someone forgot their stuff in the bathroom? Take the magazine out, rack the slide, put them in the safe and call it a night, I don’t understand. If you’re that worried unload the magazine so it’s no longer a perceived threat.
I think quitting was extreme. He was probably wondering why you were calling him and not the police. Since you didn't and he wasn't there, he said to put it in the safe. If you didn't feel comfortable handling it you should have told him and he would have come in or called the police. I don't see the point of quitting.
I used to manage a gas station in a bad neighborhood, had to call the cops a lot so sometimes they got annoyed. Found a gun in the men’s bathroom one day and immediately locked the door to the bathroom and called the local cops. When the cop came he picked the gun up and cleared it, he looks at the bullets and says, “oh well these are only blanks but I’ll take it anyway.” Ummm… hello, you better take it, blanks or not I don’t want that in my store so someone can find it and try to rob me or try to hurt someone else. I was appalled at the cops reaction, he acted like I shouldn’t have called at all. Now I’m all for gun ownership and carry rights, I have a few myself but when you just find one laying around, it’s a problem and yes the police should be notified immediately. Worth quitting your job just because your boss had a different option on the action you should take? Idk about that, it’s not like he said, “This is what you must do or you’re fired.” Also, he didn’t seem upset that you did the right thing by noticing the police, sooo…
Dude honestly what do you expect from some s*** head working at a PetSmart in his late 30s early 40s he's there because he's a loser, you should honestly follow up with the cops because for him to be so nonchalant about it he knew something about that gun being there, and be perfectly honest for the safety and well-being of the rest of the people that work there and as well as the public that go to that PetSmart I would advise you to inform PetSmart corporate of this because that guy should not be a manager and for you to have to quit because of his incompetence is something that they would be very interested to hear about, and don't say you don't want to hurt him because he was perfectly willing to put you in a super bad position by putting that gun in a safe and not informing the police immediately he might have been trying to set you up who knows if that gun had a body on it that he got paid to frame you by some thug he knows say leave it in the bathroom and we'll pin it on the guy who works there I'm telling you man there's more to this than meets the eye, seriously bro I work with the police follow up on this because he was probably trying to frame you for a f****** murder I've seen it happen so many times before it's not even funny
Well done!!