I was assaulted this afternoon while waiting in a gas line at the Seattle 4th avenue COSTCO store, very right hand pump lane, approx 2:00-2:10 pm, Sunday, Nov 15.

Having completed a early am late season Westside buck scouting trip, I dropped by COSTO for gas and Bogie food. Waiting for an available gas pump, all of a sudden my truck driver's door jerks open violently. In leans this big fella; 28-34 years old, 6-3+, 230lbs+, Caucasion, short dark hair, clean cut, wearing blue jeans, tennis shoes and Seahawk jersey and cap....and grabs me trying to jerk me outta my Toyota Tundra-white. But the seat belt grabs and HE is unable to pull me out to "teach me something I'll never F___ forget...".

Unbelievably, I stay relatively calm and ask him to exit my vehicle space and let go of me. Now HE clenches his fists and readies to slam one into my face. I pull back and say: "see that hunting gear behind my seat, If you hit me I WILL SHOOT YOU. HE looks and sees the camo and asst hunting gear, camo backpack etc behind the seat. Then HE pulls away and steps back, proceeds to turn his Seahawk hat around so the cap's bill is in the back and makes fists and starts coming again. Now I pull the cell phone and dial 911. HE says fine call the cops it will be too late and proceeds to rip my cell phone out of my hands and toss it into the passenger side feet well. Being seatbelted in, I cannot reach the phone. HE misses with the first punch as I leaned over attempting to reach my cell phone. NOW I reach behind the seat. LOUD CLICK, I un-snap the SOC Seal Pup knife attached to my backpack. HE immediately backs off, out of my drivers space when HE hears the click!
I never show him the 6" SOG blade in my hand, still hidden behind my center console-rear seat area. My vision focused on his neck and ready to react if necessary.
I still don't know HOW in the world I stayed so CALM!

HE yells profanity about almost hitting his wife in the COSTCO parking lot crosswalk. No such thing occurred. HIS Wife/SHE then admitted to the gas attendant that my wheels spun a little bit and it startled her. Being ready to deliver in 2 weeks, HE got upset. UPset enough to walk the 2/10 of a mile through the COSTCO parking lot to my truck, where I was waiting for an available pump. The pregnant WIFE pulled him away to walk away, she probaly heard my bluff about shooting him if HE didn't stop. I never saw him coming but that door jerking open and getting grabbed sure scared the hell outta me. For a brief moment, I thought of being car jacked.
Apparently what set HIM off was My wheels spun, being wet pavement and my pick up bed was unloaded. But I hadn't let out the additional air suspension added for load support yet since I unloaded my payload so the back end was light. The spinning wheel, very very brief, startled his wife standing on the sidewalk, clear of the parking area cross walk. I knew not of this startling and there was no intent on my part to do so and no exchanges with HIM prior to him violently jerking my door open. When his wife led him away toward the store's entrance, the gas attendant checked if I was ok,,,she was nice but the look on her face was concerned & scared too.

I put the SOG knife back in its scabbard, settled my nerves and drove home, doing so in shock. But later, 45 min later, I went back to the Costco store to file a report and to file a police report, receiving a case number.
so I spent over 2+ hours in the COSTCO managers office, giving statements to COSTCO Management & Security and to the Seattle PD officer about the assualt. The COSTCO gas attendant left her statement & eye witness report with the police too.
They have HIM on surviellance camera-video and are running his and his wife's member number (from today's register purchase inside the store) for their information. COSTCO will press charges for tresspass and malicious assault of a customer. I am pressing charges for his assault. My left shoulder has sharp pain from HIM trying to jerk me outta the truck. Lucky I had my seat belt on, I think it saved me from a severe beating by keeping me in my seat. I sure hope they arrest this big fella soon.
If anyone here witnessed this incident please call SPD officer T. Saewong as your witness, case #2009-399257.

Several people/COSTCO gas customers came up to me later asking if I was ok. They thought HE knew me by him coming up and opening my truck door. But a couple saw the violent opening of the door and the look on my face as HE attempted to extract me from my truck. Everyone soon realized this was a serious incident occuring.

for the first time in my life, My Browning Hi-Power 9mm was not with me, or under my drivers seat. I Had my CWP though. If there was ever a time I may have needed it, the situation this afternoon may qualify. The Browning A-bolt 300 win mag was cased & unloaded, behind the passenger seat. I took the rifle this morning since it was the last day of bear season and who knows when scouting for late blacktail buck areas.
god helped me today or I'd be in the precinct filling out papers or worse, as I would have shot this person who out of the blue, completely startled & then assaulted me.

WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE?
Would this have been self defense had I pulled the Browning HI Power and shot, prior to me telling him as a bluff???

PS, my nerves are still a bit rattled. Not scared of HIM so much but of what I was willing to do to defend myself. It took several minutes for me to stop the unctrollable shakes afterwards.