HardChrome
Regular Member
imported post
I've held a CC permit for over 20 years in Hampton and now Newport News, Virginia and had fortunately never had the need to use my gun during this time. About two years ago I was up late, working on a computer problem in my home office when I heard a noise outside. When I went to investigate I saw someone trying to look into one of my bedroom windows.
I grabbed my trusty Browning Hi-Power (1961 vintage) and called 911. As I watched the intruder I passed along a detailed description to the dispatcher. By the way I learned long ago that you really get service if you tell the police that you are armed.
Before the police arrived however, this guy gave up trying to see inside and walked off. While still on the phone, I snuck outside and surprised the guy as he was leaving.
I walked up behind him (about 30 feet away) and told him to stop in an authoritative voice. He stopped. I told him to get on his knees with his hands behind his head. He walked his bicycle to the curb, walked up into my yard, and complied. From about 15 feet away, I held him at gunpoint until the police arrived, all the while questioning him and passing information over to the dispatcher.
When the first officer arrived, the dispatcher told me that an officer was in the area and she told me to put down my weapon. I told her I was going to wait until the officer was close enough to control the situation. She told me again to put it down but I just repeated my desire as the officer got close enough to make eye contact with me. At that time I got off the phone, stepped away from the guy, placed my pistol in the grass, and walked away from it.
About that time, 6 other cars came in at a high rate of speed. They took the culprit into custody and tossed him into one of the patrol cars.
He confessed and his story corraborated mine. He was released to the custody of his parents (same neighborhood) and the arresting officer charged him with peeping tom.
All of the officers congratulated me on a job well done. One said he wished victims would do as I had done. After checking my weapon and clearing it, one of the officers handed it back to me.
I was never scared but I was tense after running all the details over in my head trying to be sure that I was doing everything right. I also wanted to make sure that he was alone and that someone wasn't going to sneak up behind me.
It all worked out in the end. The not-so-kid turned out to be 19. The prosecutor asked me for input into his sentencing. I suggested probation and community service since he had no record at all and the family had been in the neighborhood for many years. He had already come by with his father and had given an honest apology. He was obviously ashamed of what he had done.
Two years later he is succesful in college, has a job, bought his own car, and waves and speaks to me regularly.
I'm just glad it all worked out. Had he been a trouble maker or had had a record I would have suggested some jail time. I just hope that this was just a stupid decision and he's learned his lesson.
I have always kept at least two weapons at various stages of readiness in my house at all times. This night that worked out in my favor as I was able to get one in use and actually apprehend a criminal with only the presence of that weapon.
In retrospect, I was never in condition white and almost never am, especially when carrying out of the house. I can look back and identify the different stages I went through that night, all the way to red and then black when the threat had been removed.
I'm glad that the criminal was caught and that no one was hurt. I also hope that this was a wakeup call to this guy and that he remains on the right track after what happened that night.
I've held a CC permit for over 20 years in Hampton and now Newport News, Virginia and had fortunately never had the need to use my gun during this time. About two years ago I was up late, working on a computer problem in my home office when I heard a noise outside. When I went to investigate I saw someone trying to look into one of my bedroom windows.
I grabbed my trusty Browning Hi-Power (1961 vintage) and called 911. As I watched the intruder I passed along a detailed description to the dispatcher. By the way I learned long ago that you really get service if you tell the police that you are armed.
Before the police arrived however, this guy gave up trying to see inside and walked off. While still on the phone, I snuck outside and surprised the guy as he was leaving.
I walked up behind him (about 30 feet away) and told him to stop in an authoritative voice. He stopped. I told him to get on his knees with his hands behind his head. He walked his bicycle to the curb, walked up into my yard, and complied. From about 15 feet away, I held him at gunpoint until the police arrived, all the while questioning him and passing information over to the dispatcher.
When the first officer arrived, the dispatcher told me that an officer was in the area and she told me to put down my weapon. I told her I was going to wait until the officer was close enough to control the situation. She told me again to put it down but I just repeated my desire as the officer got close enough to make eye contact with me. At that time I got off the phone, stepped away from the guy, placed my pistol in the grass, and walked away from it.
About that time, 6 other cars came in at a high rate of speed. They took the culprit into custody and tossed him into one of the patrol cars.
He confessed and his story corraborated mine. He was released to the custody of his parents (same neighborhood) and the arresting officer charged him with peeping tom.
All of the officers congratulated me on a job well done. One said he wished victims would do as I had done. After checking my weapon and clearing it, one of the officers handed it back to me.
I was never scared but I was tense after running all the details over in my head trying to be sure that I was doing everything right. I also wanted to make sure that he was alone and that someone wasn't going to sneak up behind me.
It all worked out in the end. The not-so-kid turned out to be 19. The prosecutor asked me for input into his sentencing. I suggested probation and community service since he had no record at all and the family had been in the neighborhood for many years. He had already come by with his father and had given an honest apology. He was obviously ashamed of what he had done.
Two years later he is succesful in college, has a job, bought his own car, and waves and speaks to me regularly.
I'm just glad it all worked out. Had he been a trouble maker or had had a record I would have suggested some jail time. I just hope that this was just a stupid decision and he's learned his lesson.
I have always kept at least two weapons at various stages of readiness in my house at all times. This night that worked out in my favor as I was able to get one in use and actually apprehend a criminal with only the presence of that weapon.
In retrospect, I was never in condition white and almost never am, especially when carrying out of the house. I can look back and identify the different stages I went through that night, all the way to red and then black when the threat had been removed.
I'm glad that the criminal was caught and that no one was hurt. I also hope that this was a wakeup call to this guy and that he remains on the right track after what happened that night.
