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Just an anecdotal "I almost shot somebody once " story

RebeccaC

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2012
Messages
45
Location
Owensboro
I was young, early twenties, first time out on my own, first apartment, first gun, working thirds, sound asleep in the middle of the day. I woke up because I heard sounds in my kitchen. Got up and crept to my bedroom door, gun in hand. Cracked the bedroom door, and there in my kitchen, was a strange man. I just about died.

I had a tight grip on the gun, and was not quite panicked, wondering how I was going to shoot him, if I was going to wait till he came toward the room, or if I was going to hide behind the bed and make him come after me, blah, blah, blah.....I remember a roaring sound in my ears, lol.

Then he slightly turned toward me, still in the kitchen, and I saw a Maytag logo on his shirt at almost the same instant he bent over and pulled open my dishwasher. It hit me like a ton of bricks that he was there to do preventive maintenance on the dishwasher . I slowly and silently closed the bedroom door. Shaking. That man never knew how close he came.

But the apartment manager got an earful later that day. I was in full rage mode by then. I reminded her that by law she had to give me three days notice before sending someone over and that I had come very close to KILLING her unannounced repairman. But it was a good life lesson. Things are not always what they appear....
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
Surprised you did not shoot ... I thought that Maytag products never broke down.

What was the lesson you came out of it with?

Depending upon where you were living at the time the law have have looked favorably upon any action you decided on taking. Of course, most states would not have looked on you kindly.
 

RebeccaC

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2012
Messages
45
Location
Owensboro
Surprised you did not shoot ... I thought that Maytag products never broke down.

What was the lesson you came out of it with?

Depending upon where you were living at the time the law have have looked favorably upon any action you decided on taking. Of course, most states would not have looked on you kindly.

It happened in Kentucky. I am PRETTY sure it would have been a justified shoot. I was alone in my apartment with all the blinds drawn (third shift day sleeper), strange man in the apartment, I was very frightened.

I am also sure the repairman's family would have had a winning lawsuit against the apartment complex. And I am equally as sure I would have had a massive guilt complex over it for life.

There had been a time a few months earlier when I had come home and discovered someone had been in my apartment and done some work and it had been very disconcerting, knowing someone had been in there when I wasn't there. I called the manager and they said they had sent a man in to do some work etc, and I had asked if they could call in the future before doing so in the future. I found out shortly thereafter that in KY a landlord has to give three days prior notice before sending maintenance people in unless it is an emergency. They obviously ignored me and went ahead and sent the dishwasher guy without notifying me. But they never did it again. I think they understood the gravity of what had almost happened and their culpability had it actually happened.

The lesson? Literally that sometimes things are not what they seem.....I assumed he was an intruder and he was not. He was an innocent fellow doing his job. I realize that in most cases that would not be the case, but it made me realize the importance of really looking and assessing before making a decision to shoot. I was terrified. I was torn between opening the door and just emptying the gun at him and hiding behind the bed and waiting to see if he came in. I thank God I took one more peek and saw him for what he was, Just a guy doing his job.
 

Firearms Iinstuctor

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
3,428
Location
northern wis
I have noticed a lot of people disparaging verbal commands and tactical lights as poor tactics that could get one killed.

Remember these are not military situations and even now the military many times is requiring the identifying of a positive threat before opening fire.

I have heard from many if they are in my house shoot first ask later not always true.

As shown here maybe the person in the house is not a threat.

If there is time and you have use proper tactics and cover the use of verbal commands, tactical lights could very well save one from a improper shoot.

Solving a self defense problem with the least amount of force while maintaining your personal safely is preferable to using the maximum about of force right off.

If one can stop the threat with other means then shooting first while maintaining ones personal safety could very well be the better alternative.
 
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fjpro2a

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Messages
280
Location
North Carolina
Proper reaction

Rebecca, Once again, you handled the situation in a way that should make pro 2nd amendment people proud.
"Firearms Instructor" seems to be making suggestions that you already instinctively followed, especially Solving a self defense problem with the least amount of force while maintaining your personal safely is preferable to using the maximum about of force right off. - Keep up the good work!
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
I also think it highlights the need for people to practice. The OP would not have been so scared if the OP would have practiced these types of scenarios.

Fear leads to mistakes.

And practice may lead to a realization that some other prep is needed. In the OP's example, the OP could see the guy and make a determination .. but what if it was a guy working on a thermostat where she could not see the person w/o leaving the room that has a door? Through practice, the OP could realize that maybe a camera that could be viewed in another room would be the best option for the OP.

Also homeowners should do this as well .... people like to have high plant life near windows thinking it improves privacy. It does but it also offers people the chance to have concealment near your house.
 

RebeccaC

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2012
Messages
45
Location
Owensboro
I also think it highlights the need for people to practice. The OP would not have been so scared if the OP would have practiced these types of scenarios.

Fear leads to mistakes.

And practice may lead to a realization that some other prep is needed. In the OP's example, the OP could see the guy and make a determination .. but what if it was a guy working on a thermostat where she could not see the person w/o leaving the room that has a door? Through practice, the OP could realize that maybe a camera that could be viewed in another room would be the best option for the OP.

Also homeowners should do this as well .... people like to have high plant life near windows thinking it improves privacy. It does but it also offers people the chance to have concealment near your house.

You are absolutely right about practice. I had very, very little practice back then. NOTHING like the drills I do now. Certainly I did not practice the awareness and safety measures I do now. I was just a beginner and really only knew the basics. And back then a regular joe didnt have cameras in their homes, it was unheard of, as were cell phones. I had a land line in my kitchen. That was it.

I am really trying to teach my 18 year old son more about guns than I knew at his age. But of course I think he's less than thrilled learning from his MOTHER-----so I have taken him to a professional firearms instructor. :p
 

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
I have noticed a lot of people disparaging verbal commands and tactical lights as poor tactics that could get one killed.

Remember these are not military situations and even now the military many times is requiring the identifying of a positive threat before opening fire.

I have heard from many if they are in my house shoot first ask later not always true.

As shown here maybe the person in the house is not a threat.

If there is time and you have use proper tactics and cover the use of verbal commands, tactical lights could very well save one from a improper shoot.

Solving a self defense problem with the least amount of force while maintaining your personal safely is preferable to using the maximum about of force right off.

If one can stop the threat with other means then shooting first while maintaining ones personal safety could very well be the better alternative.

Are you sure that's the word you wanted to use?
 

56brd

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2012
Messages
20
Location
Centertown
Are you sure that's the word you wanted to use?

Citizen: You are without a doubt a troll. At first I though people were taking your posts the wrong way.
I don't believe anyone appointed you grammar Natzi. You knew exactly the intent of the post. That
was just rude.

I was wrong, you are only here to attempt to cause trouble. I don't know about anyone else. But you
won't have to worry about my replying to any of your posts from this day forward.

I can't be teased into replying to posts I can't see. I think others will be doing the same.

Good day.
 

CharleyCherokee

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2011
Messages
293
Location
WesternKy
I personally have never understood the urge people get to correct another's spelling or grammar. The purpose of communication is to effectively relay a message. If you can do that with improper spelling or grammatical errors then you have succeeded and there is no real reason to correct the minimal issues. That being said there are times when such things dramatically change the meaning of what you are trying to convey.
 

09jisaac

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2011
Messages
1,692
Location
Louisa, Kentucky
That being said there are times when such things dramatically change the meaning of what you are trying to convey.

Like this instance?

Then vs than is a dramatic change in that particular sentence.

The sentence as it currently reads says to stop the threat and then shoot them. In that order.

This isn't (at least I hope it isn't) what Firearm Instructor wants.
 

RebeccaC

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2012
Messages
45
Location
Owensboro
Citizen: You are without a doubt a troll. At first I though people were taking your posts the wrong way.
I don't believe anyone appointed you grammar Natzi. You knew exactly the intent of the post. That
was just rude.

I was wrong, you are only here to attempt to cause trouble. I don't know about anyone else. But you
won't have to worry about my replying to any of your posts from this day forward.

I can't be teased into replying to posts I can't see. I think others will be doing the same.

Good day.

Since I am not seeing the post in question I am guessing it is Citizen, whom I have blocked. But I agree, 56brd, whether or not the grammar was incorrect, I understood EXACTLY what he was saying. Anyone with half a brain would know what he meant, because of the CONTEXT of the sentence. Context really matters and grammar and spelling police know this but do not care. It is little jabs like his that made me go off on a different thread the day before yesterday. Which I kind of regret. Trolls are best left ignored and unfed. Peace.
 

KySIGGuy

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2013
Messages
49
Location
Louisville, KY
Like this instance?

Then vs than is a dramatic change in that particular sentence.

The sentence as it currently reads says to stop the threat and then shoot them. In that order.

This isn't (at least I hope it isn't) what Firearm Instructor wants.

I had the same thought when I initially read it, and saw the then/than misusage. Normally I tend to be a grammer "nazi (as some people say), but I didn't chime in on it. I read Citizen's response and thought, 'He makes a valid point,' so i'm not sure why some people feel the need to bash his post or put him on their ignore list. While I agree that the context of a post is important, the misuse of grammar and/or proper spelling really goes to show how our education system has deteriorated and/or the people using it just don't care about the ignorance with which they speak/type. People these days tend to forget one basic lesson from English class...proofreading before submission. Please note that I am in no way meaning this to be insulting towards anyone, I'm just making a simple observation.
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
Since I am not seeing the post in question I am guessing it is Citizen, whom I have blocked. But I agree, 56brd, whether or not the grammar was incorrect, I understood EXACTLY what he was saying.

And being understood is the whole purpose of communication. Irrelevant if the queens english is being butchered.

Its a post on the interweb, not a PhD english dissertation.
 

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
And being understood is the whole purpose of communication. Irrelevant if the queens english is being butchered.

Its a post on the interweb, not a PhD english dissertation.

I didn't understand it. Had to read it three times, word by word, substituting the other possibility. And, then go back with the context to figure out what he probably meant.

So, I asked for clarification. Notice I didn't bash him by jumping to a conclusion about what he should have written. I asked.

Further, had it been anybody else, I probably wouldn't have bothered. But, knowing he's an instructor and respected member of the forum, I also wanted to call his attention to the exact wording of that post from an authority figure. Meaning, if I was right about what he meant, did he want to leave that post unedited to confuse new readers.
 
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