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Active Home Invasion

jphoenix

New member
Joined
Dec 5, 2012
Messages
8
Location
arizona
This happened in Northern Virginia area: Late January of 2012 at 1:10am heard one of my cats that is hyper-sensitive to strangers run into the bedroom and go straight under the bed. Shortly after I heard a noise on my rear deck. My wife and I were in the bedroom above the deck. Grabed my pistol, but something told me not to clear the house myself this time but to stand the high ground at the top of the stairwell. This created a protection barrier for my wife and also my daughter sleeping in the other upstairs bedroom.

I shouted "I have a gun, I will shoot you! I am now calling the police!" I was not nervous and kept my words solid. Got the 9-1-1 Call Taker on the phone "My name is blah blah my address is blah blah. I have an active home invasion. I am armed and prepared to defend myself and my family."

Remained on the phone with the call taker until units arrived, she kept telling me to put away my weapon. I politely pointed out for me to get to the front door to open for police I would be passing through an ambush point in my home. AT the time I did not realize the BG had cut the screen and opened my window from the rear deck.

Finally she yells "sir, put the weapon away, police are coming in with a dog!" Well, not going to taken on the police especially a K-9. Told my daughter to stay in her room, the dog was coming in. Locked myself and wife in our bedrooms. Daughter did not hear me, opened her door. K-9 acted but luckily the handler grabbed him off in time.
They told us was safe to come out. They showed me the open window, the meticulously cut out screen and said "guess he did not want to bring his knife to a gun fight, sir"

I am still onguard to this date whenever I hear something out of the ordinary in or outside my house. Wife says I need to talk with someone about it. Main thing is, I am so angered the BG got away with it. Nothing taken and no family injured so that worked out at least.

Question why I held back clearing my house this time? Tht little voice we all get said to keep the high ground advantage.

Why did I not put my gun away right off? Police were not on scene and I did not know where the BG was.

Same cat alerted an attempted home invasion a few weeks ago here in our new home in Arizona. Grabbed shotgun, yelled, I have a shotgun and will use it to defend myself and property. As I was dissarming the alarm I heard the fence rattle. BG got away.

I share my stories only to help others that maybe had same events. Listen to that little voice inside. Who knows, could have been two guys. I could have gone one direction while the BG went the other and got to my family. Had he or they tried to come up the steps that would have ended it for them.

Hope this helpss someone else that still fights with "the BG got away. What if I had just gone down and checked."
 

Firearms Iinstuctor

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
3,428
Location
northern wis
Man two attemped home invasions. What do you do put a welcome sign out. Just joking the odds are really slim that a person well suffer one let alone two.

Glad your all right many BGs are scared off when they know the victim is armed.

Clearing a house or other building by oneself is a good way to get killed or even with a team. If the BG or BGs are truely meaning you harm.
 

jphoenix

New member
Joined
Dec 5, 2012
Messages
8
Location
arizona
Instructor, I enjoyed your comments. You could not be more correct in your advice.
What is truly un-nerving with regard to the first H.I. I had just been on that level (main level) of the house and carried one of our other cats upstairs. Means the guy had possibly seen me and known the house was occupied.

When the PWPD K-9 officer followed a secent track, they learned the BG had gone to the rear of every house on our street and also the neighborhood behind us. A former neighbor for whome moved to a new house in that other neighborhood too had his screen cut out but saw no one.

To complete the Arizona attempted H.I. I called the Phoenix PD, requested an officer come out to take a report for attemted H.I. since the B.G. was long gone. Officer arrived, walked the outside of the house with me. Noticed the B.G. did in fact try to pry the screen out at the points where the useless wndow locks are.

All that time I was OC my G23, he had no issue. Even asked if I had one in the chamber and was glad I did. Stated many citizens buy guns out here but never learn how to use them. He saw my shotgun "is that a Benelli", no sir. It is a bargain priced Stevens made by Ruger but gets the job done. He agreed and again asked "is it loaded? Was the safety off before I arrived? What load do you have, a lot of people have bird shot?"
Told him "yes loaded with 00 buckshot, safety was off before your arrival."
LEO: "Damn good to hear someone is actually trained and ready for once."

Good OC of handgun and 12 gauge shotgun with Phoenix and good LEO contact. :)
 

Samantha86

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2008
Messages
48
Location
Olympia, Washington, USA
Wow. It angers me that the 911 operator told you to put your gun away in your own home, I would never have done that. What if the robber was hiding, and you put the gun away? You would have no defense. I would think about putting in security lights and cameras to scare them off, and maybe catch them next time, hopefully there is no next time.

This happened in Northern Virginia area: Late January of 2012 at 1:10am heard one of my cats that is hyper-sensitive to strangers run into the bedroom and go straight under the bed. Shortly after I heard a noise on my rear deck. My wife and I were in the bedroom above the deck. Grabed my pistol, but something told me not to clear the house myself this time but to stand the high ground at the top of the stairwell. This created a protection barrier for my wife and also my daughter sleeping in the other upstairs bedroom.

I shouted "I have a gun, I will shoot you! I am now calling the police!" I was not nervous and kept my words solid. Got the 9-1-1 Call Taker on the phone "My name is blah blah my address is blah blah. I have an active home invasion. I am armed and prepared to defend myself and my family."

Remained on the phone with the call taker until units arrived, she kept telling me to put away my weapon. I politely pointed out for me to get to the front door to open for police I would be passing through an ambush point in my home. AT the time I did not realize the BG had cut the screen and opened my window from the rear deck.

Finally she yells "sir, put the weapon away, police are coming in with a dog!" Well, not going to taken on the police especially a K-9. Told my daughter to stay in her room, the dog was coming in. Locked myself and wife in our bedrooms. Daughter did not hear me, opened her door. K-9 acted but luckily the handler grabbed him off in time.
They told us was safe to come out. They showed me the open window, the meticulously cut out screen and said "guess he did not want to bring his knife to a gun fight, sir"

I am still onguard to this date whenever I hear something out of the ordinary in or outside my house. Wife says I need to talk with someone about it. Main thing is, I am so angered the BG got away with it. Nothing taken and no family injured so that worked out at least.

Question why I held back clearing my house this time? Tht little voice we all get said to keep the high ground advantage.

Why did I not put my gun away right off? Police were not on scene and I did not know where the BG was.

Same cat alerted an attempted home invasion a few weeks ago here in our new home in Arizona. Grabbed shotgun, yelled, I have a shotgun and will use it to defend myself and property. As I was dissarming the alarm I heard the fence rattle. BG got away.

I share my stories only to help others that maybe had same events. Listen to that little voice inside. Who knows, could have been two guys. I could have gone one direction while the BG went the other and got to my family. Had he or they tried to come up the steps that would have ended it for them.

Hope this helpss someone else that still fights with "the BG got away. What if I had just gone down and checked."
 

MSG Laigaie

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 10, 2011
Messages
3,239
Location
Philipsburg, Montana
I can only believe they were thinking of "officer safety" not yours. LEOs know an armed intruder is on site. LAC would "complicate" things for the LEOs, therefore, disarm the LAC.
I had a similar situation last winter. I went outside, first thing in the am, to pee my two little dogs. Neighbors home, (neighbor out of town) next door, had the front entrance wide open. Light snow on the ground, no footprints, not quite daylight. I called 911, reported a possible break in and that I was armed with a pistol, openly displayed on my hip. I told 911 I would stand pat, ten meters from the door. I had four black and whites and a command vehicle in less than five minutes. No worries, no negative interaction. The LEOs swept the house and found the daughter in a back bedroom, boyfriend left late and did not shut the door.
The LEOs said "thanks" and went about their business.
One thing. I do not think I would "announce" myself by yelling "I have a gun". I really do not want you to know where I am in the building. I would not give up my position, just leads to early confrontation.
 

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
SNIP Man two attemped home invasions.

Home invasions?

More like burglaries. Or, maybe even one breaking and entering, and one that didn't even get to the breaking stage.

Calling a burglary a home invasion just dilutes the language. A home invasion is basically a robbery in a home. And home invaders are not known for being stealthy.

Calling a burglary a home invasion is a little like the latest rage in prosecutorial circles. What used to be making a threat has become terroristic threatening. The terrorist angle being added after 9-11, and prosecutors twisting the law to apply it to garden variety threats people have been making at one another for millenia, even though no terrorists or demand for political change is involved. They're just twisting the term into something it never was and isn't.

Fogging up the distinctions between burglary and armed robbery in the home serves no real purpose. Intelligence includes the ability to differentiate. Lets support intelligence by keeping the distinctions.
 

jphoenix

New member
Joined
Dec 5, 2012
Messages
8
Location
arizona
Correct about the LEO safety was her reason. My own safety until officers arrived was my reason and I stood firm my grounds. Once they where there and knew they were making entry is when I secured my weapon as was recorded on the 9-1-1 tape.

The instructor of the hangun safety/ CCW course my wife and I had taken years ago at Shooter's Paradise (too bad it burned down) in Woodbridge, VA stated in VA you must "warm before shooting". Honestly never researched but made sense to me at the time. You make a valid point though, thanks. I do know that there was only one way up and it was the stairs I had covered.

Ah yes, security lights. Of course it was after the fact, we installed a dusk till dawn light on the house near the patio door; installed motion sensing dual bulb security lights at the basement (fourth stepdown you are blinded) ; installed a solar powered motion light on the corner of the house which would catch anyone coming up the deck steps or over the rail.

My current residence I am renting in Phoenix has similar set up to include the inexpensive battery powered motion lights placed in each room. Reason: someone breaks in the security cameras inside will see them. Most important though, I will not be shooting in low light conditions if the need should arise. Non-home defense reason: they are great for when you get up to grab a snack or a drink in the middle of the night. :idea:

Thanks again for all the great feedback. I do not want to be placed in that situation again but if I am, I feel confident I will keep my cool under the pressure as I did the times before.

By the way, Each time have needed to call (day before yesterday someone rang our door bell at 5:45am) the Phoenix PD, they have had an officer or two there as quick as humanly and traffic possible. I give them two thumbs up for professionalism and response time.
 

Anonymouse

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2012
Messages
210
Location
Virginia
The instructor of the hangun safety/ CCW course my wife and I had taken years ago at Shooter's Paradise (too bad it burned down) in Woodbridge, VA stated in VA you must "warm before shooting".

Warn? I'm not warning ****. :eek:


Tap'n while driving...
 

JoeSparky

Centurion
Joined
Jun 20, 2008
Messages
3,621
Location
Pleasant Grove, Utah, USA
Personally, per Utah law, only warning a BG or BAD GROUP are getting upon their sudden, tumultuous, or stealthy entrance into my home where I reasonably feel in fear of great bodily harm or death is the SOUND OF THE DOOR THEY JUST CAME THROUGH ENTERING MY HOME!
 

Firearms Iinstuctor

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
3,428
Location
northern wis
Warn? I'm not warning ****. :eek:


Tap'n while driving...


Good way to shoot some one that might not need shooting.

Good verbal commands used properly could save you from lots of serious legal trouble.

As with the above story both bad BGs were scared off without shots fired. No matter how justified you were shooting some one will bring you lots of trouble.

I would perfer to warn and scare them off rather then shooting them anyday.

There are situations where one as to shoot the BGs give you no choice.

There are more situations where good verbal skills, use of cover and tactical advantage will prove to be effective in stopping the threat, with out ending up spending time in jail and 10s of thousands of dollars in lawyer fees.

I am sure Zimmerman has thought about how differant things might have went. He could be and I belive he was justified in shooting Martin but if he could of avoided it he would have been much better off.
 

Anonymouse

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2012
Messages
210
Location
Virginia
Good way to shoot some one that might not need shooting.

Good verbal commands used properly could save you from lots of serious legal trouble.

As with the above story both bad BGs were scared off without shots fired. No matter how justified you were shooting some one will bring you lots of trouble.

I would perfer to warn and scare them off rather then shooting them anyday.

There are situations where one as to shoot the BGs give you no choice.

There are more situations where good verbal skills, use of cover and tactical advantage will prove to be effective in stopping the threat, with out ending up spending time in jail and 10s of thousands of dollars in lawyer fees.

I am sure Zimmerman has thought about how differant things might have went. He could be and I belive he was justified in shooting Martin but if he could of avoided it he would have been much better off.

Anyone in my house is there to kill me...

http://www.fox59.com/news/wxin-homeowner-shot-in-violent-robbery-20120915,0,4394515.column


Tap'n while driving...
 

Firearms Iinstuctor

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
3,428
Location
northern wis
If we all dig around we both can find many examples to back ups are statements.

I am sure your statements will go over fine in court room when the DA brings all your internet remarks up at trial.

The judge and jury will see it your way for sure.

Lets hope we don't have to test them out.
 

Anonymouse

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2012
Messages
210
Location
Virginia
If we all dig around we both can find many examples to back ups are statements.

I am sure your statements will go over fine in court room when the DA brings all your internet remarks up at trial.

The judge and jury will see it your way for sure.

Lets hope we don't have to test them out.

McGhee vs Commonwealth (1978 - VA)
http://www.leagle.com/xmlResult.aspx?xmldoc=19781056248SE2d808_11047.xml&docbase=CSLWAR1-1950-1985


"The law of self-defense is the law of necessity, and the necessity relied upon must not arise out of defendant's own misconduct. Accordingly, a defendant must reasonably fear death or serious bodily harm to himself at the hands of his victim. ***It is not essential to the right of self-defense that the danger should in fact exist.*** If it reasonably appears to a defendant that the danger exists, he has the right to defend against it to the same extent, and under the same rules, as would obtain in case the danger is real. A defendant may always act upon reasonable appearance of danger, and whether the danger is reasonably apparent is always to be determined from the viewpoint of the defendant at the time he acted. "

Stars added by me. The DA is free to quote my posts.

If they are in my house they are there to kill me...

*Note I didn't say I want kill them or they are dead. I don't want to kill anyone. But if they are there to kill me which they are then I'm defending myself. I'm not running, bidding, warning, calling 911, screaming or dying...


Tap'n while driving...
 
Last edited:

jphoenix

New member
Joined
Dec 5, 2012
Messages
8
Location
arizona
Good way to shoot some one that might not need shooting.

Good verbal commands used properly could save you from lots of serious legal trouble.

As with the above story both bad BGs were scared off without shots fired. No matter how justified you were shooting some one will bring you lots of trouble.

I would perfer to warn and scare them off rather then shooting them anyday.

There are situations where one as to shoot the BGs give you no choice.

There are more situations where good verbal skills, use of cover and tactical advantage will prove to be effective in stopping the threat, with out ending up spending time in jail and 10s of thousands of dollars in lawyer fees.

I am sure Zimmerman has thought about how differant things might have went. He could be and I belive he was justified in shooting Martin but if he could of avoided it he would have been much better off.

You sir, are a mind reader. Joe, I respect your opinion, sir. For me and my family, I will act up on a threat as per the instruction I received from my instructor. (Side note: Instructor was a firearms instructor for the Park Police and advised even they have to warn before discharging their firearm. There will be times when we do not have that luxury of time to act and that is when our training and clear thoughts takeover). I am not sure if it is the same but example would be me rolling up on a serious car wreck and stating an i.v. or other advanced life support even though my level of training is EMT-B not EMT-I. As long as I can show proof I acted within my training there is more chane I will not have to spend time in the grey bar hotel.

Thanks again for the support and letting me get this out. It has actually helped me to understand and accept that yes, even though in both cases the BG got away I did the right thing. Still, wife wants me to go talk with someone like a CISD professional or someone.

Respectfully yours,
John

Addition: MSG, thank you for your feedback, sir. I apologize for waiting until now to mention it.
 
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Firearms Iinstuctor

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
3,428
Location
northern wis
How one handles any self defense situation is highly variable with each situation having many factors that will determine what ones actions will be.

Having a predetermined out come in mind could very will lead one into taking inappropriate action.

Not that one shouldn't plan, train and prepare one has to be very flexible in their response.

What very will could be a shoot situation one second could very will be a no shoot situation the next.

What very well could be a no shoot situation could very well turn into a shoot situation in a second.

Having options in one actions and being flexible could very well determine if one actions were justifiable or not.

It is very easy to say my actions well be this. When they should have been that.
 
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