A warning to those in Phoenix Hill, Irish Hill, NULU, and Bu

What happens in a home invasion robbery, where part of the thrill for these creeps is to break in with someone home? Do you think running or making noise is going to deter them? What if you're female? There's always the threat of being raped. Are we just supposed to lie there and take it, or choose between our safety, or that of our children, in order to get out of the house, so as not to harm an intruder? Nine times out of ten, a woman is not going to be able to outrun a man. You can't read these people's minds, you can't possibly know WHAT their intentions are. Maybe they just want money, maybe they want to do me and my loved ones harm. I'm not willing to take that risk. You break into my house, you have until someone yells "I'm armed!" to turn your tail and run. You don't run, you get shot. End of story. If I have to choose between my life, as a productive member of society, or an intruder who may or may not have intentions to harm me or my family, I choose myself and my family.

And when the neighborhood teen comes into your house to steal something on a dare, I hope you're ready to live the rest of your life with your decision to be judge, jury and executioner. Think about it

I think if someone is ignorant enough to break into another family's home in the middle of the night then the planet is most likely a better place without them. Regardless of their intentions.

[Robin Garr]

In hindsight, I should have just kept my mouth shut. Robin, I was counting on you to keep me from unclamping my jaws! Where were you?

My rule about censoring "robust" discussions is that when someone starts acting like an AH, they become the first target for my cleaver. That hasn't happened here. I am delighted how well you guys have taken on this tough subject and expressed cogent opinions without flaming each other. That's the forum at its best!

(I'm pretty much with you and Nimbus, by the way ... )

[Robin Garr]

I think if someone is ignorant enough to break into another family's home in the middle of the night then the planet is most likely a better place without them. Regardless of their intentions.

I see where you're coming from, Brian, but to be honest, I'm not real comfortable with letting Average Joe - by which I include you or me - get to make snap decisions about who's worth letting live and who deserves to be killed. To be honest, if you want to blow an intruder away, I'm all in favor of your right to face the legal system and explain your decision. If the prosecutors and the grand jury agree, then great! I'll buy you a beer ...

This exact scenario just happened and no charges were filed. From the CJ. Not sure if most of you have heard about this incident, which was actually in Phoenix Hill.



Phoenix Hill home invasion suspect shot in head early Monday
THE COURIER-JOURNAL • JULY 12, 2010
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Police are investigating a home invasion early Monday morning that resulted in an exchange of gunfire between the homeowner and a suspect.



The suspect, a black male in his late teens, was shot at least once in the head and was in serious condition at University Hospital, said Officer Carey Klain, a Louisville Metro Police spokeswoman.

Homicide detectives are investigating the shooting because "it didn't look good," Klain said, referring to the suspect's injuries.

The incident happened about 3:30 a.m. in the 900 block of Marshall Street in the Phoenix Hill neighborhood when the homeowner heard an alarm and found the suspect at the front door trying to break in, Klain said.

Gunfire was exchanged, but the homeowner was not injured.

Police are looking into the possibility there was a second person involved in the break-in attempt, Klain said.

She said she did not know how many shots were fired, or how many times the suspect was struck.

There were several children in the house, she said.

The house showed signs of the incident Monday afternoon. A bullet hole was visible in a front window, and a glass door at the front was shattered.

No one at the house responded to an interview request.

No charges are expected to be filed against the homeowner at this time, Klain said.

within view of my porch...

I can understand both sides of this argument, both share some valid issues. Speaking for myself -and myself alone- when my judgement day comes I don't want to stand in front of my creator and have this conversation,
My Creator, "Well Carla, I see you led a fairly normal life except in 2010 you shot a man to death."
Me, "Well yes Sir, but he was stealing my 26" TV. (valued at $360)"

I've had my home broken into and I have been the victim of violence on more than one occasion but I still don't own a gun and I'm doubtful I ever will. Had I owned a gun at the time of my break ins I think it would have only made a bad situation worse. That's all I'm saying.

I could care less about "stuff." Stuff is replaceable. My loved ones' lives are not. I just lost a family member last week, and let me tell you, if I could prevent the loss of a loved one, even if it involved taking the life of someone threatening me, or my family, I would do it. How do you tell if someone is after your TV, or is intent on doing you harm? You don't, unless you're psychic.

The only reason some people are alive...is because it's against the law to kill them.

Personally I don't worry about anyone breaking in and then having to shoot them...I've got Jack Bauer on retainer.

For what its worth....my Dad was a ships captain,he could be weeks out at sea with nobody to call for help or being in strange ports all over the world with all kinds of characters hanging out on the docks. He has told me some guys at sea carry a gun for safety and rule enforcement, but he always felt a club was a better way to go. His thinking was that if you pull a gun not only had you be ready to use it, it also forces the other guy to use one if he has it.It can escalate a situation that might not otherwise warrant it. He had gotten through a few pretty rough incidents with use of that club,but Ill spare you the details.

. His thinking was that if you pull a gun not only had you be ready to use it,

John, your Dad had it exactly correct. Once you pull a gun, you'd better have already made the decision to use it if need be.
BP

I went to school with a girl that killed a pizza driver to get the $30 something dollars she had on her so she could buy some more cocaine. Sorry, if someone tries to come in my house they better know their God first because I'm assuming they are just like her and I'm not playing the role of the pizza driver. It's not about my stuff, it's about me.

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010 ... wound.html

So, people with a loaded gun at home, I'm sure you'd say: That gun shouldn't have been loaded and readily available to those 5-year-old twins! And I'd say: if you have it under your pillow or in your nightstand drawer - it's readily available to children and visitors. Next thing: I keep my ammo separate from the gun, in another room, or under lock and key!

I'd say: Bang, you're dead. If you really want to be able to shoot tv-stealing intruders whose real motives you don't know...then you have to have a loaded gun, readily available at all times, not under lock and key.

. His thinking was that if you pull a gun not only had you be ready to use it,

John, your Dad had it exactly correct. Once you pull a gun, you'd better have already made the decision to use it if need be.
BP

The problem with the club approach is 'what happens if you pull your club/bat/stun gun on someone breaking in at 3am and they pull a bigger one or a gun. Or there happens to be more than one intruder?'. I'm on the side of not taking chances in a situation like that - no club, no mace, no tazer, just a Remington 870 18 inch pump 12 gauge loaded with #7 birdshot and equipped with a Surefire tactical light on the foregrip right next to the bed.

Why the shotgun? Reliable, extremely effective, and the sound of the pump action being racked will very likely end a home invasion before the gun needs to be used. The grip mounted flashlight means I don't have to fumble around with a flashlight or risk blinding myself temporarily when flipping on the inside lights.

Why #7 birdshot? Because it is perfectly capable of taking someone down at the close range of a home invasion, but the shot will not penetrate multiple walls and siding like a pistol or rifle round will, which means if I miss, I'm not going to accidentally kill a neighbor with the stray round. (when I was living in an apartment in Lexington, my neighbor across the hall dropped a 38 in his kitchen, and the round passed through the interior wall of his laundry room, 2 exterior walls with aluminum siding, the interior wall of my laundry room, and buried itself in the base of my hardwood kitchen table - weeeee bit of over-penetration for home use. If I had been in the kitchen and not on my PC, the round would have hit me in the thigh just south of 'little John' and very likely ruined my evening)

I'm going to do everything in my power to keep from having to use the weapon - racking the action, using the tac-light, verbal confrontation (from cover), a warning shot (drywall is cheaper than a life), etc. but if those fail, I am 100% sure I can use the shotgun to end the situation quickly.