I'd say gather the family in a safe location, armed, and call the police. Shooting through the door is a terrible idea legally and you're destroying your own property at that. I'd call my area semi rural, very similar to the description, and what I said is precisely what I'd do, although it's just me and my wife, no kids.
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What would you have done at 4 am?
- Thread starter kenpomace
- Start date
Glenn E. Meyer
New member
Get an alarm system that enables you from inside to sound a large and obnoxious horn and turns out outside lights.
It may or may not call the cops automatically as you set it up.
But:
1. Tells a BG that you are aware. Thus, they may go away.
2. It can call the cops. Some folks say - Blah, blah - the cops are 1/2 hour away. So start them rolling and it establishes you felt under threat. Give them a head start on saving you if needed.
It may or may not call the cops automatically as you set it up.
But:
1. Tells a BG that you are aware. Thus, they may go away.
2. It can call the cops. Some folks say - Blah, blah - the cops are 1/2 hour away. So start them rolling and it establishes you felt under threat. Give them a head start on saving you if needed.
Angelo Demuerte
New member
When I was a teenager, my sibling, who is much younger than me, had a minor physical altercation with a neighbor child. When the mother found out, she came to the back door. When I opened the door, we spoke for a brief moment, and then she attempted to storm past me in an effort to enter the house.
I stood in her way and when she tried to push me out of the way, I gave her a shove that tossed her a few feet away. I told her to get off the property and she said that she didn't have to, I replied that she was on private property and if she didn't leave I would call the police. I did not call the police, and instead, the police showed up at MY door about 5 minutes later.
When I didn't call the police, the person who tried to illegally enter a house with the stated intent of assaulting a child, did call the police. She called the police and claimed that she had knocked on the door and I assaulted here when I opened the door. She was known in the area as a crackhead, but the police were at MY house. Hindsight is 20/20, and that is why we can learn from the past, if I had immediately called the police and said that the next door neighbor was trying to break into my house and I was afraid she was going to come back, the police would most likely have responded to her house instead of mine.
Call the police. Whatever action you take, call the police if you can. The police are not very likely to assume you are crying wolf, they get these types of calls on a regular basis and they know it happens. Now, if you are calling every time the wind blows something against your house, that's a different story.
Get the first report in before they do.
I stood in her way and when she tried to push me out of the way, I gave her a shove that tossed her a few feet away. I told her to get off the property and she said that she didn't have to, I replied that she was on private property and if she didn't leave I would call the police. I did not call the police, and instead, the police showed up at MY door about 5 minutes later.
When I didn't call the police, the person who tried to illegally enter a house with the stated intent of assaulting a child, did call the police. She called the police and claimed that she had knocked on the door and I assaulted here when I opened the door. She was known in the area as a crackhead, but the police were at MY house. Hindsight is 20/20, and that is why we can learn from the past, if I had immediately called the police and said that the next door neighbor was trying to break into my house and I was afraid she was going to come back, the police would most likely have responded to her house instead of mine.
Call the police. Whatever action you take, call the police if you can. The police are not very likely to assume you are crying wolf, they get these types of calls on a regular basis and they know it happens. Now, if you are calling every time the wind blows something against your house, that's a different story.
Get the first report in before they do.
This happened three years ago. Three older teens knocked on this fellows door and wanted to use his inside phone because they said they were lost. He came out and gave them his cell phone. Then immediately he was shot in the head. A very sad story, fellow was about 55 years of age. They caught the teens about six months later. You try to be mister nice guy and then get whacked.
What would you have done in this situation????????????
What would you have done in this situation????????????
scottycoyote
New member
i would take my shotgun and fire up in the air as advised by vice president biden
In the case of the three older teen shooting...MAY have done the same thing. Although it sounds like a very lame & suspicious reason to use a phone ??? Someone that has intent to immediately shoot you will most likely do so. Everyone has cell phones and men do not usually stop for directions,,, especially coming to someone's door!! Huge Red Flag!!
Its easy to 2nd guess woulda-coulda-shoulda.
I can remember when hitch hiking was common and not fearful for either party.
Back to OP, I would have most likely came out another door with gun & light in hand to observe without being seen first.
Its easy to 2nd guess woulda-coulda-shoulda.
I can remember when hitch hiking was common and not fearful for either party.
Back to OP, I would have most likely came out another door with gun & light in hand to observe without being seen first.
FireForged
New member
Someone running in your backyard may not have ill intent
This right, he might not... but under the circumstance and considering that he is on my property uninvited at 4am, I consider him a very suspicious trespasser and will let the Sheriff handle it.
Angelo Demuerte
New member
That quoted text does not say they aren't suspicious, just that they may not have ill intent. Not saying don't have your weapon in hand, not saying don't call the police. Force should be used judiciously.
FireForged
New member
That quoted text does not say they aren't suspicious, just that they may not have ill intent. Not saying don't have your weapon in hand, not saying don't call the police. Force should be used judiciously.
March 20, 2014 07:56 PM
He seems to take issue with the fact that the rest of us consider running around in the backyard at 4am suspicious and worthy of calling the police. I think [if] he has issue with that determination then he must be leaning toward not taking action. My inclination would be to stay indoors, call the police, pay close attention and prepare myself to fight if he makes it inside.
I intend to err on the side of caution when it comes to my personal safety and honestly, I dont really consider too deeping into [why] a person is in my backyard at 4am. The fact that he is there is indicative of a problem that can likely be better addressed by the Police than by me.
Double Naught Spy
New member
You may not use deadly force just because you are in danger or even if you reasonably fear that your life is in danger. In most states, you must have a reasonable fear of imminent peril of death or great bodily injury. In most metropolitan areas your life is in in danger whenever you get on a freeway, but not imminent danger.
Whether or not your you held such a fear and if it was reasonable is a question of fact. If at 3 in the morning the person is on the other side of a door chambering a round and taking a stance to kick in your door, all of which you saw on a security monitor, I think law enforcement and a jury might buy justifiable homicide. If you didn't know that they were chambering a round or were even armed or that they were preparing to kick in the door, you may need a good criminal defense attorney.
The first paragraph was good, if a bit overly specific for this discussion, but then you lost it in the 2nd paragraph. "Taking a stance" to kick a door is hardly imminent danger. Plus either way, you are probably going to need a good criminal defense attorney as a matter of SOP for a self defense shooting.
stonewall50
New member
We got this email in our intranet for our neighborhood. We live in a semi rural area where houses are on min 1 acre and lots of woods out here.
Suspect banging on back door at 4am this morning...
Someone was setting off our back yard motion detector lights multiple times, banging on our back door several times.
PD and nearby family was called to assist.
Family saw a grey primer Honda Prelude sitting on Galley.
If anyone knows anything please let us know.
Be safe.
Some of the comments I've seen from other neighbors were like shoot thru door then call police.
DO NOT shoot through the door. Even if you have a castle doctrine protected state you still could lose a court case. And god forbid you shoot an officer or someone else who was at that back door informing you they just arrested or caught someone back there.
Personally...I would call the police and get my family and self in a covered position in the home and be ready for anyone kicking in the door. Your biggest advantage is that they are outside and you are inside. You can cut off lights and aim lights at them. That means they can't see you and you can see them. Plus you are armed and they may not know it.
Me? I have dogs. But I want lights outside and I would still call the cops.
OldMarksman
Staff
The former makes you very vulnerable to frontal attack, and the latter puts you at risk of ambush.Posted by Garycw: Hindsight is that I personally would went and opened the door or went out another door, came around and found out what was going on. (Armed of course).
Stay indoors in a safe place.
tony pasley
New member
Be aware of your surroundings I live on a dirt road with seven families on the road 1 way in 1 way out I am next to the last house. My closest neighbor is 268 yards straight down the mountain, next closest is over 1,000 yards. I do not get 04:00 knocks at my doors. I do have cameras to show all around my house from any TV in my house including the front and back doors. I would call 911 just to have legal record of what is going on but waiting till they arrive is not much of an option because of their travel time to get to my house. My next call would be to the neighbor closest to alert them if time allows. Then deal with what has to be as needed. I love the advantages of living where I can have my own shooting range in my front yard, my horses, don't have to hear what my neighbors The disadvantage is no immediate emergency help available and I accept that as part of where I chose to live. Spend more time preparing and if need be more money to lessen the chances it happening again.
I prefer a handgun over a long gun for home protection.
But, to answer the question. I would answer the door, but I'd have my 12 ga. shotgun with me, rather than a handgun.
As others have said, not everyone is out to get you. It could be a person in dire need of help.
Given enough time, I'd probably go out the back door, and approach the front door on my own terms.
But, to answer the question. I would answer the door, but I'd have my 12 ga. shotgun with me, rather than a handgun.
As others have said, not everyone is out to get you. It could be a person in dire need of help.
Given enough time, I'd probably go out the back door, and approach the front door on my own terms.
2123, my philosophy is also similar. But that me. Others may be better advised to just stay inside such as a woman alone or someone not well prepared. Fortunately I have cameras that can see all areas around the house at .001 lux.
If someone was trying to actually break in, I would wait and let them come on in after calling Sherriff to come pick them up. This is a area where neighbors are 1/4 mile apart and police are at least 30 min away. Anyone knocking or banging on door anytime after 10-11 pm would be just as odd as 4 am
If someone was trying to actually break in, I would wait and let them come on in after calling Sherriff to come pick them up. This is a area where neighbors are 1/4 mile apart and police are at least 30 min away. Anyone knocking or banging on door anytime after 10-11 pm would be just as odd as 4 am
Double Naught Spy
New member
2123, my philosophy is also similar. But that me. Others may be better advised to just stay inside such as a woman alone or someone not well prepared.
That "woman alone" may be a whole helluva lot better prepared, skilled, and better able to handle herself in a SD/HD crisis than you are.
00spy
A "woman alone" may very well be more prepared than some men. Every individual is different.
Being in security related field and working with LE for 30+ years may give me a little more insight on what to expect than some.
Every situation and area is different. Things may be different whether you're in city, suburb or country too
A "woman alone" may very well be more prepared than some men. Every individual is different.
Being in security related field and working with LE for 30+ years may give me a little more insight on what to expect than some.
Every situation and area is different. Things may be different whether you're in city, suburb or country too
Well much of this is quite dramatic and well founded, but there are other possibilities too.
In 1986 I was living in a rented farm house about 64 miles away from a town of only 3000. At about 4:00AM there was loud knocking on my back door. I quickly grabbed a rifle and had my wife get a shotgun and hide behind a large oak trunk. I then called out to the intruder and asked what he wanted. As it turned out he and a friend were in the mountains about 5 miles away from me and rolled the truck. The friend was hurt and he was seeking help. I told him to come in. I didn't let him get closer than the other side of the room and I told him to lock the door behind him. I then called the local sheriff's office and had him ID himself and so on.
As it turned out he was 100% honest and all was as he said.
I then told him to get in my Land Cruiser and I and the deputy went up to his friend in our vehicles and rescued them. I had a heavy duty wench on my TLC and after the hurt boy was transported by the deputy I got the truck back on its wheels and the other young man 2was able to drive it out.
So remember that people ban k on doors loudly to do one of 2 things.
#1 Because they really need help
#2 To locate a victim.
Be safe and cautious, but NEVER get into a mindset that all unknown folks are evil or enemies. People in real need of help should be helped. I believe that’s how God would have us interact with our fellow man.
In 1986 I was living in a rented farm house about 64 miles away from a town of only 3000. At about 4:00AM there was loud knocking on my back door. I quickly grabbed a rifle and had my wife get a shotgun and hide behind a large oak trunk. I then called out to the intruder and asked what he wanted. As it turned out he and a friend were in the mountains about 5 miles away from me and rolled the truck. The friend was hurt and he was seeking help. I told him to come in. I didn't let him get closer than the other side of the room and I told him to lock the door behind him. I then called the local sheriff's office and had him ID himself and so on.
As it turned out he was 100% honest and all was as he said.
I then told him to get in my Land Cruiser and I and the deputy went up to his friend in our vehicles and rescued them. I had a heavy duty wench on my TLC and after the hurt boy was transported by the deputy I got the truck back on its wheels and the other young man 2was able to drive it out.
So remember that people ban k on doors loudly to do one of 2 things.
#1 Because they really need help
#2 To locate a victim.
Be safe and cautious, but NEVER get into a mindset that all unknown folks are evil or enemies. People in real need of help should be helped. I believe that’s how God would have us interact with our fellow man.