A gun used by a woman defending herself and her children

[Skribs]

This is why I wouldn't rely on a revolver, and why we don't need a magazine ban. Even with good hits (head/neck), the revolver barely stopped one guy. If he had been armed, or had a partner, then she and her kids would have been in trouble. I carry 12+1 with a spare mag. I'd be more confident of that.

As to the question of whether to hide or call out, she may have been busy with work and not wanted to be distracted by a salesperson that she had no intention of buying from, and didn't want her kids to have to worry about him. At the point where he starts ringing the doorbell repeatedly, there's obviously something up...at best he's a very bad salesman who wants to annoy people into buying something. Then there's the question of whether to present a deterrent chk-chk "I'M ARMED" or the tactical advantage of waiting. This man may have gone to a different home instead, or he may have escalated to home invasion. As it was, the man was surprised, which gave the mother a tactical advantage, and might have been part of why he freaked out instead of attacking.

Regardless, I've read a lot of stories recently where the kids call the parents or the wife/girlfriend calls their man...a lot of them need to call 911 instead.

 

[WardenWolf]

My mother used to do this; whenever someone rang the doorbell unexpected, she'd creep quietly up to it at a snail's pace and look out, and not say anything if she didn't recognize the person. After repeatedly yelling at her to stop doing this and why, she finally got it. Not only could it result in a burglar thinking the house was empty and breaking in, but we had many missed deliveries that required a signature because they'd already left before she responded.

This woman likely could have avoided a break-in simply by yelling "Who is it?" from afar. Ringing the doorbell repeatedly was intended to thoroughly probe the house to get anyone inside to respond. He wanted to make sure the house was empty before breaking in. While she succeeded in stopping the perp, this situation was likely avoidable.

 

[Isaac-1]

Or he would have came back later, perhaps surprising her while taking a shower, etc.

 

[Zoogster]

Skribs:

Regardless, I've read a lot of stories recently where the kids call the parents or the wife/girlfriend calls their man...a lot of them need to call 911 instead

Legally yes, in reality often not better.
Calling police gets armed officers rolling, and helps establish what is going on formally.
Calling the husband may get real immediate advice from someone most concerned about a positive outcome for his wife.

A husband concerned about his wife and children facing a home invasion is going to give a lot better advice on average than the dispatcher.
Dispatchers from what I have seen generally advise against things that may result in using force, never recommend using force, and almost always encourage as passive a response as possible until police arrive. They are trying to keep anything from escalating.
They are never going to say "okay shoot him if...". They don't know for sure what is going on even if the person on the phone is describing it, and are going to err on the legal side of caution during this recorded call and give no advice that includes use of deadly force.
(They also are going to have them remain on the line, so they won't be calling someone else at that point if they listen to the dispatcher.)
Some husbands on the other hand could go the opposite direction in using excessive force, but they will have the family's well being as the primary concern, unlike the dispatcher.
Husband, good or bad, will at least be trying to give advice to help them have the best chance. The dispatcher will be trying to keep anything from happening until police arrive many minutes later. Whether that is the best course of action or not.

For all we know this lady called her husband panicked about the man outside and he told her to go get his revolver. There is many families where the firearms are primarily kept by the man, or the man has more planning or concerns themselves more with defending the home and so has thought more about it than the wife.
She may not have been armed at all had she called the police instead of her husband. The dispatcher would have recommended little more than hiding, which is what she was already doing when found.


An additional benefit of the police is they will generally answer the phone, the call to the husband may just waste time if it doesn't get through or they get just as panicked and fail to give good advice.
But I wouldn't automatically say things would have been better for many of these women that called a husband or boyfriend if they had called police instead.

 

[hovercat]

Fox played the 911 tape of hubby. Apparently he had just taught mom to shoot a few days prior. Scary audio, every soccer mom should listen and many would be armed the next day.
Having taught my wife and daughter to shoot, I can see the reasonableness of the .38 revolver. Daughter likes light handload .38 in her .357 revolver. Light kick with all that weight and she is a lefty, does not like brass flying past her face. Wife likes an old 1927 colt revolver in .38S&W. Light, low kick, simple with no safety to think about, and the tiny to me grips fit her hand. They handle them well and with confidence because it is their gun, they chose it.
No reason to second guess something that worked. I will bet that the mom will keep that revolver.

 

[Skribs]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/10/us/home-invasion-gun-rights/index.html?hpt=ju_c2

Even CNN reports (and not just in their affiliates page) that this case is being used by the NRA as the poster family for gun rights.

Unfortunately they have some crock quote about how you're "more likely to be killed if you have a gun in the home" from an anti doctor. I did like the comment "a gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone."

 

[sherman123]

Too bad most mainstream media outlets won't report on this just like they won't report on the ccw holder who stopped the Oregon mall shooter or the off duty cop who shot the guy trying to shoot up a San Antonio movie theater just last month. I could mention the April 2012 church shooting that was stopped as well as a whole slew of other massacres prevented. But the point is they say we live in a "fantasy world" for suggesting a good person with a gun can stop bad people with guns. A good reason to write a letter to these mainstream media outlets after you write to all the politicians you can.