Share your experiences for the inexperienced

[augustus123]

I was reading the "Strange knocks..." thread and was thinking that there really is nothing better than a good reallife lesson to teach us all to be smarter and safer. I subscribe to the saying "learn from your mistakes," but even more so to the "forget learning from your mistakes, learn from other people's!"

I have been lucky enough to never be placed in a violent situation such as burglary, mugging, street fight etc. But I was hoping you posters might share you own experiences and the lessons you learned from them (regardless of good or bad ending) to help those of us identify and deal with a bad situation. (I don't need to touch fire to know it's hot.)

I'll share some stories from some relatives who have not been as fortunate as I:

-My uncle was walking back to his car in the middle of the night after coming back from a relatives house. As he approached, he saw two BGs in the process of ripping out his stereo and emptying the contents of his car into their car. As he walked by he pretended that it wasn't his car when one of the BGs said "Hey, help us move this stuff and we'll give you this stereo!" So my uncle shrugged and said "ok!" He reached into the trunk of his own car, grabbed the tire iron and knocked both the BGs out when they were turned around. BGs woke up with a headache behind bars...
Lesson: Sometimes direct confrontation isn't the best type of confrontation.

one more =)

-My aunt woke up one night to the sound of a window breaking. She grabs her husbands hunting rifle (not sure what type, but he hunted deer with it...maybe .308?) suddenly sees the BG coming in threw the window and yells in her broken english several times "don't come in!!!" The BG comes in anyway and in fear for her life and her families safety she fires. BG dies after crawling back threw the window and into the street.
Lesson: Sometimes direct confrontation IS the best type.

Thanks in advance if you share! I hope to learn a lot from this great forum in the future!

 

[W.E.G.]

Happened to my friend.

http://subvatican.com/gazette/kluttzpleads.html

He talked his way out of it (more or less), as he was unarmed.

Never open the door at midnight until the 911 operator confirms that the people at the door claiming to be the police really ARE the police.

Would have been a bloodbath at my house.

 

[RobTzu]

That is insane! How do you verify quickly, that it is actual police without risking a firefight with actual police?

 

[BullfrogKen]

Rob,

Keep the topic on track.

 

[blutarsky]

How do you verify quickly, that it is actual police without risking a firefight with actual police?

... Keep the topic on track.

i think that question is indeed "on track" and is an important detail and valid concern -- you obviously do not want to mistake the real police as being a group of impersonators (and get into a firefight that will find you either dead or in jail for the rest of your life), and you also obviously do not want to just throw the doors open for imposters and find yourself in a world of hurt.

as far as the topic (share experiences for the inexperienced), i believe this concern is perhaps more widely shared than you might think. when i hear news reports of home invasions and some stories of criminals impersonating members of the law enforcement community, i get very concerned about what i could do if i found myself in that situation.

i don't have any experience, personally, with dealing with this sort of deadly-serious doubt -- i'd sure like to hear some pointers from those who do.

 

[BullfrogKen]

augustus123 said: But I was hoping you posters might share you own experiences and the lessons you learned from them (regardless of good or bad ending) to help those of us identify and deal with a bad situation.

OK, blutarsky if you've experienced a home invasion by police impersonators, then share it.


For that matter, if anyone here has experienced a home invasion by someone dressed as and claiming to be Police Officers, feel free to share it.


Otherwise - its OFF topic of augustus123's thread title.

 

[augustus123]

In an effort to try and turn the "police imposter" story back on topic. I've had a police detective come to my home. When he rang the door bell he showed his face, badge and ID clearly through the peep hole and loudly/clearly stated his rank, name and affiliation and why he was there.

I guess unless someone was impersonating a cop he/she might not be as professional? Basically if you see a red flag, I assume you can always call your loca law enf. to verify the visit. After all their dispatch should know.

Another story from an old college friend who worked at a lawyer's office serving subpoenas. Sometimes the guys serving you are real a-holes, but their job is to make sure that you physically see your subpoena so you can't ditch court. If they think you are dodging them, they'll do all kinds of "tricks" to meet you face to face, including but not limited to: Turning off your power (so you come out of the house), turning off the telephone line, hiding in the bushes, following you to McDonalds etc. My friend has been almost beat up and shot several times, poor guy. But those guys being served went through all kinds of trouble to hide from him (including wigs and mustaches! LOL).


Lesson: If you know you have legal issues, don't shoot the guy jumping into your backyard.......well at least not right away.

 

[Alphazulu6]

If your using a .223/5.56 as your defense weapon, make sure you shoot the BG 2x and be prepared to shoot some more. Had that problem in Iraq the last couple times.

 

[AndyC]

Awareness comes first - and apparent submission can buy you time to get to your weapon:

I lived in Cape Town and was on a train coming back from fishing when I was confronted by 3 men; I hadn't taken a firearm with me but I did have a highly-quality handmade tanto under my jacket (less for defense than to gut any fish I caught, which turned out to be zero).

I was standing near the doors as the train was pretty full; the attack slowly ramped up from a typical beggar-style request for money to crowding in, drawing knives (one guy had a spoon - sharpened, I assume) and trying to tug at my watch. I should have been more aware initially, but I was wet, cold and really tired.

I held up both hands to show my palms in submission and said something like "Whoa, whoa, relax, here, take my wallet" and reached slowly behind me - and pulled my tanto out of its sheath from under my jacket.

What happened next is irrelevant other than I'm still in one piece - point is, I visibly submitted to them and they relaxed, which gave me time to get to my weapon. I consider myself very lucky that they weren't smarter.

 

[Kacerdias]

When I lived in Austin, TX I got a knock at my apartment door. Through the peephole I saw a clean cut Hispanic man in a white button up shirt and dark khaki dress pants. He identified himself as being from the sheriff's dept and asked for me by name! Looking harder through the peephole I saw the glint of a badge on his belt and Glock on the other side. I asked him for his name and supervisor and he answered without hesitation so I opened the door a crack, J-frame in my back pocket. I asked to see his badge up close - sure enough it was legit. He was looking for someone else with my name who was behind on child support payments for 2 illigitimate kids in Houston. I introduced him to my wife and let him know that I *don't* have any kids. Period. And I don't know anyone named Sharonda. I showed him my driver's license and he seemed satisfied that I wasn't the guy he was looking for. I'm glad my wife has a sense of humor.

Sometimes the guy knocking on your door really *is* an LEO. Whoever it is, be polite. But also be prepared.

 

[mountainclmbr]

I have posted this before, most recently in the "in my driveway" thread:

Years ago, just a few years out of college, I was sitting on my couch reading a book at about 8:00 p.m. I heard the door knob jiggle on my apt door. I looked outside through the peep hole and saw a wierd "skinhead-tattooed" and very large young male outside my door. I assumed he was visiting the punk rock college students across the hall, but he gave me the creeps so I went to the bedroom and got the nightstand gun, a 44 spl revolver. I was planning to put it on the coffee table and continue reading, but he busted in my front door and charged me when he saw me. I was struggling to get the zipper on the gun case open and brought the gun up with about 80% trigger pull when he turned and ran. If I had been caught completely by surprise he would have been between me and the bedroom where I had my gun. About 20 years ago I learned my lesson and I have a compact pistol in my pocket as I type this (.40 cal, 180 gr JHP Doubletap brand).

Updated: I called the police who informed me that they would confiscate my gun if they had to write a report due to gun being at crime scene. I asked about what would happen if he came back. They said, you call us. We mutually agreed that "nothing happened" so I could keep my gun. Important reason to have more than one gun!

 

[larry_minn]

Not quite what was asked. It was not at home.
I was in TX at the book depository. JFK memorial. I was one of last to leave. You exit onto the road side (not where you enter) I was in white. Looking over angles/street.
These three locals come up and block me. Locked (one way exit) door behind me and wall to side. (I was so dang ticked at myself) I forget the line used.. Something like "Give us some money and we will help you find your car" I still had a couple steps so I reach finger in front (watch) pocket and grab a couple quarters. I toss them in air "here you go" and move forward. Right thru them. They are looking up (amatures) and get bounced back. I get clear and turn. (ok not smartest move but I was not going to run and with room to work was going to make it expensive as I could)
They decided it was not worth it. (lucky me)

 

[Kevin108]

Years ago I bailed out the door with a 20-gauge shotgun on what I thought was a pack of dogs chasing the cats only to find the meter reader which led to some quick and profuse apologizing.

It reminds me of a Bob Dylan lyric.

I heard some footsteps by the front porch door
So i grabbed my shotgun from the floor
I snuck around the house with a huff 'n' a hiss
Say, "Hands up!, you communist''
It was the mail man ... he punched me out