When something goes, bang, bang, bang in the night?

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Isaac-1

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I am writing this because of an incident that happened here a few hours ago, and I am wondering what you think the correct thing to do is, in case it ever happens again. First a little bakground, I live in a mostly quiet mid sized town in the south, fairly low crime rate area, at least low violent crime rate. My 100+ year old house is located one of the main 4 lane streets in town near a major intersection so there is a fair amount of traffic around even at night, etc. Just before 3 am this morning I was laying in bed reading something online, just about to try to go back to sleep when I suddenly heard a series of several gunshots nearby. It sounded like someone emptied a magazine from a semi-auto handgun at something, 10-12 rounds in moderately quick succession (think as fast as light / non-trained person could fire, some variation in rate of fire, but no pauses, I would gues about 12 shots in about 8-10 seconds, long enough for my wife to wake up and say is that gun shows before the last round went off), mid caliber, nearby, but not just outside the house, if I were to guess I would say within a couple of hundred feet, maybe less, certainly not much more.

My reaction was stay in bed while the shooting was going on, and hope no stray bullets came this way, also be glad my house has lots of solid wood walls (old growth timber, the kind you can't drive nails into). Then 30-45 seconds after the shooting stopped and I heard no more sounds with one hand on my 870, I called 911 and reported what I heard, peaked out darkened windows after a couple of minutes to see if I saw any activity when a police car went by at the corner with its lights and siren on, then tried to go back to sleep, operative word there is tried.

So now is the time to ask, what did I do wrong?
 
Nothing that I can see to pick at in your response.

Other than not going back to sleep...
 
You did the right thing.
Years ago I was paid to run to the sound of gunfire.
Now I'm older, wiser and a bit jaded; I will defend myself and my property.
 
Similar thing happened here last year.
Did the same thing, called 911, then used it as an excuse to make some coffee, turn on the TV and finish the homemade pie, with the 12 ga across my lap.
 
Yep, arm yourself, call the police, survey the surrounding area as best you can without going outside, get a bite to eat etc to keep the mind from racing, relax, keep an eye out for awhile, then go back to bed.
 
good response. being armed doesn't hurt, in case a perp or friend of perp or girl friend of perp or wounded would-be victim or next victim or girlfriend of next victim runs down street, tries breaking into your home for safety, resulting in chase by armed bad person, etc. etc.


as soon as I saw the black + whites on the scene -- quickly followed by the late-breaking live news van -- i'd call the incident over and go back to bed.
 
correct response

I too was once running to the sound of gunfire,now I am a civilian and I do not get paid nor am I covered legally [ BIG POINT ] to check out gunfire.

I would call 9/11 as soon as I heard the first few shots,and I get 'special' response as the dispatchers know me and my training.

BUT most I would do is look at my camera syestem to be sure I can look outside in complete safety,then I would look see to get better info to responding units so they dont rush for nought.

I see what you did as well handled.
 
Yep... you did nothing wrong. Its a tossup as to whether or not to call the cops. I have an alley that runs behind my house. Needless to say there is a lot of foot traffic - the undesirable type. I hear yelling, screaming and the occasional gun fire in the rear of my home almost every other night. I have decided to just ignore it until the problem comes into my yard then I'll call the cops.
 
I live in the 'Burbs though still a lot of open space, Carmel, of Indy and moved here in 1994. Every year or so I hear someone empty a full auto something. I just ignore it. It has to be someone who lives in the area who tests his 'purchases' or 'creations' now and again at 3-4 a.m.
What am I going to tell the LEO's? SOMEBODY, shot SOMETHING, SOMEWHERE.
 
Just to follow up, I have heard nothing else from this incident, drove around the block this afternoon looking for shot out windows, etc., did not spot any, etc. Still not sure what it was about, this was very nearby, there are no other houses on this block, either vacant lots, churches or businesses, and these shots were nearby, not someone shooting in the distance. (I heard one of those a year or two ago with what sounded like 2 distinct calibers exchanging multiple rounds of fire over a minute or two). This incident last night was much like the scenes one might see on TV or in the movies with someone "emptying a clip" at a car as it drives away, etc. You know the type of shooting that many practice ranges frown upon, then it was over, maybe they ran out of ammo, who knows.
 
Six or seven years back, we had two car loads of thugs shoot it out in front of a facility we were guarding (contract security). Both car loads took off, cops show up.

Nothing on the news, no one was apparently hit, no story....

I think what you did was prudent.
 
I probably would have woken up, stayed in bed, and waited. If nothing happened for an hour, I'd go.back to sleep.

If they had broken in, you'd be in complete darkness and "asleep".
 
Nothing wrong tactically. You avoided the weakest area of your home (doors and windows) while CONSCIOUSLY keeping in mind the risk of stray rounds. You didn't run outside which could have made you the person of interest for the police car coming down the road. You were prepared with a fine weapon to defend your situation, 870. The only thing I would have done different would have been to double check the doors and windows, especially on the first floor, after several minutes. All while being cautious.
 
Yep... you did nothing wrong. Its a tossup as to whether or not to call the cops. I have an alley that runs behind my house. Needless to say there is a lot of foot traffic - the undesirable type. I hear yelling, screaming and the occasional gun fire in the rear of my home almost every other night. I have decided to just ignore it until the problem comes into my yard then I'll call the cops.
Click to expand...

That's my thought too. My neighborhood has the occasional driveby shooting, and we just tend to ignore it. My house is situated in a way that it would really not be in danger of getting hit by stray rounds, and if the police are called, it can take some time for them to show up.


Heck, we had one go off a few houses down while we were out smoking our cigarettes, and it was just "hmmm, that's interesting, did you get a good look at that car?" "no, not really".
 
My reaction was stay in bed while the shooting was going on, and hope no stray bullets came this way, also be glad my house has lots of solid wood walls (old growth timber, the kind you can't drive nails into). Then 30-45 seconds after the shooting stopped and I heard no more sounds with one hand on my 870
Click to expand...

I wouldn't have stayed in bed. A good way to get caught with your pants down. You hear potential danger you should at least consider the possibility it could move in your direction. I would've blacked out my lights and peered carefully through the window making sure no one was entering the property. Calling 911 just ties up my support hand.
 
Not saying you did anything wrong but I wouldn't have called 911 and reported "shots fired" since for all you knew it might have been a string of firecrackers. I also wouldn't have stayed in bed and "tried to go back to sleep". I would have been prowling the house or sitting with eyes on any access points with the shotgun ready.
I live in a different environment-very rural. A 3am 911 call would likely result in a 30-45 minute response time or maybe just advice to stay inside and someone would be out in the morning. There are people in this area who call ME since my response time is shorter than the county.
 
From most of what I read on the internut, you were supposed to grab your tactical weapons of choice and several hundred rounds and spare batteries, knives, etc and then activate all lasers, night vision, and tactical lights and clear the house room by room while maintaining a silent low profile.
You done OK.
In my neighborhood, 3am gunfire means there's a raccoon gettin after the chickens...
 
I've been in that situation about a dozen times over the years. Just random gunshots from an undetermined distance away. Really you don't want to turn on the lights, so you just have to sit there listening. It's made me want night vision, though I suppose ignorance is bliss.
 
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