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I almost shot my son!!!

zekester

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2010
Messages
664
Location
Uvalde, Texas
I am at home on extended leave from work, personal issues, dead asleep and I hear a pounding at the door, not a knock…a pounding. I awake startled, grabbed my Glock and try to assess the situation. Next thing I hear is my front door being opened. I go into “This SOB is dead” mode. This is all happening within a few seconds. I jump out of my bed, lay down between my door jam and the hallway (figure the bad guy is going to look for someone standing up). I see a shadow of a person on the wall. If you have never been in this situation, let me tell you something. Knowing in your heart that you about to shoot and possibly end a life is not a good feeling, but I was surprised in my calmness. I guess I took on the “him or me “ feeling. Just before the figure turned the corner , I hear…”DAD!!!…You ok?” I was not aware that my son had made a copy of the key to my house. He was just checking on me, because I haven't called him in a while. My "calmness" quickly went to fear knowing I almost killed my son.

Let me tell you, there was quite of bit of yelling, hugging and kissing after this, not to mention awareness on my son’s part. I am pretty sure if he didn't, I sh@@ my pants…

I know in my heart, that if he would have turned that corner without saying a word, he may be dead today. I swear this happened in about 45 seconds...I should have yelled..." I have a firearm", who are you and the like...this happened so fast.....My son had unlocked the door before he "knocked"..

With this situation and with the time frame, my GOD how would you know...I was lucky that day.

I say "I" was lucky that day, because I can't imagine anyone going on normally with their life knowing that they shot and killed their own child.
 
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hjmoosejaw

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2011
Messages
406
Location
N.W. Pa.
I am at home on extended leave from work, personal issues, dead asleep and I hear a pounding at the door, not a knock…a pounding. I awake startled, grab my Glock and try to assess the situation. Next thing I hear is my front door being opened. I go into “This SOB is dead” mode. This is all happening within a few seconds. I jump out of my bed, lay down between my door jam and the hallway (figure the bad guy is going to look for someone standing up). I see a shadow of a person on the wall. If you have never been in this situation, let me tell you something. Knowing in your heart that you about to shoot and possibly end a life is not a good feeling, but I was surprised in my calmness. I guess I took on the “him or me “ feeling. Just before the figure turned the corner , I hear…”DAD!!!…You ok?” I was not aware that my son had made a copy of the key to my house. He was just checking on me, because I haven't called him in a while. My "calmness" dissappeard to fear knowing I almost killed my son.

Let me tell you, there was quite of bit of yelling, hugging and kissing after this, not to mention awareness on my son’s part. I am pretty sure if he didn't, I sh@@ my pants…

I know in my heart, that if he would have turned that corner without saying a word, he may be dead today. I swear this happened in about 45 seconds...I should have yelled..." I have a firearm", who are you and the like...this happened so fast.....My son had unlocked the door before he "knocked"...hell...I was nude at the edge of the hallway...I know TMI.

With this situation and with the time frame, my GOD how would you know...I was lucky that day

Thank God that came out okay! I had kind of the same thing happen years ago with me, but it was my brother that came into the house. Anyway, it would be a good idea for anybody having guns to make every family member, or anybody that might even under normal circumstances be invited into your home, aware that you have the gun. Tell the kids or whoever to ALWAYS,ALWAYS,ALWAYS, make themselves be known when coming around the house. And tell them to do the same at other people's houses. I heard on the news years ago about a teenage girl that got off from school early. Her and her female classmate came home and were hanging out. The girl saw her dad showing up at home and decided to hide in the closet to jump out and surprise him or maybe they didn't want him to know they were out early from school or whatever. I don't know. Anyway, the dad heard somebody moving in the closet and thought it was an intruder. Without any verbal warnig like "I have a gun" or "I'm calling the cops" or anything like that, he fired more than one round into the closet and killed both his daughter and her friend.
 

Beretta92FSLady

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2009
Messages
5,264
Location
In My Coffee
Take your moments of reflection on the situation, and learn from it. You stated that you ought to have yelled something...you will have that in mind next time.

Two things:

Good job taking a lower position; many of people have been killed not taking cover.

Good job reflecting on the incident, and considering what you ought to include the next time something like this happens.
 

zekester

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2010
Messages
664
Location
Uvalde, Texas
Take your moments of reflection on the situation, and learn from it. You stated that you ought to have yelled something...you will have that in mind next time.

Two things:

Good job taking a lower position; many of people have been killed not taking cover.

Good job reflecting on the incident, and considering what you ought to include the next time something like this happens.

Ex-military, always taking cover..(instinct).....the only reason I didn't shoot first and ask questions later is because my son spoke up....must work on that some how.

If you can picture this...Knock, weapon, on floor...relief....that is about how much time I had.

By the time you read this post...it was over..
 
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sawah

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2011
Messages
436
Location
Virginia
Glad that turned out OK. Your son should never have made a key to your house without your authorization and knowledge. He should have called first. I get the feeling there's something amiss here besides just checking on you. Glad, though, no one was harmed.
 

j4l

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2011
Messages
1,835
Location
fl
Good that it turned out, but learn from it.
Gotta, gotta, gotta, try to ID the possible target, 1st. However, possible.
Wake from deep sleep can be so very dis-orienting, especially when/if waking to a potentially dangerous situation.
As others have said- a good idea would be to work out some kind of call/response routine with family ,or anyone else likely to show up like that.
 

Felid`Maximus

Activist Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2007
Messages
1,711
Location
Reno, Nevada, USA
You always need to verify that you are actually responding to a real threat to your life.

You might set up a camera outside and a monitor inside. That way you can see who is at the door.
 

zekester

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2010
Messages
664
Location
Uvalde, Texas
I was not aware that anyone had access to my house...without going into details, my son copied my key for my concern....I do not blame my son...except for the fact that he knew I would shoot anyone's ass. But he never identified himself, which I know he will do from now on..
 

09jisaac

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2011
Messages
1,692
Location
Louisa, Kentucky
I wouldn't call out to an intruder. That does not seem to be a good plan to me. The intruder can find your position by your voice and know that you are not asleep. It is best to always identify your target, but it is also a wise idea that they don't know anything about you.

This is the main reason I think it is foolish to rack a shotgun to ward away an intruder.
 

rscottie

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
608
Location
Ashland, Kentucky, USA
I do not think that YOU reacted poorly.

Your son on the other hand needs to be taken to the woodshed for putting you in such a position.

You do not mention the time of day that this happened but that is really not relevant.

Your son should be scolded for not A. Phoning First and B. Not calling out to you BEFORE opening the door.

After the woodshed give your son a hug as he is very lucky. My dad probably would have shot me as the door started opening in the same situation.

Of course I know that!
 

newbie

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
148
Location
west bend
your not the only one who has done this sort of thing, at my house everyone knows to say "hello" when they walk in the door. its sort of a safe word for the rest of us. its a feeling that takes over you when you hear your door open and no one saying anything.

iv had a problem when a old friend opened my door without a word at 12am. i grabbed my shotgun waited in my hallway and when he turned the corner i shoved him back racked the gun. then i seen his face. now im pretty sure he wouldnt do that again. but this type of stuff happens just make sure you have a safe word for your house and you shouldnt have problems. now my friends are still allowed to just walk in my home but first they have to do 3 knocks then enter. that way i know who it is. now if i hear it pop open without a word or a knock ill be going to my gun again.
 

09jisaac

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2011
Messages
1,692
Location
Louisa, Kentucky
I grabbed my shotgun waited in my hallway and when he turned the corner i shoved him back racked the gun.

The shotgun should have already been racked. It would have been a shame if it was someone with a firearm who wasn't your friend, as you might not have survived.
 

Jack House

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
2,611
Location
I80, USA
Personally, when I hear someone entering my home, I just demand they identify. My aunt and cousins have a key and I rarely lock the doors. Close friends will just walk in, which is fine, I do the same at their place. There's maybe 15 or so people that I allow to walk in without knocking.

Anyway, the dad heard somebody moving in the closet and thought it was an intruder. Without any verbal warnig like "I have a gun" or "I'm calling the cops" or anything like that, he fired more than one round into the closet and killed both his daughter and her friend.
I hate to armchair quarterback, but that was just plain stupid.
 

ManInBlack

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
1,551
Location
SW Idaho
I rarely lock the doors

I have never understood this mentality, and I doubt I ever will. Locking a door takes less than a second. There is no downside, and a huge potential upside. Close friends are great, and I enjoy their company. I do, however, make it quite clear that I have a cell phone, which I keep on me, for a good reason. To quote a (c)rap song I had the misfortune to hear a few years ago, "call before you come." There is just no good reason for anyone I know to show up at my door unannounced. Besides the personal safety aspect, what if I am busy/in the bathroom or shower/eating a meal/tired/whatever? It just does not make sense...

Even in "very safe" :rolleyes: or rural areas, every crime or tragedy is just a statistic...until it happens to you.

My mother and her husband live in what is considered a "safe community" in Washington state, and do not usually lock their doors, except when out of town. This drives me nuts. Even when I explain the danger, they just don't get it. Every time I visit, Mom gets a pleading, and her husband gets a scolding. I reckon this will continue for the foreseeable future - I just hope and pray the foreseeable future does not end in tragedy... :(

Please, everyone lock your damn doors and encourage everyone you care about to do the same.

ETA: Just a few months ago, a friend's parents, who live in a very small town in rural New Mexico, had a terrifying experience to wake up to pounding on their door. While his mother readied the shotgun, his father grabbed a revolver and headed to the door. At this point, the door (not all that sturdy, another point to consider) was almost knocked in. On the other side was a crazed, drunk, young, punk-ass a-hole who had no idea what he was doing. As his father did his damndest to hold the door closed against the intruder, both he and his wife were screaming at him that they had firearms and would shoot. Finally (someone must have been praying for him), the intruder had a flash of reason, and fled the premises. The police picked him up a few blocks away (after being on the phone with my friend's mother for at least 5 minutes, trying to find the house number - in a tiny town!). If that door had not been locked, the intruder would have been inside before either of them had woken up.

Again, please lock your doors.
 
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newbie

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
148
Location
west bend
The shotgun should have already been racked. It would have been a shame if it was someone with a firearm who wasn't your friend, as you might not have survived.

this is vary true, but in my shoes i have a kid in my home. so i keep my pistol loaded on my person 24/7 (have a holster attached to the side of my matrices.) also my pistol grip rem 870 strapped to the bottom of my box spring. i always figure if someone comes in if the slide of the 870 doesnt scare them then its ready to shoot.

now if someone comes in shooting right off the bat i also have my sidearm loaded already chambered. all i have to do then is pull the trigger on that. my girlfriend also knows firearms pretty well and there is a loaded already chambered 9mm on her side of our bed. so basically i have 3 firearms loaded already 2 chambered. so if a drug crazed robber brakes in threatening our lives he will not be leaving our home alive (or badly injured).

now having had my house broken into before i was like alot of others, no firearms in our house i was held at gunpoint while i watched my parents roommate get stabbed in the head and my dog not even barking at the intruders, i was just young dumb i almost **** myself. since then i have vowed that i will never be a victim again. and i have prepared myself to know i will have to do what i have to do to keep myself and my family safe. now the guy who used to live with us did not die he does suffer bad migraines for the rest of his life and had alot of stitches. i will not let that happen to anyone im close to ever again.

edit: to add i will not shoot to kill. i dont want anyone to mistake the message i am saying by not allowing a robber to leaving our home / or being badly injured. i will try to keep the intruder alive. i dont want to kill anyone in my lifetime. but i will if that means keeping my loved ones safe. i do not want to ever have to shoot anyone but i know if i have to i will. but now if some drug crazed robber brakes in and my son is around ( he is only 3) and he threatens or looks like he will hurt any of us. then he may as well say his prayers because then i will empty my gun on him
 
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ManInBlack

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Jul 2, 2006
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SW Idaho
Do you lock your doors even when you are home and awake?

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2

Yes, always. No downside, and huge potential upside.

Again, someone known to me should call before they come. Someone unknown to me can be checked out and vetted through the window, and verbal conversation through the door.
 
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xxx.jakk.xxx

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Feb 16, 2010
Messages
467
Do you lock your doors even when you are home and awake?

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2

Lol. I get crap from my friends because even at their houses, as I close the door behind me I lock it. It's just part of the closing motion for me. Going in or out, the door gets locked.
 

Jack House

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Jun 12, 2010
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I80, USA
Yes, always. No downside, and huge potential upside.

Again, someone known to me should call before they come. Someone unknown to me can be checked out and vetted through the window, and verbal conversation through the door.
And this is what I don't understand. Why live your life behind locked doors? Even if I lived in Detroit, only reason I'd leave my doors locked at all times, would be to keep the police out. :uhoh:
 

ManInBlack

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Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
1,551
Location
SW Idaho
Lol. I get crap from my friends because even at their houses, as I close the door behind me I lock it. It's just part of the closing motion for me. Going in or out, the door gets locked.

Likewise. I am the exact same way. They'll thank us when the lock buys a few extra seconds to deal with a determined intruder, or deters one not so motivated.
 
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