Don't Answer That Door!

[Thermactor]

Just saw this doozy of a story right now.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/02/27/tyrone-missouri-9-dead/24108089/

A gunman went door to door in a small south-central Missouri community late Thursday, fatally shooting 7 people before driving to an adjoining county and apparently killing himself, State Highway Patrol Sgt. Jeff Kinder said Friday.

Massad Ayoob has a fantastic (IMO) instructional video on YouTube on what to do in exactly this situation. And if those people had watched his video, they might be alive today.
Massad Ayoob: Don't Answer The Door!

Be safe, be smart, stay alive.

 

[rhinoh]

Unfortunately my front door opens into a narrow entryway- if a bad guy shot through the door or rushed me I really have nowhere to go....
So-
Any callers are observed on a video camera, and if I don't know who it is, I don't answer the door period.

 

[earlthegoat2]

What does Mas tell you to do when it is a family member at your door?

The article says half of the victims were related to the shooter.

 

[rcmodel]

It appears at least 4 victims + the shooter had the same last name.
Apparently all were related.

So, how would they know what he was going to do and not open the door?

Anyway, I doubt the folks in Tyrone MO even lock their doors anyway.

rc

 

[Jeff White]

RC is right, this wasn't an attack by a stranger randomly knocking on doors and killing people. It fits the pattern of most violence in that everyone involved knew each other and in this case many of the victims were blood relatives of the shooter.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Remember, you are more likely to be shot and/or killed by somebody that YOU know, especially friends and family, than by random strangers. Many (most?) mass shootings occur as domestic events, usually in or around the home. Serial events such as in the OP seem less common, but this reminds me of the Geneva County Massacre before it went on the road. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_County_massacre

 

[xXxplosive]

Our GS always answers the door.....but he doesn't open it either.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=729842&highlight=Door

 

[oneounceload]

The suspicion of the police is that when his mother died at 74 he lost it and went on the rampage that killed family members. Most folks I know would open a door to a family member

 

[coloradokevin]

One thing I've never liked about my house is that the former homeowner installed a front door with a window in it. It has been on my list of "things to change" for a while now, but I also understand why they put it there in the first place (the front room is rather dark otherwise).

I don't subscribe to the never answer the door idea, but I'm certainly more careful about it during the nighttime hours, and can't see any normal reason that someone would be knocking on my door at 0200hrs.

The balance between tactics and normalcy can be hard to find. I routinely have neighbors stop by during the daytime hours, and door-to-door salespeople are still pretty common in my area (though I don't necessary care to talk to any of the ones that aren't selling Girl Scout cookies). But, the middle of the night is a different scenario, for sure.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Been on this planet for over 60 years. Visit my parents often and sometimes the kids drop by.

I am NOT going to bolt the door to my relatives. None are nutso, none even act semi-nutso.

Now some distant relatives I might wonder why they showed up but not my close one's.

But as for answering the door, I try to first look out the kitchen window to see just who they are while getting my Glock.

Deaf

 

[WardenWolf]

My mother used to sneak up slowly and quietly to the door and, if she didn't know the person, not say anything. It took several years, but I finally got the message through to her why this is bad:

(1) If it's UPS or FedEx and it requires a signature, they'll walk off with your package before you get to the door.

(2) If it's a burglar, they'll think no one is home and break in.

Not answering the door is FAR more dangerous than answering it. You hear many times (including the robber who got killed in New Mexico just a few days ago) where they will knock or ring the doorbell to make sure nobody is home before breaking in. You have to at least ask "Who is it?" quickly. If it's the UPS guy, you'll get your package, and if it's a would-be burglar, he may just decide to leave. Always answer the door, but preferably with a gun in hand.

 

[Kleanbore]

Always answer the door, but preferably with a gun in hand.

Watch the video in the OP--more than once if necessary.

Then ask yourself just how having a gun in hand could keep you from getting shot or stabbed.

 

[bikerdoc]

It is a rule here to not answer the door without looking, all while the dog is barking. Yesterday dumbass visting stepdaughter opens the door to some stanger selling an odd combination of crush and run for the driveway and or clearing snow off the roof. I always carry at home and grabbed the dogs (rott) collar and stepped outside. Said two words - please leave - he gone.
Came in and told step daughter to be stupid at her own house.

 

[jlr1962]

I hear ya bikerdoc. I awoke one day to the sound of 2 young men at my kitchen table selling painting or landscaping services supposedly. No business cards, brochures or anything else. After a brief, harsh, ****, I explained my actions to my kids and wife. My family was shaken and understood my anger and concern about the situation after discussing it for a short time. The 2 uninvited visitors ran from the area visibly shaken. I did not have guns in the house at the time. We have the "no soliciting" signs now.

 

[Jeff White]

A few months back I had a man at my door claiming to work for my homeowners insurance company and wanting to update photos of the house.

I asked for identification and he couldn't provide any that showed he worked for the insurance company. I told him to leave. Then he said he worked for a different company that contracted with the insurance company.

I told him his choices were to get in his truck and leave, or he could wait for the sheriff to arrive and arrest him for criminal trespass. He elected to leave.

I called my insurance agent who said he would check. Turns out the insurance company did contract with this other outfit to take photos of some of the property they insured. I have no idea why, in this day and age, they didn't provide them with some form of identification.

He never returned and I have heard nothing more from the insurance company.

 

[bobmcd]

Answer the door: yes.

Open the door: no.

There is a difference. In the video Mas *answers* the door (he talks though the closed door), but does not *open* the door.

You need to *answer* the door without *opening* it so that a burglar casing your house knows it is occupied and therefore may go elsewhere.

 

[coloradokevin]

You guys are absolutely right in saying that you should "answer" but not "open" the door. Around here a LOT of burglars will knock on your door first, to determine whether or not someone is home. Most of these criminals don't want to find a homeowner in the home they're burglarizing, and if someone does answer the door they'll just give some dumb explanation for it: "I'm looking for my dog", "Does John live here?", "I'm with an alarm company", etc. But, if you don't answer the door, the burglar will walk around back and kick in your door or break a window.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

You can buy for about $200 a doorbell that is wireless that has two way audio as well as a video camera. There is no need to be near your door when answering it. We got it at lowes or Home Depot.

 

[DHJenkins]

I don't get the burglar argument. By answering the door you're confirming what your house looks/sounds like when you're home and therefore what it likely looks/sounds like when you're not. I would prefer my house be listed as "unknown" rather than "come back later".

Granted, no one is welcome at my house unless they've called first, so I have no need to answer my door.

 

[Drail]

I like to sneak out the back door quietly and come around the side and see who it is.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

Yeppers, people are going to answer and open doors for relatives.

Well...at least MOST relatives.

My wife has a cousin that is, in our unified opinion, dangerous. He's not welcome at our house and if he ever shows up I've told my wife not to open the door for him at all. She's to tell him to leave and immediately call the police if he does not.

Like it or not, unless we've got some positive sign that a particular relative is dangerous or otherwise unstable, who among us would NOT answer/open a door to a relative? Or friend?

 

[Double Naught Spy]

We all are. It is that simple.

We don't live our lives in hyper paranoia, body scanning every family member, friend, and guest in a man trap before allowing admission into our homes. We don't have regular psyche evals performed on family or friends either.

 

[joem1945]

Almost had the ugly thing happen a couple of months ago. I usually keep the storm/secutity door locked. Got lazy for a while. Little dog has to be first at the door when doorbell goes off. Doorbell rings, dog races to door. trying to move the dog (he will not bite anybody) I open the door and in steps a older guy (that I don't know) with brief cases in both hands. I step back and my right hand is already pulling my pistol out, finger in trigger guard. I ask 'who the hell are you? He replies I'm here to do your taxes. Man I don't know you are I don't need my taexs done. He says" This must be the wrong house, it looks like the place I go to do their taxes. I said it's time to leave now. He never saw the pistol and I'm sure glad I didn't shoot him but now I will not be lazy ever again.

 

[xxjumbojimboxx]

I think some people take the answering the door thing way too seriously. Its your door. There's a bell on it so people outside can get your attention when you're inside.

I liken folk's reaction to that of the gun grabbers. So afraid that they're willing to take unnecessary measures and maybe give up some of their freedoms so that they can feel "safe". If someone wanted to murder you do you think your door is going to stop them?