How did my friend do?

[yesit'sloaded]

Today at church one of my "gun buddies" said he wanted to tell me something. Last night he was sitting in his house with his brother when they heard a noise. They live quite a ways from other people in a rural area. My friend and brother decided to call the sheriff while the other one cleared the yard. The brother grabbed a pump shotgun and opened the door to observe a man that was wearing dark clothing and had just climbed the fence and was approaching the house. After a verbal warning, several shots were fired at perhaps 20 feet towards the man. The man ran and quickly scaled a 4 foot high wooded fence and disappeared into the night. They later found pellets in the fence. A while later the sheriff came by to check it out and write a report. They were told to be on guard and not hesitate to call back. Other than to remember to load up with buck instead of bird what should have been done.

 

[trueblue1776]

Sounds like your pal is a little edgy, in most courts there is no "warning shot".

 

[yesit'sloaded]

It wasn't a warning shot, it was bird shot. It is a very small load that is ineffective at ranges past about 20 feet with an open choke. This guy already drove out of his way to get there, then passed a no trespassing sign and climbed a fence around a house.

 

[JKimball]

After a verbal warning several shots were fired at perhaps 20 feet towards the man.

Is that a warning shot in his direction, or is that shooting the man?

 

[JKimball]

Ouch. He'll probably show up at a hospital sometime.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

The confusion that ensued in this post could be eliminated by adding one small thing. It's called a comma. The original poster could benefit from the judicious use of one here and there.

Try reading it like this, "After a verbal warning, several shots were fired at perhaps 20 feet towards the man."

Actually, the whole post would benefit from commas.

 

[Dope]

Sounds like a "verbal warning" then shots following. I would consider birdshot at that range to be a warning shot regardless

Dope

 

[Mr White]

Unless you're in Texas, this could go bad for him.

My rule is that nobody gets shot unless they're in the house, and even then, they get a fair chance to get out of the house if they try. Hopefully I'll never have to put this rule into practice.

 

[chris in va]

Well you know what, we're so brainwashed by the $%#@ lawyers and legalese lately. I suspect 'back in the day' what your friend did was just the way it was done. Not trying to make a dead body on the lawn, just make him go away...painfully. Remember rock salt?

So if this was 1885, I say he did just fine. Or probably 1965 for that matter.

 

[yesit'sloaded]

Sheriff is a good old boy and seems to think it was a fine thing to do. Out in southern rural counties this is still considered mildly acceptable. I humbly apologize for my lack of commas. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I hope that was enough to cover my past sins.

 

[NickEllis]

Depends on the state. Care to inform?

 

[Gunpacker]

Maybe you could explain the reason your buddy was shooting at the man. Seems like there was nothing resembling a threat to life at the time, even if he was walking across a yard that he didn't own.

 

[Geronimo45]

I hope that was enough to cover my past sins.

Nope. Say three "Hail Semicolons" and write seven question marks with your eyes closed. Then you will be forgiven.

I'm guessing the guy was a Mexican, and didn't understand the language - or was a druggie of some sort.

Nobody got kilt, no real trouble. Not a bad end to a questionable situation.

 

[yesit'sloaded]

Mississippi, which does have castle doctrine. There is no reason for someone to go out of their way to go to a house way out from anywhere, climb over a fence around a house when a gate was there, pay no heed to a no trespassing sign, and not respond to a verbal warning from an armed man. I understand that this is insane behavior in a city, but miles out from town there is no such thing as a quick response. I was not there and cannot say if it was a series of warning shots or not. I personally would have buttoned down and waited while covering the door, but I posted this to see if anyone else had any other pointers. Bumps in the night 5 miles from town are a little different from bumps in the night in the big city.

 

[Stretchman]

Hope he wasn't out of gas.

Seriously, how many shots did it take before he left? Several? That should cover bird shot as a defensive load. Did your friend do right? You be the judge. Of course, you may want to go out there and see if you can find a blood trail. WHoever it was may have bled out. Bird shot is pretty famous for creating wounds that take time to bleed out. Something to think about next time you see him at church.

 

[yesit'sloaded]

I guess it's interesting how things become blurry when the cops don't arrive in 2 seconds to help. It's not what I would have done and it seems that most of you agree with me. The LEO that responded found no fault so for now I will trust his judgment as to whether it was a "good" shoot. I was taught not to trespass on other's property in the dead of night because I might get shot. No blood was found and as I have been "peppered" from a little farther from that range I would assume there wasn't any.

 

[jeepmor]

Discretion is the greater part of valor. This action lacks both.

On the plus side, darn tootin sure this guy won't be back.

 

[Geno]

The first mistake was going outside, and especially alone. Massive error. I have always said what's inside my home is my business. What's outside of my home the police can handle. There is a time, if fired upon, that one must return fire in defence or exit the home to launch your assualt to stop the attack. That never happened.

I have a difficult time wrapping my brain around how any load, regardless how light, could not cause significant humanoid damage at 20 feet. The load choice is simply wrong. If one launches a defense, they are doing so to stop and attack. Buckshot, not birdshot.

The sole fact that I can point to as correct here, was calling the police.

 

[dralarms]

Anyone who thinks bird shot is harmless at more than 20 feet should talk to the dog I was trying to scare out of my yard 2 years ago, wait no that won't work unless you have a medium. Not only did the dog die she was more than 50 feet from me. If you ask me (and you didn't) he screwed up casue that guy will show up somewhere wanting pellets takenout of his rear, unless your friend is either a really bad shot or full of it.

 

[chieftain]

The sole fact that I can point to as correct here, was calling the police

In many rural locations the police can take some time getting to you.

I would have done some things differently, but everyone is safe and the bad guy ain't bothering them anymore.

Sounds like a successful encounter to me. I would trade the bird Shot for buckshot. Texas isn't the only jurisdiction that will allow folks to protect their property with deadly force either.

Because you don't live there don't make it wrong. Apparently the Deputy didn't think so either.

Go figure.

Fred

PS:"When in a Life or Death situation and seconds count, remember the Police are only 5 minutes away." --Unknown

Or in some cases hours.

F

 

[Jamie C.]

Living in a place where the nearest town is 12 miles away and the nearest patrol car can be a minimum of 30 minutes away, I don't see any fault with going out and looking over the situation. The noises one hears out here in the woods might be the local wildlife, or in the situation described in the OP, due to "non-local wildlife"...
Now, you city folks can say what you will about staying inside, but from my perspective, I'd rather have a look myself and find out whether the S.O. needs to be called or not. About the only thing I would have done differently is to go look first, then made the call to the Sheriff's office. Other than that, I don't see any fault. ( Edit: well, there is one other thing... My shotgun would'a been loaded with 00 buckshot, not birdshot. )

Now, I say all this knowing the laws here in TN, and also having worked the night shift for a couple of years with the local Sheriff's office. Here, firing on someone who's scaled a fence to get onto your property at night and who is still advancing after a repeated verbal warning, would also be ruled a "good shoot". It has been on a couple of occasions that I'm aware of, as a matter of fact.

Anyway, that's "life in the sticks". I know it's not the same elsewhere.


J.C.

 

[cpttango30]

I guess he did ok. I would not have went outside for one. That is just asking for trouble if this guy shows up with a lawyer your friend is going to look like a mad man willing to shoot anything that moves outside of his house. Granted they live out and there are not many people around.

I would have retrived my gun and waited by the front or back door to see if he would aproch the house. If he did I would have asked what his business was. The whole time, I would have the phone with me, or the person on the phone right next to me so the 911 operator could hear my enteraction with the assumed badguy. If the bad guy did not respond to polite questions I would then inform him that the house is protected and we are on the phone right now with police and we will defend our house if need be.

You can replace your stuff you can not replace someones life. weather you deam it worthless or not. I would try everything in my power to resolve the problem with out shooting someone.

 

[Baba Louie]

How did (my) friend do?

Veni, Vidi, Vici. He came, he saw, he conquered. No. 4 buck at a minimum next time, as you, and others, noted: 0 and 00 preferred.

THE HOUNDS! TO THE HOUNDS! RELEASE THE DOGS! Cry havoc and Let slip the dogs of war! Or something. Anyway, a good country dog or two would give some warning woofs of approaching visitors and might even help in protecting their territory. They would, at the very least, be able to track the smell of soiled trousers after the first few rounds were let loose. Doncha think?

Motion sensor lights? Flashlights?

Followed up with, (standard caveat) know your applicable state and local laws, LEO response time and thought process. Rural life is one thing, suburbia another, city life being a horse of a different color altogether. (this more for lurkers reading than posting author or his friend)

What I want to know (let's talk shotguns): Dove shot or waterfowl, lead, steel or bismuth, 2-3/4" or 3", choke?

(Note the generous use of comma's, thus freeing me from worry of the comma police forces... it's the apostrophe police I fear )

 

[ZMP_CTR]

The first mistake was going outside, and especially alone. Massive error. I have always said what's inside my home is my business. What's outside of my home the police can handle. There is a time, if fired upon, that one must return fire in defence or exit the home to launch your assualt to stop the attack. That never happened.

I have a difficult time wrapping my brain around how any load, regardless how light, could not cause significant humanoid damage at 20 feet. The load choice is simply wrong. If one launches a defense, they are doing so to stop and attack. Buckshot, not birdshot.

The sole fact that I can point to as correct here, was calling the police.

100% correct. Shooting at anyone, at any range, with any load should only be done to prevent loss of of life.

I wonder what the prowler was doing on such a "rural" property? There must be something pretty interesting or valuable there.

 

[ranger58]

Either way I doubt he will be back, nice job.


R58