Situational Awareness or Don’t sit on your Porch

[Jeff White]

This is a disgusting crime. 79 year old man is approached by armed assailant on his porch, followed inside and pistol whipped.

Elderly man pistol-whipped in home burglary
http://via.fox2now.com/DsG7g

I don’t know what to say here. I suppose the response should have been to go inside and lock the door when the man approached. Maybe get someone younger and armed to sit on the porch with him?

Always be armed and aware....mindset, you have to have the right miindset.

 

[old lady new shooter]

BG is a total slime.

Sad that a person still has to be alert and ready to defend him- or herself at the age of 79, but if you wanna reach 80 you better do.

Personally I wouldn't sit on my front porch in the first place. I have a backyard if I wanna sit outside.

If he really wants to sit on his front porch let him do it with a shotgun. Or at least a large scary-looking dog.

BG's motivation was to steal stuff he could sell. Whether hurting victim was just a means to his goal or whether this provided BG independent gratification, I can't determine from the video. But clearly, Victim's behavior did not deter BG at all. Repeating "Get outta here" when you have nothing to back it up is not giving BG a reason to leave. And complaining "You're hurting me", well, that's what BG is trying to do, why would that stop him?

I hope the old gentleman is OK.

 

[MedWheeler]

I rather enjoy sitting on my front porch, especially late at night with a beer or two. This isn't gonna stop me.

I am always armed, though, and can see quite a ways from the porch. I don't look at my phone (which would blind me in the darkness.) I just sit and reflect. Everyone else around me is asleep, and the street is stone-silent.

Sometimes, if I'm feeling nostalgic (and nostalgia frequently is the trigger for the urge to sit there, anyway), I lean a shotgun against the house next to me.

Now, I won't sit in my backyard late at night if I'm gonna sit outside. Can't watch the front that way.

 

[old lady new shooter]

I rather enjoy sitting on my front porch, especially late at night with a beer or two. This isn't gonna stop me.

I am always armed, though, and can see quite a ways from the porch. I don't look at my phone (which would blind me in the darkness.) I just sit and reflect. Everyone else around me is asleep, and the street is stone-silent.

Sometimes, if I'm feeling nostalgic (and nostalgia frequently is the trigger for the urge to sit there, anyway), I lean a shotgun against the house next to me.

Now, I won't sit in my backyard late at night if I'm gonna sit outside. Can't watch the front that way.

At night I wouldn't sit outside by myself anywhere!

 

[G'dale Mike]

At night I wouldn't sit outside by myself anywhere!

Ha! I sat out almost to midnight just last night. Wasnt on the front porch, just out front o the house,but just before sunset, started a little fire(cleared a coupla acres infront of the house) and put a few more logs on it than i shoulda. Regardless, was very relaxing and enjoyed listening to the wildlife and watching the Leonid meteor shower.

 

[old lady new shooter]

Ha! I sat out almost to midnight just last night. Wasnt on the front porch, just out front o the house,but just before sunset, started a little fire(cleared a coupla acres infront of the house) and put a few more logs on it than i shoulda. Regardless, was very relaxing and enjoyed listening to the wildlife and watching the Leonid meteor shower.

You're not an old lady.

Bet you wouldn't advise your mom to do it.

 

[G'dale Mike]

You're not an old lady.

Bet you wouldn't advise your mom to do it.

I’m in a good spot for sitting out at night. If i was i town, it certainly might be different.

 

[Kleanbore]

Personally I wouldn't sit on my front porch in the first place. I have a backyard if I wanna sit outside.

Surely you do not think that there is any reason why you would be safer there!

 

[George Dickel]

It's best I don't comment on this, it might upset someone's sensibilities.

 

[NWPilgrim]

First, I usually have my G27 on me so sitting on the porch is no big deal. But I do think it would make sense for every home to have a front yard fence and gate at the sidewalk that would force visitors to speak to you from public property rather than coming up to your house. Many suburban covenants do not allow fences out in front beyond the edge of the house. Stupid security wise!

Obviously a fence and gate does not stop a determined attacker but it does signal that anyone on your property not invited made a special effort to overcome your privacy barrier and therefore is very likely a threat and not just a person asking a question. Plus a fence and gate would keep solicitors away from the door as well.

I also pocket carry a good LED flashlight to light up any stranger approaching my door at night. Let’s me see where their hands are and takes away some of their anonymity. An Italian woman we met once said in her area no one just pops over for a visit, that is considered very rude. Any legitimate visitor always calls ahead first. So they never answer their door to anyone not expected. Good sense.

 

[Jack Ryan]

This is a disgusting crime. 79 year old man is approached by armed assailant on his porch, followed inside and pistol whipped.

Elderly man pistol-whipped in home burglary
http://via.fox2now.com/DsG7g

I don’t know what to say here. I suppose the response should have been to go inside and lock the door when the man approached. Maybe get someone younger and armed to sit on the porch with him?

Always be armed and aware....mindset, you have to have the right miindset.

Our problem today is no appropriate PUNISHMENT for criminal activity. I'd bet a weeks pay that scum has a criminal record and moves like that are his "regular job". Somebody needs to take that pistol away, stuff it in his "brainal cavity" and pull the trigger a couple times.

Then if it is ever know who cured him they should get a parade and an award.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I rather enjoy sitting on my front porch, especially late at night with a beer or two. This isn't gonna stop me.

I am always armed, though, and can see quite a ways from the porch. I don't look at my phone (which would blind me in the darkness.) I just sit and reflect. Everyone else around me is asleep, and the street is stone-silent.

Sometimes, if I'm feeling nostalgic (and nostalgia frequently is the trigger for the urge to sit there, anyway), I lean a shotgun against the house next to me.

Now, I won't sit in my backyard late at night if I'm gonna sit outside. Can't watch the front that way.

I sit on my bridge in my driveway down by the road, OFTEN. Day, night, morning, what ever. I built it, I'm proud of it, I enjoy it. The bridge is my go to, take a break, spot. I'll heat up some water and toss in a tea bag to brew on my walk down there and pull a plastic lawn chair out to the middle just to sit and watch the dog swim or run around and drink tea in the mornings. Drink something cold on a hot afternoon or get the mail and just sit there and read it all, but I've always got a pistol on, a shot gun in my hands or my AR on my lap. Always, mid night or mid morning.

Neighbors come and go, strangers drive by on the county road right near, the mailman will stop to talk, I'll ride back to the house if the wife comes home from her job while I'm down there. No fing clown in a mask is coming up that driveway though. Any meat falls dead in that creek is consumed in a day by those snapping turtles.

 

[MikeInOr]

BG is a total slime.

If he really wants to sit on his front porch let him do it with a shotgun. Or at least a large scary-looking dog.

Point taken... but personally I would rather have a .45 on my lap than a shotgun on the floor next to me. Since the bad guy had a gun I don't think I could pick up and point a shotgun before being shot myself. With a 45 in my lap I think I would have a fighting chance.

A big dog is the best through! I had a German Sheppard... sweetest dog ever.... loved everyone. While moving from Texas back to Oregon she was on the floor next to me when I went into a grocery store for some snacks. When I came back out, got in the U-Haul and closed the door I turned back around and was surprised by a couple beggars that had walked up to hit me up for money (I assume). I startled and before I blinked my 100 lb German Sheppard was standing on my lap determined to get out of the 2" of open window and tear someone apart. I never knew she was capable of that before then... all it took was me being startled. The beggars were definitely more startled than I was and backed off REAL fast. Dogs are the best!

 

[Jeff White]

A later newscast reported that the victim took a walk around the neighborhood about the same time every day. A woman they interviewed said she would walk with him. Apparently the BG took notice of this. Avoid getting into a routine. Perhaps if he had varied the time of day he took his walk he might have been harder to target.

 

[old lady new shooter]

Surely you do not think that there is any reason why you would be safer there!

Well, coming from Los Angeles, in that environment a lot of crime is crime of opportunity. For example another old lady in my neighborhood was raped while doing laundry in her visible-from-the-street garage one morning... BG saw her and decided to rape her. So sitting in front of the house, a passing BG or crazy (crazies were the major problem there) sees you. Sitting in your backyard, BG doesn't see you and get any "bright" ideas. Also you have a gate which if you have half a brain has a lock.

Granted, where I live now in AZ is a much different environment.