Unsettling Dream Last Night

[JustinJ]

Quote:
Originally Posted by JustinJ
If i had a break in and the invader complied to my commands to surrender i would hold him until LE arrived but would certainly not shoot unless necessary.

While you do make a compelling argument, many people feel that holding a suspect at bay for enroute LEOs puts you at great risk. Additionally, be aware that depending on how your state's criminal statutes are written, you may be committing unlawful imprisonment by doing so. In Arizona you would be, despite the fact that the burglar was doing something illegal before you held him. I'm not saying you would be charged (I think it'd be ridiculous if any prosecutor tried), just that it is a possibility.

In a public place there are certainly tactical concerns to holding a robber until LE arrived but in one's own home they are much less as you have control over the environment. I would be highly surprised if anybody can find a single situation where a citizen was charged for holidng an invader at bay in their home. In my house an uninvited intruder is first going to have to worry about a dog who will tearing the flesh from his arm, or worse so his only options will be to comply or fight as he won't outrun the dog.

 

[Smith]

Scare him away quickly and safely.

(It was just part of a dream that he will return and kill you. IRL he won't.)

I don't want to replace my door, hardware and frame.
-So I won't sit there and wait until he busts it to get inside.

I don't want to be part of endless police incident reports and investigations.
-So I won't shoot him if I can avoid it easily and safely.

I don't want to clean up his HIV blood from my carpet, upholstery, and walls.
-I certainly don't want to shoot him inside the house if I can avoid it.

Scare the butthead away. Safely, quickly, then call the police.

This. I highly doubt any burglar (especially one who chose your house because he expected it to be vacant) would return after being repelled with something like "Go away! I have a gun and I will shoot you if you come through that door!"

 

[Stevie-Ray]

As has already been said, he'd get a warning from me, hoping that would scare him off, rather than fixing my door at best, or cleaning up his remains at worst.

On another note, I had a dream a couple nights ago where all my shots went bang, the gun recoiled, and I was dead on target rather than dead. Scary stuff though, since I've never had to pull a gun in real life, and in the vast majority of my dreams, my .45 sounded like that cheap bulk .22LR squib stuff, or didn't work at all.

 

[Bobson]

... in the vast majority of my dreams, my .45 . . . didn't work at all.

I've had a couple of dreams like that in the past few years. In a struggle, pull trigger, but it just doesn't fire. I hate those dreams.

 

[robmkivseries70]

This jumped out at me:
I know it would be difficult to get over the feeling that the house isn't safe anymore . . . . . i.e. the OP may be worried about his house, or situation in general, being secure.
Best,
Rob

 

[bobby68]

Very strange as I had similar dream two nights ago. Two badguys entering at large window with me and wife in one room motel. Im not sure I should note what I did, but im very amazed that I also had this dream. I have a litte girl, 4 year old.

I was glad it was only a dream.

 

[ChCx2744]

I have a recurring one where I dump my entire mag in em and they don't go down. I somehow manage to access my other loaded mags in a different room in the house and unload all them into em, but they still don't go down...I run dry and then I wake up in terror.

As long as you know (In real life) how secure you actually are, just remember it's just a dream.

 

[bobby68]

I have a recurring one where I dump my entire mag in em and they don't go down. I somehow manage to access my other loaded mags in a different room in the house and unload all them into em, but they still don't go down...I run dry and then I wake up in terror.

As long as you know (In real life) how secure you actually are, just remember it's just a dream.

I sometimes have that same problem. It used to be that i'd pull the trigger and it simply wouldn't click-until i spent time at the range to ensure myself the trigger was reliable. Then i'd experience jamming when trying to chamber, until i spent time racking with those dummy-rounds (whatever they're called). Finally the badguys are reliably dying in these nightmares.

Long ago i'd have nightmares of break-ins where i was unable to wake up/move. I realized that as long as i remembered to check the door lock i would not have these dreams-it was only when i wasn't sure that i'd locked the door.

I suppose some time on a video game/simulation might help ease your mind that the badguy will go down. That or hunting.

 

[bobby68]

This. I highly doubt any burglar (especially one who chose your house because he expected it to be vacant) would return after being repelled with something like "Go away! I have a gun and I will shoot you if you come through that door!"

i review a lot of these self defense accounts. i'm amazed how many badguys don't break off when they're informed their target is occupied and armed.

 

[bobby68]

In a public place there are certainly tactical concerns to holding a robber until LE arrived but in one's own home they are much less as you have control over the environment. I would be highly surprised if anybody can find a single situation where a citizen was charged for holidng an invader at bay in their home. In my house an uninvited intruder is first going to have to worry about a dog who will tearing the flesh from his arm, or worse so his only options will be to comply or fight as he won't outrun the dog.

There was an account in the past year or two i believe in Pheonix, AZ. The homeowner was holding the intruder with a shotgun when the police arrived. The police mistakenly shot the homeowner. then it seems the police made the homeowner the scapegoat (charged him) to keep themselves out of hot water. I don't recall if homeowner was ever exonerated, though it seems the public/press was on his side.

 

[JRH6856]

The homeowner was holding the intruder with a shotgun when the police arrived. The police mistakenly shot the homeowner.

The moral of that story might be: Do what you have to do, but don't be holding a gun when the police arrive.

 

[justice06rr]

There are plenty of things you can do to make sure you dont robbed again by the same BG, or at least decrease your chances of being a victim.

- Get a house alarm or a dog. Dogs work best since they will bark at any stranger (usually). If you can't have pets where you live, alarms should do the trick. Post signs outside your residence to show BG's that you have a security system.

- Teach your wife how to shoot and defend herself. that way even if you're not home she knows how to use them.

- Put your HD weapon of choice by the door. Maybe a cabinet or drawer that is secure and out of reach of children. This would make it easier for you to access them in case you need them (like in your dream) without having to run back to your room or wherever.

 

[leadcounsel]

Let me summarize the OP's question.

You are home with your spouse/loved one. You see a man attempting to break in your front door with nafarious intent (to commit a felony).

Let me summarize my response.
Take a defensive position. Alert him to your presense. If he unlawfully breaks inside: Boom. Until the threat has stopped.

Call police. "I've just been the victim of a violent home breakin and was in fear for my life and want to press charges. Here is my address. I am armed and wearing XYZ. My spouse is here. The criminal is laying on my floor bleeding. Send an ambulance."

 

[Loosedhorse]

leadcounsel--

You forgot, "Protect your door from damage." You seem to have other priorities.

i review a lot of these self defense accounts. i'm amazed how many badguys don't break off when they're informed their target is occupied and armed.

That is "selection bias": if they had broken off, you probably wouldn't have heard the story.

My guess is that most would break off. My certainty is that I have no idea if your B&Eer would break off.

 

[isaac.eck]

I know that in my state, there would be nothing illegal about simply waiting inside with a firearm, and shooting when the burglar entered the home. Ethically though, I believe that would be wrong.

... he just broke into your house. is it ethically right to let him kill you and everyone in the house? JUST SHOOT HIM!!! ok, maybe give him a warning, but if he does run in any direction, shoot him. let me tell you, i have been in a situation were there was a gunman on the loose in my neighbor hood, the police finally caught him (after 2 hours) and he only went to jail for about a year. this was after he took shots at his wife, and ran from the cops. he didn't actually try to break into my house, but let me tell you, i was ready for him, alarm set, i had a 12gauge a .45acp 2 9mms and a .357mag all loaded up and ready to go, things would have gone different for him if he had tried to break in. so botom line, the warning or no warning is your choice, but bring him to justice, wether by holding him for the police, or shooting him if he comes at you or runs.

 

[twohightech]

#1 should be getting a gun in your hands always call 1911 before you call 911.

 

[JustinJ]

There was an account in the past year or two i believe in Pheonix, AZ. The homeowner was holding the intruder with a shotgun when the police arrived. The police mistakenly shot the homeowner. then it seems the police made the homeowner the scapegoat (charged him) to keep themselves out of hot water. I don't recall if homeowner was ever exonerated, though it seems the public/press was on his side.

Without more details or at least an article about the incident it's hard to say what happened or if the homeowner could have succesfully transferred the intruder if better choices had been made such as a clear description of the scenario to 911 before LE arrived.