There was an armed home invasion across the street from my house two nights ago.

[cleanhippie]

No one was hurt, but they did put the people living there down on the ground, took cell phones, wallets, ransacked the place...


It happens. Yes, it can happen to you. Or me.

Am I still just a paranoid gun nut for having a way to protect myself and my family from savages like this? Please justify your answer of you say yes.

[virtualobserver]

1. gun nut...perhaps......paranoid, apparently not.

[Glassunion]

2. No... Paranoid gun nuts have things like

the shoulder thing that goes up and heat seeking bullets.

Personally my shoulder thing goes out or in, not up. I have no heat seeking bullets, but I am waiting for them to complete the development of a laser-designated self guided bullet.

[KansDem]

3. This incident occurred just a few blocks from where I live...

http://www.kctv5.com/story/16348530/armed-robbery-at-prairie-village-home-reported

It happens. Yes, it can happen to you. Or me.

No, you're not paranoid...

[Hoyt]

4. Thank goodness, it sounds like they came out OK. Glad no cowboy tried to shoot it out.

[Glassunion]

5. I'm always amazed at how people equate "alive" with being "ok"

I do not think that they are "ok".

[Speck Tater]

6. Someone who has suffered the trauma of taking another human life will never be OK again.

I would rather adjust to the trauma of having been robbed than the trauma of having killed someone.

On edit: It occurs to me that the best solution would be to have a secure "panic room" with a cell phone to call police. given my preference, I'd rather hide out in a safe place until the police arrive than to confront an armed person with a gun in my hand.

SO if it's really safety you're promoting then maybe you should be promoting the building of panic rooms instead of promoting armed confrontation with armed intruders.

[Glassunion]

7. I'm not promoting anything. Period.

I have never stated that there is no trauma from having to defend yourself; let alone killing someone. Remember, not every defensive use of a firearm ends up with someone being killed.

I am not saying that these people should have done anything differently.
I am not saying that a firearm would have saved the day.

I AM saying that being the victim of a violent crime and living is not the same as being ok.
I AM saying that these people have suffered a trauma.
I AM saying that these people's live will NEVER be the same.
I AM saying it will take these people some time before the are ok.

[aikoaiko]

8. As soon as that forum is created. I'm sure you'll see many supportive posts.

[liberal_biker]

13. That's your choice.

I'd rather deal with the trauma of having killed someone. The feeling that I would never be safe in my own home again would be harder for me to deal with than knowing I took the life of a sub-human piece-of-shit.

A "panic room" is not really an option for the vast bulk of the population by virtue of sheer cost alone. The door itself would cost more than an average 12ga pump shotgun, never mind the rest of the build out - then there's the loss of square footage, etc. No, when you consider costs start at 10K for the bare minimum, panic rooms are play toys for people who just need to throw money away.

[woodsprite]

16. I used to babysit for a family that showed me how to get into their 'safe' room.

It was no bigger than a toilet stall, but had a bench along one wall and a phone (cellular, I think). It had a magnetic lock (heavier duty, but like the ones you use to child proof cabinets - so no sign of a doorknob or latch). You entered through a panel at the back of the playroom toy closet. They kept the magnet on the top shelf. It could have held 4 people sitting on the bench - maybe they took part of the original closet. It's a wonder their kids never locked themselves in because they were demon children. Their safe room was all about hiding rather than being sturdy because it was nothing more than 2x4s and drywall. Both mother and father were psychologists.

Their kids were the worst behaved that I have ever come in contact with - locking themselves in the bathroom, sleeping with bits of plastic wrap on their thumbs, climbing bookcases and into the fish tank, and running out of the house when you thought they should be asleep.

They showed me AFTER I had to call the police and my parents one night because people were walking around outside shining flashlights into the living room and den. I was 15yo and it scared the crap out of me.

[TheWraith]

20. Those aren't the only two possibilities.

There's also the trauma of watching a family member be killed because you couldn't protect them.

There's the trauma of having yourself, your wife, or your child raped because you couldn't protect them.

There's the trauma of you or a loved one being beaten or suffering permanent injuries because your home was invaded by someone who enjoys violence.

And there's the fact that not everyone is wealthy enough to afford a "panic room," and even if they could, not everyone would be able to get to it. If someone breaks down your door while you're in the living room, do you think you can get to your bedroom before they get to you? Kitchen? Garage? How about your kids with their headphones on, not hearing the door bust in?

[liberal_biker]

22. Perhaps...

...some people believe if you cannot afford a panic room, you have nothing worth protecting anyway?

[PavePusher]

36. Really?

I've shot at people before, in self-defense. Pretty sure I hit at least one. I was 13 at the time, in my 40's now. I think I'm just fine.

It's the people who've died in my hands (injured by others/other causes) that cause me angst.

I'd rather adjust to the trauma of killing someone who was trying to injure/kill me than suffer at their hands. YMMV.

[rl6214]

38. How many people really have the means to have a panic room?

"It occurs to me that the best solution would be to have a secure "panic room" with a cell phone to call police. given my preference, I'd rather hide out in a safe place until the police arrive than to confront an armed person with a gun in my hand. "

Is it really better to be morally superior than to be dead?

"I would rather adjust to the trauma of having been robbed than the trauma of having killed someone."

[Callisto32]

40. You cannot carry a safe room on your hip.

[SteveW]

44. Problems with your post...

While there is trauma from taking another life, having your own life taken is far worse. Agree?

Your "panic room" idea on first blush is a good idea, but how much more secure can you make it if the security of your house has let thugs enter in the first place. How would you construct such a room when home invaders are bent on entering? How can you make such a room secure if the landlord has no interest in your vault-like construction program?

You are mistaken when you say: "...promoting armed confrontation with armed intruders." No one has said this, and I think you know that. As for the promotion of safety, everyone is in favor of that. The question is whether or not people have the right to self-defense.

Do you support the right to self-defense?

[Hoyt]

27. Article says they are. I suppose you would have reached for your gun.

[Glassunion]

28. The article says that no one was hurt.

It did not say they were ok.

Yes in all likelyhood I would have reached for a weapon in the same scenario.

[Hoyt]

30. That's exactly why I am against people carrying guns in public. Those into guns are often "cowboys."

In this case, the outcome clearly would have been no better had you reached for your gun -- likely worse. If you want to get yourself killed in your own home, that is your business. But, not in public.

[TheWraith]

34. Once again, you're creating an imaginary world and basing your opinions on it.

You decide, without bothering to actually know anything, that anyone who owns a gun is a "cowboy" looking to get other people killed, and you base your beliefs and stances on these wildly exaggerated stereotypes. And you're as proud of your ignorance as someone proclaiming that Italian-Americans are all in the mafia, or that welfare recipients are all lazy black women with nine kids. You just choose a different target for your self-righteous morality.

[Callisto32]

41. It is the MO of a bigot, after all.

[oneshooter]

31. I believe he was refering to the Invaders, not the residents.

[Glassunion]

33. Oh! My bad.

Ok then

[rl6214]

37. Again a good post...except for

"Glad no cowboy tried to shoot it out."

Can't help but let your animosity towards gun owners creep in and make your post sound juvenile and petty.

[procon]

9. Perhaps you are.

Are you looking for validation?

If you want to own a gun, then do so, it's surely your right, but when you demand that others "justify" any opinion that differs from your own, that does make you seem both paranoid and uncertain of your own decision.


Stand by your choice if it's that important to you; it's totally irrelevant what other people think of your situation as no one knows the circumstances as clearly you do.

[cleanhippie]

24. I want irrationality to be justified.

Apparently, you too, are unable to do so.

[EC]

10. Did the family invaded

have a gun in the house?

[cleanhippie]

25. Unknown.

Very little detail yet. I called the police and the Public Info Officer had very little to offer in the way of details. She said it was not obvious that there was any reason to believe that the victims knew the attackers.

[safeinOhio]

11. With more than 8,000 home invasions a year

there are many things you can do along with arming yourself.

http://www.itstactical.com/intellicom/physical-security/protecting-against-home-invasions/

A criminal that breaks into a residence at night is expecting a confrontation of some kind. Hopefully it will be short lived when you shoot them dead, but as we’ve mentioned before in “Dealing with Violent Confrontations” you should always avoid a confrontation if possible. This is the same in a home invasion scenario, not by using the same methods, but by using some forward thinking to deny criminals the opportunity.
Using the tips we’ll share below will help you in avoiding this kind of confrontation and better protect you and your family.

[Glassunion]

14. Where did you get that 8,000 figure?

[safeinOhio]

17. The link I gave.

Read it and learn.

A firearm is the last resort after you secure your home.

[Glassunion]

18. I did read it.

The link you gave says that there are 8,000 home invasions every day not every year.

That's why I asked where you got your number, because it did not match what you linked to.

[TheWraith]

21. 8,000 a day would be 2.9 million a year.

They must be including burglaries as "home invasions" along with the kind usually referred to that way.

[Glassunion]

23. Neither number makes sense.

According to the Department of Justice there were 2.9 million home burglaries in 2010. There is absolutely no way that all of those home burglaries were home invasions. There is no federal definition of what a home invasion is. Therefore there are no existing statistics that can accurately gauge how many there are any given year.

Personally I think this website is using fear mongering to try and sell a few home security products. Only 18% of all violent crime in 2010 occurred within the home. There is no way that all of those were home invasion.

Something just does not add up.

[TheWraith]

29. That's what I'm saying, that number is lumping together burglaries and home invasions.

Whereas the latter really refers to a specific form of intrusion. Even if you chose to include burglaries that happen while someone is home, something like 60 or 70% of burglaries in the US happen while the home is vacant.

[montanto]

12. Paranoid? Nope.

This shit happens all the time. I'd rather be prepared. I'd rather not have to shoot someone in my own house, but I'd rather do that than get shot in my own house. I don't have enough room to build a "safe room" and I like to think of my whole house as a safe house, you know, not a public place for any old lunatic to wander around in uninvited. I can say this though, if I had been an unarmed victim of armed home invasion robbers, the next time I would be armed, and I would be way more likely to shoot than wait to see if the gun would scare them off.

[ileus]

19. YES....why do you hate your fellow man? stop being afraid baser toter hippie dude.

[cleanhippie]

26. But, I'm not a toter, I'm a safer.

Meaning I keep it in the safe, nice and secure until I need it.

While I have a CPL, I never (well, on the rarest of occasions) carry it on my person out of the house.

[oneshooter]

32. Sounds to me like it needs to come out of the safe when you are at home.

Easier to grab in a hurry if it comes down to that.

Oneshooter
Armed and Livin in Texas

[cleanhippie]

35. It's a gun vault with blind keypad.

I can open it in 1 second, in the dark. It even has a little led nite-lite inside that illuminates when the door pops open.

[BiggJawn]

42. There was a 94-y-o man murderd 3 counties over last week.

Lived in a rural area about 7 miles from the nearest village. Somebody kicked the door in and shot him.

And being the victim of a violent crime DOES change you.
Sure, you might have gotten out with your skin intact, but you're no-freakin-where NEAR "OK".

[Fredjust]

43. Maybe if...

death spewers weren't so readily available, cowboys would have less of an excuse to carry them around, endangering the rest of us.

[SteveW]

45. Maybe the murder rate has been dropping for several years, now. nt

[cleanhippie]

46. Boring.

Come on back and try again when you have something intelligent and substantive to add.