From: [self defense owner] at [shell.portal.com]
Date: Thu, 13 Jul 1995 16:36:03 -0700
<confirmed incident>
Sender: [self defense owner] at [shell.portal.com]
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: "Richard L. Hartman" <[r l h] at [comtch.iea.com]>
Followup-To: [self defense editors] at [shell.portal.com]
This was posted by an individual who wishes to remain anonymous. The event
occurred Wednesday evening/Thursday morning, and I have confirmed it with
local law enforcement (I have the case number and reviewed the details
with an officer of the department) - however, to preserve anonymity, all
identifying data (including city and state) have been omitted. The text is
entirely from the victim, other than minor spelling corrections here and
there.
I know this "autobiographical" format differs from our usual incident
reports, but felt his words were compelling enough to warrant posting
verbatim. The pre-event and post-event attitudes of the fiance' are
particularly significant; I'm keeping this one on file as a good example
of how people's attitudes can change.
-----
I went home and had a nice dinner with my soon-to-be wife. In my house I
have many guns (rifles, pistols, and many of those dreaded assault
weapons), and as usual, my mate asked that I put them away. Of course, she
said, you don't need them around since we live in the city and I only need
them when I hunt. As usual, I was not able to convey why I just like to
have my guns around me... perhaps paranoia, perhaps I just like the damn
things. Although she has never been around guns before our relationship,
they have always been a considerable part of my life. I have had the
opportunity of being shot at, simply cause I was at the wrong place at the
wrong time. Needless to say, the guns stayed where they were.
We went to bed around 10:30 last night and fell asleep around midnight. We
were both sleeping soundly, tired from a busy day and a loving night. At
3:15 this morning, my lover woke me with the startled words " there is
someone in our house". I thought at first it was a bad dream.... but as I
swung my legs over the side of the bed and to the floor, I did see a light
from outside illuminating on our ceiling on the second floor. My instincts
were immediate and without thought... I grabbed my SKS 7.62 that I keep
right next to the bed (for reasons my lover just thought were paranoia).
As I headed towards the source of light I chambered a round.... As I got
through the bedroom door, I looked over the banister and down to the first
floor and through the doorway... to the outside.....
My God !! The door was indeed open and there was a figure standing
there.... Damnit, it isn't a dream... I swung around to the right just as
the figure started to move... It was so dark down there from my angle of
sight I could not see anything but this unwelcome figure... In MY HOUSE...
In that split second I aimed from the hip and squeezed two quick rounds
from my trusted SKS. At this point readers, you must understand that a
total of three seconds have elapsed from being soundly asleep, secure in my
own castle, holding my lover, to being violated by some son of a bitch.
As I came racing down the stairs, the thought occurred to me that there may
be someone else down there... and I am running right into a shooting
gallery. The house is black, I am blinded by the muzzle-flash. My kitchen
is off to the right of the steps and I think that someone may have run into
it... and oh my god, my neighbors are just on the other side of that wall,
she being pregnant with their first baby... I stopped for a brief second...
but realized that I was committed... I played the odds and thank goodness
that I was right. There was nobody in the direction of that innocent
family. My rage is boiling at this point as my mind whirls at the thought
of some intruder, putting me, and other innocent and totally unsuspecting
people, in such an incredibly poor, and needless position. As I turn
around at the base of the stairs and face the door, it slams shut.... I
wanted to blast all 30 rounds left in the clip at that SOB, right through
my door. But, I didn't... Why did I stop ?
I immediately ran out the front door after whomever felt so confident to
invade my life... and saw nothing but the dense foliage, a slight rain
falling, and darkness in all corners not lighted by the lone small globe
outside. I came back inside to better check my castle...to cleanse my
interiors... My heart is pounding, my rage is all-encompassing... I am numb
but not shaking... At this point about 10 seconds have elapsed. I hear my
lover on the phone to 911... she is crying and trying to speak. After
checking the rest of the house, I picked up the downstairs phone... I told
the operator what happened and gave her our address... She says for me to
stay on the phone, don't go back outside...... I want to kill !!
The cable TV clock shows me it is now 3:16 AM and I hear sirens... I pull
the phone over to the front door and open it just as a patrol car races
by.... I holler and a patrol car right behind him screeches to a stop. As
several officers run towards me I put down the SKS and show them my
hands.... I tell the 911 operator that they are here and drop the phone
from my shoulder to the floor. As the first officer arrives, he tells me
that I may want to put on some clothes. There I stand, in all of my 6'3"
260# glory, buck naked... My lover tosses down my robe and as I put it on,
I quickly tell the, now several officers what happened. One officer comes
in to ask my lover what happened in detail as another officer asks me to
come outside and talk to him (SOP). I show them the holes in the door and
wall... and I look down and notice that the perp left his shirt right by my
door !!
My interrogating officer runs to his car to get his Shepard, and I'm now
angrier than I can ever recall feeling. They scent the shirt and two
officers are off on their mission. The remaining officer and I look around
and see small traces of blood that are being dilluted by the drizzling
rain. I notice that my lover is sitting inside on the steps, crying. I go
to her and hold her as the police are off trying to do their job and catch
the SOB.
It's now 3:35 AM and I go outside to see what all of the noise is. There
are now 5 squad cars, a sergeant, and one winded dog.... The out of breath
officers are telling the story of running through yards, past still
swinging gates and fresh foot prints to the road where all sign was lost. I
think those cops were nearly as pissed off as I was. One K-9 officer
looked over at me and said that I didn't make him bleed enough... I should
have made it easier for them... of course this was said with a chuckle.
Another burly officer, that saw me in all of my naked glory, said that next
time I should make sure that the SOB doesn't make it out my door, until the
coroner takes 'em. The sergeant says there won't be a next time with this
perp.... unless he isn't phased by being shot with a high powered rifle....
The bravado !! I feel sick.
I thank them all, sign the reports, and go back to my house, through my
splintered door, and into my gunpowder filled livingroom. I sit down and
notice all of my treasures, the gun cabinets, the pistol by the door, my
Penn Int'l fishing rods, the stereo TV with surround sound, all my
treasures that I have worked so hard for.... Why doesn't that
son-of-a-bitch work for his own stuff ? I suddenly realize that I love the
smell of gunpowder. I love my guns. I love my freedom to be able to
defend myself. I hold my shaking, but safe, lover on my lap as she
sobs....
We are lying awake in bed... It's 5:00 AM... My lover looks up at me and
tells me that she loves me... she tells me that now she understands why I
have my guns... And she tells me the most intelligent thing that she's ever
said... "Now I realize that all you need is the need once... and if it ever
comes, it's all worth it". Although I've said the same words to her many
times, now she clearly understood... All it takes is once.... She has
lived through the experience of fearing for her life... fearing for the
loss of my life as I ran outside, bare naked....gun in hand.
Does this real-life story belong in this forum or in an NRA advertisment ?
Well... I think here for sure. If I wasn't a gun-conscientious sportsman,
I wouldn't have had guns in my house... at least at such a state of
readiness. If I had not looked through the sights of many a weapon, aimed
at many an animal, and confidently taken life (with no joy of killing !!),
I probably couldn't have aimed my gun at an intruder, while invading my
castle, and dispatched him properly. There are alot of "what-ifs" as I sit
here in my office today, thinking about this little drama. What if I had
no guns... What if the burglar did... What if he was homicidal.... What if
he was a crackhead intent on not just robbing but harming.... What if my
lover didn't wake up.... What if I didn't wake up....
Thank you God; for giving me all of my senses and instincts, for giving me
my light-sleeping and trusted mate, for giving me the ability to protect
the life of my loved ones and myself, and especially for giving me life for
another day......... In Jesus' name, Amen.
p.s. The police figure that they may catch the perp when he checks into a
hospital... to get the lead out as it were...
The family behind my place had their Jeep broken into and robbed of it's
contents..... A car on the street in front of my home had it's door opened
and unknown contents taken....
I bought a pistol grip, pump 12 gauge shotgun... No, it's not meant to hunt
with...... Mrs. Brady........
### END ###