Home Defense / Brandishing a weapon

[Roscoe]

Just remember the government knows best how to run your life and manage your property. You are a mindless drone who has no common sense, and doesn't have the mental capabilities to decide what is right and wrong to do on your own property.

hehehe It sure feels that way doesn't it, hey just wait till Obama or Hillary get in if you think it's bad now.

To answer the OP. If I were in my house?, I'd hit 911 first, the cops'd prolly be here in seconds.....I could almost hit the police station with a stone from here.

I got motion lights, but no cameras .....yet. And a 12 gauge has a certain distinctive sound............I doubt anyone would hang for what comes next............

[tmg19103]

Recently I had someone banging on my door LOUD at 2am with my dog going crazy at the door. I am not one to get late-night visitors. My first thought was someone was seeking help, but you never know. Now, I'm sleeping in boxer shorts and that's it. Not really any place to put a pistol. So, I go downstairs with a Glock 35 at my side and peek through the window and see it is a cop and I see the patrol car outside, so I know he is for real. Turns out some kids were trying to break into my car and a neighbor coming home from a Saturday night out saw them and called the cops. I put the pistol down away from the door and answered the door unarmed, the cop told me what was up, went upstairs to get some close on and dealt with the situation.

Fact is, when you get out of bed to investigate something there generally is not a place to put a pistol on you and you will be carrying it. I am not aware of any law against brandishing a firearm I your own home. I'm one for setting up in a secure defensive position and waiting for the cops as opposed to clearing my house if I am sure an intruder is present, but if for some reason you can't call the cops (cell phone battery dead, landline cut), I'd still wait in a secure defensive position near the top of the stairs (only one set in my house). I would not yell out as it would give away my position. My place is not large, so after a few minutes of listening quietly I will now if someone is downstairs, but my dog would let me know anyway. At this point, I would change my postion to the other end of the hall, yell downstairs that I am armed and the police ar eon the way, and then quiety re-position myself at the other end of the hall at the top of the stairs. This would be to scare off the intruder to prevent loss of property and to avoid confrontation.

As for a detached garage or shed I have not thought that through as I don't have any detached buildings. Curious as how others would handle a known intruder in that situation with the assumption the cops could not be called. My thought is what was posted - I'd yell out a window the cops are on the way and I am armed if I am concerned about losing valuable possesions in a shed - and then take a secure defensive position in my home. The only other options I see are securing yourself in a defensive postion in your home and letting your shed get ransacked or sneak out and confront the intruder in the shed. While you have a right to do this on your own property, I would not as I could get shot by a lookout who is partnered with the guy in the shed or if I shot the guy in the shed it could have unintended legal consequences (particulatrly civil ones) as I sought out the confrontation when I was not under the threat of bodily harm while safe in my house - even though I am protecting my property. Just my thoughts. I tend to err on the side of caution unless I am under the threat of serious bodily injury and can't retreat.

[TRB]

In the home:

1. Take up a defensive position.
2. Dial 911.
3. Keep them on the line for the entire event.

Shed or detached garage:

1. See above.

You are safe in your home. If you leave your strong defensive position you will not be as safe. You will probably leave loved ones behind who need your protection. If you have dialed 911 and the police show up while you are conducting your personal investigation there is a good chance the first person they see with a gun will be you. Common sense dictates that this is not a good option. If you manage to get to your outbuilding and have to shoot, it is likely that you will painted by the DA as the aggressor. It is a lock that in the inevitable civil suit you will targeted as a Rambo character looking for trouble. For what? A lawnmower? A car? They make more of those things and they are readily available in one of the large buildings out on the highway.

The hard part of this logic is that it goes against the grain to allow bad people to do bad (but not violent) things when you have the tools that can aid in curtailing their activity. But that is just ego and pride getting in the way of logic.

If the bad guys are in the house and succeed in breaching the safe room then it is time for a different course of action. Until that happens, STAY PUT.

[ungawa]

I just moved into a new house so I have no idea if somebody is inside or not when I hear a noise. I've cleared it about 10 times, glad I didn't call the cops each time. I can't just stay awake all night waiting for somebody to come into my room or not. I'm getting an alarm soon and probably a nice doggie in a little bit.

[gf45acp]

If I am SURE that somone is trying to enter the house, it's defensive position, call 911, call the community PSO's, and wait 30 min. for PSP, hopefully only 5 for the PSO's.
Add: Also, remember that even if you do not have a alarm system, if you want some noise outside to shake someone up, if your car has a remote hit the panic button on it. It also marks the house for the responders.

[Lycanthrope]

I just moved into a new house so I have no idea if somebody is inside or not when I hear a noise. I've cleared it about 10 times, glad I didn't call the cops each time. I can't just stay awake all night waiting for somebody to come into my room or not. I'm getting an alarm soon and probably a nice doggie in a little bit.

[Dredly]

I've cleared my house several times as well...

My house isn't big, its 1 level (about 800 sq feet on the main level and a full basement). I also have a 2 year old. Staying in my bedroom isn't really a good option.

I have flood lights but they turn on and off all the time due to deer, neighborhood dogs, other night time critters... etc.

[Brown-Bear]

My plan is as follows. Grab the cell phone off the side table, call 911 and report a possible break-in in prgress. Then get my weapon and go down stairs and make its not just the dog having a seizure in my kids toy chest....Don't laugh. If I don't see anyone then I wait for the police and let them look around. If I do see someone, let'em sstay outside and pray like hell they don't try ot come in. If the do then, hell I have no idea how that would play out and I guess I'd play it by ear til the LEO's showed up.

[Buckmark.35]

I maybe wrong as IANAL but I don't believe it lawful to shoot at or threating anyone over personal property. Deadly force can only be used if your physically threatened. If you choice to shoot and only wound the perp you may be in for a long lawsuit if you kill him his family will sue and your in for another long law suit. I'm not sure how you'd make out holding him for the LEO"S

I'm pretty sure that in PA, if someone breaks into your home, you can assume that they're there to do you harm and lethal force is justified. I do not believe the same holds true if you exit your house to respond to someone breaking into a shed or a detached garage. I would say that an attached garage is nothing more than a room in the house where you keep cars, so that would probably be ok. I believe I read that on another thread here, and I'm sure if the OP uses the search feature he'll find other pertinent information for a situation like this.

[Hokkmike]

If I were seriously concerend I would call the cops and assume a defensive position. If it were an annoyance, I would investigate.