Police Response and Home Invasions.

[Disney Doll]

Well put, by a poster with expertise on the issue.

The Petit deaths were a tragedy. Sometimes bad things happen to good people and there's no reason, and there would've been no mitigation. The two ex-cons who randomly selected and targeted the Petits were not going to be dissuaded; they wanted to rape and kill, period. The petite wife with two young daughters probably would not have survived even had she been holding a gun in her hand when they walked up (they were bigger, faster, stronger, there were two of them, they weren't disadvantaged by surprise, and they would've had no hesitation to kill her had she fought back. That much, we know.)

Sometimes bad things happen to good people and there's no reason. This can be really, really hard for strident conservatives to accept. There always has to be a REASON, a BECAUSE, because otherwise the world doesn't make sense and it can't be controlled, and control is everything. The Petits died BECAUSE she didn't have a gun. The economy collapsed BECAUSE rich conspiring bankers got greedy. Health care reform is a bad idea BECAUSE poor people are stupid and they don't buy insurance and they deserve to suffer. Abortion should be outlawed BECAUSE little sluts who sleep around deserve to be punished, and God wants women to have anacephalic babies who are born without brains to linger in agony for days before certain death. There always needs to be a BECAUSE, something to point to, something that can be controlled. The problem is ... life doesn't work that way.

With respect to guns, personally I find it a huge tragedy when kids accidentally slaughter themselves with guns they find in their parents' nightstand drawers.

Are you able to lift that broad brush you're painting with by yourself????

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Are you able to lift that broad brush you're painting with by yourself????

No need to do it alone. I'll help her.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Where is that jaw on the floor smiley when I need one?

 

[Inigo]

I am not faulting any of the procedures, but what is clear to me, in an event of this type, you are going to be responsible for saving yourself. Wouldn't you feel more comfortable if you had a gun and was trained in how to use it?

I have guns, and I know how to use them. I also carry on a regular basis. All of us have concealed carry permits. DS and DD live on campus, so they can't carry when they're at school. I like the Castle Doctrine.

At work, I carry all the time. I go visit criminals, and I'm not going in some of those homes without protection.

 

[Inigo]

I don't know ANY cops who do carry when off duty.

All the police officers I work with do. They are police officers 24/7, even when off duty.

 

[Inigo]

One thing I can tell you for sure is, in this day we are living in I'm glad I have basically nothing of value that people would want and also if I'm ever in a situtation like that I wouldn't be waiting for help, someone would be getting a butt full of my feet and by the time I got though busting loose, hopefully they would say forget this, it ain't worth it !

A 17 year old and 13 year old broke into a home near here because they thought the elderly people had beer in the house. (They didn't.) The old man got shot and killed, and the old woman had her throat cut. She lived. You may not think you have anything people will want, but you don't know what they might think you have, or what they might want. Maybe they just want to kill someone.

The 17 year old has been waived to adult court, and has already pled guilty. The 13 year old has been waived to adult court, and is awaiting his hearings. Hopefully neither will ever see life outside the penal system again.

 

[Inigo]

I would actually like to learn how to shoot (most of my family are in some way affiliated with the military or law enforcement), but I have a couple of problems with keeping a gun in the house for safety. First & foremost, I have 2 very curious boys. I would have to lock the gun up in a safe, and at that point, it would do me little good in a home invasion scenario.

Second, I am an incurable klutz. I once broke my wrist changing out of my jeans. I know that even with proper training, I'd be much more likely to shoot myself than hitting an actual "bad guy."

Just how tight were those jeans?

And for those who don't feel comfortable with a firearm, find. No one in the US is forcing you to get one. I feel more comfortable with you not having one if you don't feel like you can handle one. Only those who feel comfortable and confident in their use should have them.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

A 17 year old and 13 year old broke into a home near here because they thought the elderly people had beer in the house. (They didn't.) The old man got shot and killed, and the old woman had her throat cut. She lived. You may not think you have anything people will want, but you don't know what they might think you have, or what they might want. Maybe they just want to kill someone.

The 17 year old has been waived to adult court, and has already pled guilty. The 13 year old has been waived to adult court, and is awaiting his hearings. Hopefully neither will ever see life outside the penal system again.

Just curious where the gun came from that killed the old man?

 

[Inigo]

Just curious where the gun came from that killed the old man?

The "children" brought it with them.

 

[sbell111]

You are no more logical. That is just your preferred explanation you have no more proof.

For someone to put together a stat like that they would look at the houses in the neighbourhood and which had registered gun owners, and what the burglars were taking from the house. Quick simple and logical.

Such statistics certainly ring true for me.
In my neighbourhood there were two families that were big on hunting and both got robbed only thing they took was the guns. One only had a couple of rifles and a pistol, the other had a huge collection ~$250,000 (way more than his house was worth). WHen the police finished their investigation one of their hunting buddies sold them out to a drug dealer for a couple hundred bucks.

It of course happened during the day while the families were at work so the guns weren't of any help in defending them, or their big dog that they strangled with his leash.

Did you notice that you changed the premise? You started out surmising that criminals target random people who own guns and break into their homes. You then altered the premise to include a person who targets his friends. This new premise doesn't actually require firearms. A 'friend' could just as soon target you because your wife has jewelry or because of your expensive stereo.

Wouldn't you rather that no one had broken into your house and killed your dog, much like you'd wish you hadn't lent your car that day.

Wow. You guys have dragged the thread far from the original topic.

Dawn made the point that the big bad could happen at your home with little warning. Even if the criminals tripped an alarm or you called the police, help would take several minutes to arrive and at that point the bad guys would still be in the house with you. Clearly, some method of self-protection is required.

The questions is, how will we protect ourselves and our families?

Many people believe that keeping a firearm is a good solution to this problem. I agree with them, with a few caveats:

• Proper training should be obtained, including regular practice.
• Some people could never shoot someone. These people should not own a firearm.
• If there are children about, the weapon must be secured. Happily, there are lock boxes available that allow handguns to be secured most anywhere and accessed quickly.

 

[RobDoc]

It's become apparent that this thread has a political intent and as such will be closed.