Someone's banging down your door after you hear guns shots, now what?

[CR2008]

Let's say your at home with your wife and kids, watching TV or whatever... then you hear what sounds like a gunshot (probably a near by car backfiring... but you hear it multiple times and now there is no question that it is gunshots.)
You're stunned and look out the window... there is a man who you never seen before, run up to your yard, banging on the door... saying 'let me in, they are coming!"

What do you do? He has been hit, and he is bleeding badly.

If you especially live in an urban environment, I would say something like this is more likely to happen. When I was around 15, this same thing happened when my mom was home around 8pm (and my dad was at work), it was the neighbor who was shouting "LET ME IN, THEY ARE GOING TO KILL ME." I was doing my home work, I never remember hearing the gunshots, but the next door boy was shot in the belly by a .38special... and he was going to die if left there. What do you think my mother did first (she is also a medical doctor.)?

She looked out side so see if anyone else was there, and even though you could hear the fear in this kid's voice (he was about my age), my mom's PRIMARY concern was her own safety along with the safety of the family... he was probably out there for almost a minute. My mother not only let him inside after accessing the situation, but she had to leave to drive him to the hospital (no respectable EMS exists in Jamaica, your on your own on many fronts, especially when it comes to a 911 type system and police).

Any how, the guy survived... turns out that he found the smuggled guns he's drug dealing dad hid in the house, and after messing with them, they needed to be fixed, he called up some people who deal with illegal arms... they figured they could simply kill him and his bother rather to fix them (people killed over legal and illegal guns all the time down there, printing and OC = death sentence literally.)

Figured I would ask you guys about what you would do under this situation, except in my scenario here, the man banging on the door with the gunshot wound is a complete stranger, not a friend or someone you have ever seen in your community.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Pistology]

Just call 911 - no duty to rescue.

[Natureboypkr]

Just call 911 - no duty to rescue.

ditto

[Pete Zaria]

Callin' 911, giving them the best description of the dude outside AND myself as possible, letting them know I'm armed and waiting inside until they arrive.

NOT unlocking or opening that door for nobody or nothing until I see red and blue's in the driveway. Too many variables, could be a setup, etc.... Just not risking it.

Interesting situation. Very thought provoking.

Peace,
Pete Zaria.

[CR2008]

Callin' 911, giving them the best description of the dude outside AND myself as possible, letting them know I'm armed and waiting inside until they arrive.

NOT unlocking or opening that door for nobody or nothing until I see red and blue's in the driveway. Too many variables, could be a setup, etc.... Just not risking it.

Interesting situation. Very thought provoking.

Peace,
Pete Zaria.

I think it's more likely that a BG could be wounded in doing some sort of criminal activity (armed robbery, shoot out with guard, cops, armed clerk etc) and they probably look for a place to not be seen. I read about this happened in the 'armed citizen" section of the NRA, where a bank robber ran into someone's yard, the home owner actually opened the door to tell him to leave (VERY UNWISE, an open door can be pushed through.)

[MitchellCT]

Call 911 to request help, and if he breaches the door, fire for effect.

I duno who he is, what is going on, why someone is shooting at him...

And I really don't want to know.

As far as I'm concerned, if you bring a shooting to my door, you and the shooter are ALL my enemy.

[retsupt99]

It seems cruel not to open the door and give assistance, but in this world, one cannot afford to open one's family to a potential disaster.
My Kimber will be on my side and my coach gun in my hands...ready to welcome any uninvited home invaders.

Stay armed...trust no one...stay safe!

[dukalmighty]

That is a tough call but like everyone says i'm not endangering my family but after calling 911,I'll be armed with the shotgun and AR15,any BG's show up in my yard with guns looking like they're gonna execute the guy and It might end badly for them.In Texas we have the right to use deadly force to protect another from death or serious bodily injury.If I had an electric opener on my garage door i might let him in the garage until cops get there,my house can't be accessed from the garage but might keep him safe til cops arrive

[billfromtx]

Call 911 to request help, and if he breaches the door, fire for effect.

I duno who he is, what is going on, why someone is shooting at him...

And I really don't want to know.

As far as I'm concerned, if you bring a shooting to my door, you and the shooter are ALL my enemy.

+1...

[Rob72]

And I quote,"Dude, I don't know you. Keep your butt down & your mouth shut. I'll call medics. Keep your *** out of the way of my shotgun."

[jonesy_26]

I agree with most here....no one gets in if I don't know them. Dial 911, cops and ambulance on the way.

[Hopyard]

I might, after calling 911 and with them on the line, and with weapon in hand,
let the guy in if he appears badly hurt. That way the cops know where he is if they are looking for him, hopefully help will be on its way in the form of both ambulance and officers, and I am in a reasonable position to defend myself.

I would not open before talking to 911.

A related and tricky issue is --what do you do if his 'attackers' arrive and start to beat, kick, or knife the guy? You have no duty to defend a stranger. Though it would seem unlikely that the attackers are plain clothes guys making an arrest, that would be a remote possibility.

Again, an early call to 911 can help clear up the nature of the situation and get you some guidance. At least if they tell you to stay put, it is off your conscience when it turns out a totally innocent man was beaten to death on your doorstep.

[Kerbouchard]

At least if they tell you to stay put, it is off your conscience when it turns out a totally innocent man was beaten to death on your doorstep.

Your conscience seems to work quite a bit different than mine.

[dnowell]

A related and tricky issue is --what do you do if his 'attackers' arrive and start to beat, kick, or knife the guy? You have no duty to defend a stranger. Though it would seem unlikely that the attackers are plain clothes guys making an arrest, that would be a remote possibility.

In my state - as in most - you can defend the life of another. In my view, that's worth doing. If I see an obvious murder taking place I'll ventilate the attackers if I have a clear shot. Even if I save the life of some punk badguy I'm not going to have it on my conscience that I let a man get killed.

Seems to me like part of maintaining a civil society is that people don't let other people kill with impunity.

On the other hand, if I saw a fight and couldn't tell who started it or what the situation was, call 911 and let them handle it. I'm not a cop.

[jonesy_26]

A related and tricky issue is --what do you do if his 'attackers' arrive and start to beat, kick, or knife the guy? You have no duty to defend a stranger. Though it would seem unlikely that the attackers are plain clothes guys making an arrest, that would be a remote possibility.

In this case, I would definately intervene. Stranger or not no one is going to commit a felony on my property if I am home.