How fast can you get to it?

[HotGuns]

We recently had an event this weekend that got everyone thinking. So much so, that the Arkansas State Police even discussed it with their officers.

In my area there have been several break ins and they were during the day, from around 10PM to 2 PM. The offenders, 3 of them, would scout out an area, check the activity, walk up to a front door, and beat on the door rather harshly. They would wait a minute or two and beat on the door again. If no one came up to the door, they would kick it in and enter the house.

One might notice the hours.This was because most married couples work during the day. This occurred in a rural neighborhood, nice houses with several acres of property,a pretty good spread of space in between houses,so that a neighbor might not notice what was happening.

They would by pass any guns that they saw, concentrating mostly on flat screen TV's and jewelry, anything that could be sold and not easily tracked at a pawn shop.

The first one would clear each room of the house, using a Glock 17 in the typical gang banging fashion, holding the gun sideways. Although he was somewhat sloppy in his technique, it would have afforded him an advantage if he did happen upon an unsuspecting homeowner.

How do we know this you might ask. All 3 were caught on a high quality camera that a husband set up in the overhead of a living room because he suspected that his wife was cheating on him, but that is another story. The video was great, lasting about 20 minutes and capturing each face so that there would be no doubt as to identity. They wont squirm out of this one.

The suspects were reported by an elderly woman that noticed a strange vehicle in a driveway. She watched from afar as 3 young black men kicked in the door an entered.The fact that there are no black people for several miles around made it even more suspect. As the area is fairly rural, it took several minutes for the Sheriffs to get there and as luck would have it, the Chief Deputy of the S.O. just happened to be in the area. He was in the right spot at the right time and drove right up on the suspect vehicle and called for backup. Several Deputy's,State Police and even the Constable for that area got into a short chase where eventually they came to a stop and were taken down in a felony stop.

As it turns out, the 3 thugs were gang-bangers from Little Rock. They would drive up during the day, make a hit and return to LR with the goods were they were disposed of quickly. After a search of their apartments by the LRPD, many items were found that linked them to many other crimes, all in rural parts of the state where there was little chance of being caught. The evidence was linked to crimes several years old, and they were even linked in at least two events where shots were fired. After interviews with the armed one, he pretty much stated that he would have shot anyone that happened upon them.

Now, this is were the discussion starts.

All of us have at one time or another been asleep on the couch. As many of us have long driveways, large houses with several acres and most of us take our guns off when we get home, here is the the big "what if" question.

What if you had been asleep on the couch, in your bedroom or where ever and it took you a few minutes to wake up or get your clothes on? If you had met a gang-banger that could care less if you had lived or died, COULD you be able to respond with deadly force? Would you have been able to run back to the bedroom, nightstand or where ever it was that you kept you gun or would you have been shot?

The Troops in the ASP, when discussing this very thing, all of them admitted that they more than likely would have been shot. At the conclusion of the discussion they decided that they would from here on out, be armed...always. In the house, at church, wherever they were at, no matter what they were doing, mowing the yard, taking out the trash, trimming trees or tending the garden, they would ALWAYS be armed.

Times are changing. People are getting crazier by the day. You may live in a great neighborhood where no one would even think to carry a gun because things like that just don't happen there.

Ask yourself what the outcome would be if it happened to you and be honest. Would you live through it or would you be just another horror story of a robbery gone bad in the local newspaper?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Mike1956]

What would they do if someone answered the door?

[06bruce]

My grandparents moved from little rock to Clinton about 5 years ago . Its a nice place up there but I still worry about things like this happening to them.

[HotGuns]

What would they do if someone answered the door?

Who knows?

What would you do if you opened the door and 3 gangbangers were standing there, one of them with a Glock by his side?

[Crescentstar]

I don't answer my door to anyone I don't know.

[Eagleks]

The last time someone "kicked " my door @ 1 a.m. ..... all 3 dogs were at the door hoping they would try to come in and I was right behind them with my gun within short seconds. I jerked the door open, gun pointed, and my son learned ... his practical joke, wasn't that funny after all. After that, he always called before he came over too.

[Sharkie308]

I carry at home. My apartment is relatively small as I just moved in. If someone were to break in or even knock and I was home my gun would be in my hand before they even knocked a second time. My neighbors are NRA life members and the husband looks like he can handle himself. I just moved in today so I haven't had a chance to introduce myself but plan to asap. One thing I've learned is being buddy buddy with the neighbors has it's advantages.

[gasmitty]

Honestly? It would be a crap shoot at my place. I typically have a gun on my person or within arm's reach 2/3 of the time I'm awake at home, and this includes doing yardwork, walking down to the mailbox, etc. But that leaves about one third of the time I'm unarmed (i.e., gun in next room)and just like your ASP friends, gives me pause to re-think my actions.

Good post! (And I hope no one flames you about "racial profiling"... if I'm in the middle of a kennel full of Dalmatians, a golden retriever is going to catch my eye.)

[airslot]

If I'm awake I'm armed.
Note to BGs: Don't start what I'll have to finish. I really hate cleaning up a mess but I don't mind taking out the trash.

[RevolvingMag]

I almost always have a gun close at hand- .45, .357, 12ga, SOMETHING. I never go to my door- especially in my neighborhood- without one.

[discoboxer]

I have young kids, so my guns at home are not as easily accessible when not on me. Next to my bed is a "rapid-access" vault that I can easily make access to in less than 2 seconds. My XD is in there with one in the chamber ready to fly if it hits the fan. I have other firearms that I should be able to make quick, reasonable access to from any point in my home, but there are certainly times that I would be more vulnerable.

I live in a decent neighborhood, where neighbors know each other and still look out for each other. I also have active police officers living across the street and next door. Crime is low in my area, so I am willing to be completely comfortable at times, and let my guard down. Meaning, I stay reasonably aware of my surroundings constantly, but it's my home and I wish to enjoy this one "holy place" to it's fullest, and not always be concerned. Sure something could happen, but the benefit of me choosing where I dwell allows me to have a lower risk than when I could not choose so freely in the past.

I also do have surveillance cameras, security system, motion lights and active door annunciators to help in early detection and documentation.

[MisterAvis]

I don't do unarmed around the house. If I'm going to nap on a couch I prolly just don't bother to unholster a pistol heh. It will wake you up in regular intervals anyway. If I'm in bed I have options, the 12ga kind, and my door is locked. I always had roommates and door locking is just habit. I'm like a combination heavy/light sleeper... probably because I always have a fan running.. if you're quiet enough I won't wake up... but don't grab on me because I've smacked fams/friends/girlfriends that didn't know better. (that makes you feel like s.... ) Anything that can be heard over the fan (messing with the locked door) puts me on alert. Is that any way to live?

[ArkhmAsylm]

-
This would be one of the reasons I'm armed during my waking hours. At night, there's a firearm in my bedside GunVault, & my EDC isn't far away.

[Badey]

This happened to one of the hosts of the Citizen Armed Podcast; he sleeps in the buff (according to the story), and someone was kicking his door in, so went out to deal with the situation, wearing only.... er.... well...... his Glock.

He was able to respond very quickly, and held the BG until the police arrived.

[glockman10mm]

Lucky for me this is a highly improbable scenario. Between the coon hounds, and 2 German Shepherds, and the 200 yard drive, which is the only way in off the main road, any surprise attack on my house would have to come from from walking through a thousand acres of Daniel Boone National Forest, which is behind me.

Plus, I've got two really mean geese that hate everybody.