From: [self defense owner] at [shell.portal.com] Date: Thu, 13 Jul 1995 16:36:03 -0700 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 ###