Here is a story that was recently shared with me. Dave and Susie (not their real names) were watching television in a room just off the main hallway near their front door. Suddenly, they heard a noise as if someone was trying to kick in their heavy wood front door accompanied with the shouts of “Police Officers...Open Up!” At the same time, from the same direction, they could hear other people laughing. Feeling certain that this was a home invasion, Dave and Susie went into action.
First, they shoved the heavy couch they had been sitting on over to block the closed door of their room. Dave took a 9mm pistol (I don’t know what kind) off the side table and got next to a large wooden bookcase that gave him some cover and allowed him to keep an eye on the door. Susie got in a far corner, behind a heavy chair and began to call 9-1-1 on her cell phone. Neither one of them said a word, instead using hand signals to communicate.
Shortly after that, the criminals got the front door open and started down the hall. One of them tried the door to the TV room and, when he felt that it was blocked, gave it a shove, moving the couch slightly and allowing him to open the door about a foot. Dave said he could clearly see that the intruder was not a police officer and could also see that the thug had a pistol in his hand. Dave fired two shots and saw the thug drop the gun and collapse. They then heard sounds that indicated that the others had run back out the front door.
Dave and Susie then held their positions until the 9-1-1 dispatcher told Susie that a uniformed officer was at the front door. At which time, Dave put is pistol down on a table and the couple spoke up to the officer and moved the couch away from the door.
A short time later, two crooks in a stolen car were arrested nearby. It is thought that they were the partners to the deceased home invader.
I like the way Dave and Susie handled this attack. It appears that they must have discussed home invasions and developed a plan. Not responding verbally to the home invaders kept the crooks wondering where their victims might actually be located. And blocking the door with the couch caused their attacker to focus on that chore instead of keeping his full attention focused on looking for victims. Susie gets points for maintaining an open line of communications with the 9-1-1 dispatcher. And Dave was also very smart to put his gun down and meet the police officer with empty hands. Latest reports are that police investigators see no legal problems for Dave & Susie and, in addition, a series of other home invasions may be cleared by this shooting and the subsequent arrests.
Have a plan...keep your wits about you...and don’t give up.
