Door to door massacre in Miami. (Preparation?)

[Tactical Jackalope]

In Hialeah..A city that isn't necessarily the best place to be. Especially certain parts. This guy kicked down doors of an apartment complex where his neighbors lived and opened fire killing 6 in total. One being a man that was walking outside with his son. He then took 2 hostage when Hialeah SWAT took lead and took him out. He used a 9mm handgun he purchased years ago and was said to work out in the gym 3-4 hours a day.

Here are some links.

http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/lo...ing-commended/

http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/lo...-lonely-angry/

http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/lo...ior-to-attack/

http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/lo...mass-shooting/

http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/lo...ent-shootings/



So...I've been knocked on a few times for carrying on my person 24/7 while I'm awake. When I'm asleep is when my gun is the farthest from me at a whopping 2 feet. When I shower it's within a foot of me on top of the toilet.


Just a friendly reminder to everyone out there, keep your guns on your person as much as you can! There's a difference between able and allowed. Take that as you wish. But if I am able, I will have it on me.


If you wish to share how you prepare, feel free. I haven't gone into detail other than it always being on me. But I will say it's usually a rifle at home where the chance is greater than 1% that something will happen. I can't carry around my AR so other than that it's usually a Glock 19 with several mags.




Any discussion on this matter in terms of preparation?

[ClydeFrog]

I've known a few people in New York City and few NYers who lived in other places who keep a baseball bat or large stick by the front door, .

I've also seen a few of the James Yeager videos on Youtube.com .
In one clip, JY advises viewers to carry a loaded firearm on them all the time until they go to bed.
I don't subscribe to this plan. I do keep my S&W Military and Police .45acp loaded(MagSafe SWAT) & can get to it quickly but Im not always armed 100% of the time.
Break-ins & home invasions can occur, another good video to review is the violent attack on the home owner beaten in front of her young children in NJ.

But I think there's having a smart plan & being paranoid.
FWIW; don't be swayed by the "good area"/"bad area" concept either. My good friend had his SUV broken into a few days ago. He lives in a upscale "good" part of a medium size city too.

[Tactical Jackalope]

I have no concept of good and bad area. To me, it can happen anywhere and anytime.

I'm from the school of "prepare for the worst and hope for the best". Not paranoia...lol

This thing is literally on me all the time. Wouldn't mind it any other way. Doesn't bother me in any way shape or form. It's a part of me.


I saw that video of the woman. That was insane. Poor thing...

[csmsss]

On Friday night, Vargas set a combustible liquid on fire in his apartment, sending the unit into flames, police said. Building manager Italo Pisciotti and his wife went running toward the smoke. Vargas opened his door and shot and killed both of them, Lt. Carl Zogby, a spokesman with the Hialeah Police Department said.

Vargas then went back into his apartment and began firing from his balcony. One of the shots struck and killed Carlos Javier Gavilanes, 33, who neighbors said was returning home from his son's boxing practice.

Vargas then stormed into a third-story apartment, where he shot and killed a family of three: Patricio Simono, 64, Merly Niebles, 51, and her 17-year-old daughter.

I don't see how this sequence is much of an argument for keeping a firearm on your person at all times inside the home. He didn't invade anyone's home until well after his rampage had started and multiple shots had been fired. Anyone who wasn't asleep likely would have been alerted to the racket outside long before he broke into the other apartment.

[Tactical Jackalope]

I don't see how this sequence is much of an argument for keeping a firearm on your person at all times inside the home.

I don't see your argument of how it doesn't?

Regardless of what you're trying to say it's better to than not.

[madmo44mag]

I carry my 40cal 24/7 and if it is not on my hip it is with in arms reach.
Mugged at gun point March 1978 - Houston TX
Robbed at work at gun point June 1978 - Houston TX
Robbed at home at gun point July 1978 - Houston TX.
Moved to Ft.Worth Aug 1978 and have been armed ever since.
BTW where I lived and worked in Houston was know as a good - bad neighborhood.

[kraigwy]

One don't have to spend too much time watching the news to see home invasion is on the rise, not just in "bad" neighborhoods.

That isn't all, just read earlier today, in broad daylight a lady was walking her dog and was attacked.

Carjacking is up also,

Might want think how you carry, there is no safe place. A shame, but its a fact.

[csmsss]

I don't see your argument of how it doesn't?

Because even the slowest person on earth would have had ample time to retrieve a firearm from anywhere in an apartment and been ready to go by the time the bad guy got around to breaking into that apartment. Unless he's Flash Gordon, of course.

Regardless of what you're trying to say it's better to than not.

That's your opinion. I am quite comfortable knowing a firearm is easily accessible from wherever I happen to be at home. I don't need the reassurance of having it resting against my body.

[Spats McGee]

For the past couple of years, I've been carrying whenever I leave the house, but not when at home. For the past few months, I've been rethinking this. Mrs. McGee may well call me crazy when I start carrying around the house, but that may just have to happen.

[kraigwy]

Because even the slowest person on earth would have had ample time to retrieve a firearm from anywhere in an apartment and been ready to go by the time the bad guy got around to breaking into that apartment

I ain't buying that one bit. I've kicked doors, it just takes a second to kick a door and be in the living room.

We use to get a lot of rescue assist, medics policy is they can't break in, but we (the police) could. A quick gander at any door tells you where to kick. I wasn't a big strong guy either (I made of for that after I retired, the big part anyway).

The story was about apartments, in most apartments the door leads to the living room, one swift kick and you can be in the living room before the home owner can get out of his chair not to mention the time it takes to get to the bedroom to retrieve your gun from the bed stand or where every you keep it.

I know there is the problem of kids getting hold of guns, but I've never heard of a kid picking someone's pocket and finding a gun.

Of course just having a gun wont help that much, you need to practice drawing from your recliner, couch, or every place else you might be.

Dogs are nice (mine are useless) but many place wont rent to pet owners.

[MLeake]

csmss, for one thing, people often mistake a gunshot or two for a backfiring exhaust - if they notice the noise at all.

Given modern homes with double-paned windows, good insulation, and central A/C, people may not hear gunshots outside all that well, especially if they have a TV or other noisemaker on in the home.

For another, hearing the attack start on others is only useful if the others are attacked before you are. If you are the first, or one of the first, then your argument has no meaning.

[SocialAnarchist]

kraigwy,

You kicked in doors for medical calls? Really? Why? We would look for a window and pop the screen or cut it and then either open the window or force it with a haligan. Not much damage and the house could be secured when we left.

Just curious as to your tactics. Not an attack on you, just a question.

[wayneinFL]

I agree with kraigwy on the ease and speed in which someone can get into a residence. Better to have a firearm on you.

For another, hearing the attack start on others is only useful if the others are attacked before you are. If you are the first, or one of the first, then your argument has no meaning.

When my local college put "active shooter" procedures in place, one of the procedures was to lock the door. The first question I asked was, "What if he's in here?"

[madmo44mag]

A home invasion can be a simple knock at the door by a individual that causes no red flag or alarms to go off.
Happened here a few years back when folks were getting robbed by a guy dressed in a TU Electric uniform.

When I got mugged I was at the gas pump in broad daylight with people all around me.
The guy was dressed in jeans and a Polo type shirt and stuck a 38 in my ribs.
trust me it happens FAST!!!!
Last year two men attempted to rob me at the gas pump but changed their minds when I side my shirt up and kicked the saftey off and placed my hand over the butt of my 40cal.
The only thing they did to arouse my suspicion was they did not approach their gas tank but tried to flank both side of the pump.

[Grant D]

I carry a Kimber Ultra Crimson Carry II in a Galco Kingtuk during the day, and if I take it off when I get home, I put my LCP in my pocket.

I have a 12 gauge coach gun with outside hammers within reach of my easy chair in the living room, so I think I got it covered if someone trys to break in.

[Bufford t. Justice]

Always be prepared. Works for the scouts and it works for self defense. Preparation is key

[manta49]

I ain't buying that one bit. I've kicked doors, it just takes a second to kick a door and be in the living room.

I think anyone worrying about this the first thing they should do is get a stronger door. I will not be walking about in the house carrying a firearm for something that probably will never happen. Apart from that the wife would think I had lost the plot.

[45_auto]

Originally Posted by constantine

Any discussion on this matter in terms of preparation?

If the best preparation you can come up with to resist a home invasion is a firearm within reach 24 hours a day, I would suggest taking a slightly broader view of enhancing your home defenses.

[Spats McGee]

For apartment preparation, I've never liked the flimsy little chains on the door. Something like this seems a little sturdier. Then again, this also seems like a good thing to use.

[kraigwy]

You kicked in doors for medical calls? Really? Why? We would look for a window and pop the screen or cut it and then either open the window or force it with a haligan. Not much damage and the house could be secured when we left.

Just curious as to your tactics. Not an attack on you, just a question.

Speed.

A medical emergency is just that, an emergency. For example, in heart attacks, seconds count.

Looking for windows, popping or cutting screens, etc. takes too much time, where as kicking a door just takes a second.

Burglars look for windows, cut screens, etc, but they normally choose houses where no one is home. They have more time.

Home invaders, expecting people to be home, kick the door and crash in.

We need to separate Home invaders from Burglars. Different crimes, one is a property crime, one is a person crime.

[manta49]

takes too much time, where as kicking a door just takes a second.

The doors must be a softer in America than here. I have seen police taking a few minutes trying to get through a door with a purpose built hammer and it was just a normal PVC door.

[markj]

If you wish to share how you prepare, feel free

He woulda never got to my door. The dogs would go off, I reach to my left pick up either my 30-30 or the shotgun as both are out. The bedroom has a springer loaded. The outside has floods kick on if anything walks by. Where I live folks dont come by, I live outside the city in Gods country and by God it will be defended lol

Last guy came out got into garages stole stuff had a handgun, the deputies got his butt and locked it up.

[wayneinFL]

The doors must be a softer in America than here. I have seen police taking a few minutes trying to get through a door with a purpose built hammer and it was just a normal PVC door.

Maybe the doors are the same, but the cops are softer over there?

We are talking about a guy from Wyoming, after all.

I've kicked open doors before. It took me a couple of tries, but I'm not a professional, I was just in a hurry.

I think anyone worrying about this the first thing they should do is get a stronger door. I will not be walking about in the house carrying a firearm for something that probably will never happen. Apart from that the wife would think I had lost the plot.

My wife wouldn't know the difference. I put it in my pocket every morning when I get dressed, along with my wallet and keys. I carry outside the house. Why would I bother to take the gun out of my pocket every time I come home?

Purposefully strapping a gun on when I leave the house would just seem paranoid.

[Tactical Jackalope]

Good points gentlemen. However, I'm just discussing in a general sense. I'm not asking how I should personally prepare.

Just curious what my buddies on here would do to prepare for such a scenario.

And for the ones who called me crazy for my 24/7 carrying self.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Train and mindset - it seems the OP wants a discussion of what megablaster to deploy so you can John McClane the guys.

Have good doors, locks, windows, alarms, dogs - or whatever to delay entry. Have lock on the bedroom door.

Train to avoid fear, freeze responses and have good processes programmed in for appropriate actions.

If someone just materializes in your door with a gun pointed at you - you could be toting any old gun and you are shot dead. Even a Taurus Judge in each hand won't save you.