First time -almost- having to use my weapon

meadams314 · September 13, 2013, 11:40 PM

Almost had an incident today, a little unsure about how I handled it being the first time I've ever had to use threat of deadly force on another human being. Glad I had enough restraint not to use my weapon... anyway, here's what happened:

My mother in law and her boyfriend have recently come up to stay with us temporarily while they were "looking for a place"... but that's a different story. Before I get into anything, let me say that both my mother in law and her boyfriend are felons, ex meth users, alcoholics, and lie to the government to get food stamps and disability pay. Real quality people. I didn't want to help them, but who am I to tell my wife her mother can't stay with us when she's homeless? Right?? Wish I had now...

Today, my wife called everybody outside to the garage, said she had something she wanted to talk about. Once we were all out there and she said what she had to say, my mother in law got belligerent and loud, and after arguing for a while and things escalating she proceeded to attack my wife. I attempted pulling them apart but wasn't able to, and when her boyfriend who is 6 foot 4 came towards us, screaming something about burying the two of us in the ground I decided to go inside and grab my 1911 (shame I wasn't already carrying). I came back outside with it loaded, round in the chamber and thumb safety on and looked into the garage where all the bs was happening to see my mother in law on top of my wife in a reclining chair, hands around my wife's throat. I came into the garage with my 1911 pointed downward and yelled at the two of them to get the (expletives removed) off my property- to which her boyfriend yelled to her to call 911 because I was pointing a gun at him (I was not). He then started coming towards me so I flicked the safety off and brought it up to low ready as I yelled at him to not take another step. He stopped, and since my mother in law had gone for her cell phone to call the police, me and my wife were able to exit the garage. My mother in law called the cops and proceeded to tell them that a "crazy white man" "who lived in the front house" was pointing a gun in their faces!!! I could not believe the crap she was saying so I called 911 as well and told them what was going on, and after giving my address to the operator, he asked me to step out to the front yard and wait for police to arrive, and when I saw them to put both my hands in the air so they knew I did not have a weapon since they had called and said I was pointing one at people.... so I did just that- since nobody was in immediate harm I locked my gun up again and went out front to wait for the police, when I saw them coming up the street I told the operator they were coming and I was raising my hands.. which I did, and waited for them to arrive (after all was said and done, one of the officers thanked me for standing by the road with my hands raised so they knew I wasn't a threat, good advice from the operator).

The police came and listened to both of our stories... after giving mine I could hear one of the other officers arguing with my mother in law- telling her he "didn't care about that", "just finish her story" and "stop changing the subject". He yelled at her a bunch of times, and was getting very frustrated with her rambling nonsensical crap, as you could tell most of what she was saying was lies... After all was said and done the police escorted the two of them off our property and to a homeless shelter the next town over (at least that's what they told me).

What, if anything, should I have done differently? I've thought about maybe I should have kept my gun out longer in case he did anything more.. but my impressions of the situation was that the threat was over and it was time to wait calmly for the police...

Either way, I'm glad their gone.

Water-Man · September 14, 2013, 12:04 AM

What should you have done differently?

Told your wife that her mother and boyfriend were NOT going to stay with you. Period.

meadams314 · September 14, 2013, 12:38 AM

Oh trust me, I fought it long and hard... but I guess my mother in law's bs sob story got me. I knew from the start it would end bad, just didnt think it would be this bad!

**Frank Ettin** · September 14, 2013, 01:24 AM

Seems like a case of poor coordination between husband and wife. But let's nt go there.

September 13, 2013, 11:40 PM	#1
meadams314 Member Join Date: April 4, 2013 Posts: 26	First time -almost- having to use my weapon Almost had an incident today, a little unsure about how I handled it being the first time I've ever had to use threat of deadly force on another human being. Glad I had enough restraint not to use my weapon... anyway, here's what happened: My mother in law and her boyfriend have recently come up to stay with us temporarily while they were "looking for a place"... but that's a different story. Before I get into anything, let me say that both my mother in law and her boyfriend are felons, ex meth users, alcoholics, and lie to the government to get food stamps and disability pay. Real quality people. I didn't want to help them, but who am I to tell my wife her mother can't stay with us when she's homeless? Right?? Wish I had now... Today, my wife called everybody outside to the garage, said she had something she wanted to talk about. Once we were all out there and she said what she had to say, my mother in law got belligerent and loud, and after arguing for a while and things escalating she proceeded to attack my wife. I attempted pulling them apart but wasn't able to, and when her boyfriend who is 6 foot 4 came towards us, screaming something about burying the two of us in the ground I decided to go inside and grab my 1911 (shame I wasn't already carrying). I came back outside with it loaded, round in the chamber and thumb safety on and looked into the garage where all the bs was happening to see my mother in law on top of my wife in a reclining chair, hands around my wife's throat. I came into the garage with my 1911 pointed downward and yelled at the two of them to get the (expletives removed) off my property- to which her boyfriend yelled to her to call 911 because I was pointing a gun at him (I was not). He then started coming towards me so I flicked the safety off and brought it up to low ready as I yelled at him to not take another step. He stopped, and since my mother in law had gone for her cell phone to call the police, me and my wife were able to exit the garage. My mother in law called the cops and proceeded to tell them that a "crazy white man" "who lived in the front house" was pointing a gun in their faces!!! I could not believe the crap she was saying so I called 911 as well and told them what was going on, and after giving my address to the operator, he asked me to step out to the front yard and wait for police to arrive, and when I saw them to put both my hands in the air so they knew I did not have a weapon since they had called and said I was pointing one at people.... so I did just that- since nobody was in immediate harm I locked my gun up again and went out front to wait for the police, when I saw them coming up the street I told the operator they were coming and I was raising my hands.. which I did, and waited for them to arrive (after all was said and done, one of the officers thanked me for standing by the road with my hands raised so they knew I wasn't a threat, good advice from the operator). The police came and listened to both of our stories... after giving mine I could hear one of the other officers arguing with my mother in law- telling her he "didn't care about that", "just finish her story" and "stop changing the subject". He yelled at her a bunch of times, and was getting very frustrated with her rambling nonsensical crap, as you could tell most of what she was saying was lies... After all was said and done the police escorted the two of them off our property and to a homeless shelter the next town over (at least that's what they told me). What, if anything, should I have done differently? I've thought about maybe I should have kept my gun out longer in case he did anything more.. but my impressions of the situation was that the threat was over and it was time to wait calmly for the police... Either way, I'm glad their gone.

September 14, 2013, 01:24 AM	#4
Frank Ettin Staff Join Date: November 23, 2005 Location: California - San Francisco Posts: 9,471	Seems like a case of poor coordination between husband and wife. But let's nt go there. __________________ "It is long been a principle of ours that one is no more armed because he has possession of a firearm than he is a musician because he owns a piano. There is no point in having a gun if you are not capable of using it skillfully." -- Jeff Cooper

September 14, 2013, 12:04 AM	#2
Water-Man Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 2,126	What should you have done differently? Told your wife that her mother and boyfriend were NOT going to stay with you. Period.

September 14, 2013, 12:38 AM	#3
meadams314 Member Join Date: April 4, 2013 Posts: 26	Oh trust me, I fought it long and hard... but I guess my mother in law's bs sob story got me. I knew from the start it would end bad, just didnt think it would be this bad!