Neighbors

Maximus856 · August 5, 2006, 01:00 PM

Say theres a situation with your neighbors... Like a gunshot or two. Do you simply stay at your house and do nothing but maybe call the police, or do you take your prefered weapon and assess the situation, knowing full well that it could be your neighbors life on the line. Obviously you'll call the police, but do you take action.

*Personally* I couldn't live with myself knowing I may of made a differance. I'd secure my house, make sure my family is safe, and then do what I had to to make sure my neighbors were ok.

Am I wrong in thinking this?

-Max.

PS. This is a residential neighborhood, so theres no recreational shooting going on.

cpaspr · August 5, 2006, 01:16 PM

Your first responsibility is to your family. Therefore, trying to be a macho hero to your neighbors may get you real dead, real fast when the cops do arrive and see you outside the house with a gun. If it's a bad guy doing the shooting next door, either the neighbor or an externally introduced BG (burglery gone bad, druggy picking the wrong house, etc.) and they come across you as they're attempting to make an exit, you may not even survive for the cops to find wandering around.

No, protect your family and survive for them. Notify police and let them do their job. Most residential areas (ouside of the "big" cities), a report of "shots fired" will get quick response.

Now if the shooter moves next door to your house, well, then you're back to protect yours.

The Real Wyatt · August 5, 2006, 01:17 PM

Call the cops, arm yourself and stay alert ... but stay home.

I'm willing to die for my family but I ain't willing to die for my neighbor.

**JohnKSa** · August 5, 2006, 01:17 PM

My feeling is that interjecting your armed self into a situation you know nothing about up front has lots of potential negative outcomes.

One of the reasons that civilians shoot innocent people less often than police is that the civilians are typically on the scene during the entire scenario. That gives them better insight into the intricacies of the situation than the police who usually arrive after the fact and have to rapidly sort out a chaotic situation with very little in the way of good information.

By going looking for the situation, you put yourself into the same sort of situation that causes police to have a higher risk of shooting someone who doesn't deserve to be shot.

I'd certainly poke my head out the door if the noise (possible shooting) continues and try to determine if there's a threat to my family or to assess what I could about the situation, but I'd be disinclined to go wandering around the neighborhood with a pistol looking for trouble (so to speak.)

If there were something going on in my own yard, that might be a different story, but I'd still be VERY careful about jumping into a volatile scenario until I could figure out what was going on.

Epyon · August 5, 2006, 01:19 PM

Depends on the neighbor I guess. If he's a real mean hermit kind of person that hates just about everyone I'd be less inclined to help him with a firearm, I'd still call the cops to report the crime, but I'm not risking my skin for someone who is just ungrateful. Now on the other hand if my neighbor was a good friend, one of those guys I can have big BBQs with and have a beer with, I'd probably be more inclined to risk it to help them. Now the question is, is the neighbor a firearms owner or not? If my neighbor was not a firearms owner and I heard gunshots, and I was the only person that could save them because the cops would get there too late, I'd probably go in. Those are my opinions, and that's all I have to say about that!

Epyon

Mannlicher · August 5, 2006, 01:57 PM

If I hear a gunshot next door, I am calling 911. All you have to report is 'shots fired', and the address. Let the cops sort it out.
Shots fired in a home nextdoor can have a significant impact on your family. I am NOT going to arm myself, and waltz over to find out whats going on.

General P. · August 5, 2006, 02:05 PM

Stay home and protect your family, but call police (unless your neighbor is a Firing Line member, at which he is probably just poping a few off for practice). If my neighbors called the fuzz each time they heard a shot, the police would be sending me a bill for gasoline.

But if it happened at night, would call the police and stay home. Could get shot by them if they mistook me for a perp.

j-framer · August 5, 2006, 02:34 PM

Epyon, it was disappointing to see you introduce something as petty as someone's social inclinations ("hermit") into a decision about whether to lend him/her assistance or not.

Though I too would be loath to help out an ingrate, aside from this, I would no more sympathize with a "burgers and beer" good ol' boy than I would with someone who valued solitude, and who had little use for the trivial diversions that you apparently esteem highly--highly enough to weigh them during a potential life and death situation.

Not that one is ever obliged to help, anyway, but it seems tragically small-minded to let such things affect the choice.

Off topic, but needed to be said.

springmom · August 5, 2006, 03:59 PM

1) secure your home and family
2) call 911

If you are not LEO, you have no business going out hunting trouble. The police are trained to intervene and have the authority to do so. You don't.

Springmom

Epyon · August 5, 2006, 04:07 PM

you're right, good call.

Epyon

PythonGuy · August 5, 2006, 04:40 PM

Another "I should have gone to the movies" rather then make this dumb post, post.

John28226 · August 5, 2006, 04:41 PM

I know my neighbors and my neighborhood - there is only one way in and out with my house being at the end of the cul-de-sac. I know the hours they keep and the cars they drive - and their children by name. When they are out of town, we get their mail and paper and water their plants - as well as watch out for their house - when we are out of town they do the same for us.

The sound of shooting inside one of their houses would prompt two telephone calls, the first to 911; the second to my neighbor (from my cellular phone) while I am heading out the door.

No need to "arm myself" as I am already armed. As I am going out the door, my wife, who by now has her 637 and has locked the bedroom door, will be calling 911 again to give them my description and keep them on the phone until a car arrives.

What I do when I get to the house depends a lot on events up to that point including whether I get an answer on their phone. I have a key to one of the houses next to mine - the other I only have the alarm code for when they are out of town.

Obviously if your situation is different and you don't feel comfortable taking any action other than calling 911, then you should do that which you feel is best.

On my part, however, I will check to ensure that everything is O.K. or I will address whatever comes up as it comes up.

John
Charlotte, NC

silicon wolverine · August 5, 2006, 05:29 PM

Yet another silly scenario thread.

SW

atlctyslkr · August 5, 2006, 05:54 PM

Call the cops and tell them there is a shootout next door. Give your physical description and tell them you fear for your neighbor's saftey and are going to lend assistance. Wouldn't you want someone to do the same for you.

Maximus856 · August 5, 2006, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Yet another silly scenario thread.

SW

So silly because I don't live 5 minutes from a drug ridden 'ghetto' though in a nice residential neighborhood. In this area, the possibility of the 'silly scenario' is far from being just another 'silly scenario.'

-Max.

BillCA · August 5, 2006, 06:40 PM

Well, shucks... nice move folks.

One of the arguments used against anti-gun folks is the concept that armed neighbors constitute a potential hazard to would-be miscreants. I guess we can just flush that argument down the toilet and forget it.

It has been argued that part of the deterrent effect is because a nearby gun-owning neighbor may disrupt the crime with the outcome the capture of the thug or (again) turning him into a statistic. Based on the sampling of responses here, the thug has about an 82% chance of succeeding.

Any one of the sheeple can call 911 and become a peek-between-the-drapes witness. And in many cities, the end result will be your name as a witness on a crime report while they process the scene and broadcast the escaped BG's description.

Gunfire from a neighbor's home means something is wrong. It could be a negligent discharge (anyone hurt?), a self-defense situation or your neighbor on the short end of the stick.

No one advocates rushing in willy-nilly, however being in a position of cover and yelling to your neighbors that help is coming may disrupt criminal activity. Having your own weapon discretely holstered allows you to defend yourself if necessary. If your neighbor responds with a cry for assistance you can proceed as your training, experience and judgement allows.

springmom · August 5, 2006, 07:36 PM

But Bill, you do not know what you are walking into. In order to try to get a mental picture of this, I tried to think "what if" the shots were coming from OUR house...what would I want our neighbors to do?

Well, in our family, it wouldn't be a domestic disturbance, so it would either be a ND or a BG. I'll leave the ND question aside for the moment. If I have a BG in the house, I *do not want* my neighbors walking in trying to come help. Why? Because I am armed, I am ready to shoot or have already shot, and adrenaline is squirting out my ears. ANYBODY that walked in that isn't LEO is in danger of catching the next bullet. If they come to the door and call out "Hey, it's Mike" (our next door neighbor), then they are in danger from the BG. In other words, helpful neighbors coming over are going to create danger for themselves, and are unlikely to be able to help.

There is one exception: our across-the-street neighbor is LEO. Our youngest son has been drilled that, should someone break in the the night, he is to bail out his window immediately and do his best to get over to this guy's house. HIM, I want coming over. Anyone else, I don't want to have to worry about their safety as well as my family's.

What about setting up to prevent a BG escape? Again, it sounds great...until Neighbor #1 shoots Neighbor #2 while they're both shooting at the BG, because lo and behold they've got a crossfire situation set up. LEO's know how to do this without blowing each other to Kingdom Come. My neighbors probably don't.

Finally, let's assume the neighbors are out there trying to help while the LEOs arrive. The neighbors are now between the LEOs and us, and are in danger of being mistaken for BGs at worst, or even at best being in the way of what the police need to be doing.

I am not a police officer. I do not play one on TV, even if I do wish I looked like Mariska Hargitay

I am not qualified to come to your rescue in your house if I hear gunfire. I wish I was, but I am not, and the truth is, if I try, I may get us both killed.

But I will call 911, because that's the most useful thing I *can* do.

Springmom

OneInTheChamber · August 5, 2006, 08:18 PM

Bad idea:

1. You could get shot by the BG.
2. You could get shot by responding LEO's who see you entering a house with a weapon where someone was just assaulted. They will assume you are the BG.
3. You could get shot by the neighbor who mistook you for the BG.
4. You could be held liable legally or financially responsible for shooting a BG not on your own property (Depends on state and local laws).

You look out for you and yours. If it happens you can *safely* intervene to save a life, go ahead. I'm not risking my life for the neighbor's TV.

BillCA · August 5, 2006, 10:33 PM

All very good points by Springmom & OneInTheChamber.

As I said, we don't advocate blindly charging in to the unknown. Making contact with the neighbor inside is one step. Keeping concealed or behind cover is another. Determining who's injured is yet another. Relaying all of this to the PD is a key element.

Quote:

4. You could be held liable legally or financially responsible for shooting a BG not on your own property (Depends on state and local laws).

I think you'll find that limitations to one's own property are dismissed when responding to screams or calls for help under the "reasonable man" doctrine. Even California has exceptions in the Penal Code for armed response to situations where a reasonable man would consider it "prudent".

**JohnKSa** · August 6, 2006, 12:12 AM

I would say that if a person feels that they must get involved if there is a situation like the one posed, they need to PREpare.

Do you know your neighbors? How many of them do you know? (Hint: How far away can you hear a shot?)

Do your neighbors know you? When you end up in their front yard that is now a crime scene and the police acost you and find you have a weapon (remember gunshots were just fired) is the neighbor going to vouch for you or tell the cops he has no idea who you are? Are you going to be able to prove who you are? (Hint: Do you normally carry ID around the house when you're at home?)

Do you know if the car parked in front of the house belongs to the resident?

Do you know if the kid running down the street is a stranger or one of your neighbor's relatives?

Can you legally carry off your property? Did you remember to bring your CHL/CCW permit with you when you grabbed your gun and flashlight?

Are you carrying concealed? If not, is it legal to open carry in your area? In TX, not even a permit will let you carry a handgun openly off your own property. (Hints: Do you normally wear a concealment garment around the house or have one near the door? Do you normally have a holster on or have one near the door?)

Does your spouse know what to do when you run out the front door to investigate gunshots? Are they going to tag along in pajamas to make sure you're ok? Call 911? What will they tell 911 if they do call? What about your kids? Are you gonna have to fight with them to keep them from coming investigating with you? Are they going to run out in the yard to see what's going on after you leave?

If you feel obligated to be security for the neighborhood, you'd better know your neighbors and your neighborhood VERY well or you're going to be more of a nuisance (at best) than a help.

You'd also better know the laws in your area and make sure that you comply.

You'd also better formulate a plan for what family members are to do in such a situation so that it doesn't turn into a goat-rope.

Taking care of you and yours is not a simple task. Things get a lot more complicated if you're going to try to take care of the neighborhood too. It's going to require a lot of preparation and at least a minimal level of continued effort to keep track of new neighbors, kids coming back from college, new car purchases, etc.

I'll say it again. Interjecting your armed self into a crime scene is a touchy operation with a lot of potential for negative outcome.

Doubletaptap · August 6, 2006, 01:22 AM

First I want to say, I wish I lived next to Springmom. She's smart and sounds like a great person to have as a neighbor!!
I don't live too far from her but too far for her to help me if a situation occured.

Now as for the scenario, Arm yourself, secure your home,call 911 and report shots fired,stay on the line with them if you can and observe and report.
If you do go outside,stay in your own yard. Heck maybe you'll get lucky and get to shoot the BG's tires out as he tries to flee the scene!!!

Your best help will be on the phone with the law. Giving addresses,descriptions and updates as they occur. This will help the law do their job faster and may result in a arrest!!

Of course they'll release the BG on his own recognisance because of jails being overcrowded!!:barf:

silicon wolverine · August 6, 2006, 11:48 AM

I had a staff member admonish me (and rightly so) for posing the scenario of a BG in burger king shoot/no shoot. Thread was subsequently locked. I dont understand how this is different. I would like the staff to post EXACTLY what the limits are to "senario" talk. Perhaps that would limit the argument.

SW

PythonGuy · August 6, 2006, 05:56 PM

This thread will be locked too, this is just another "how can I use my gun" thread thinly disguised as "but I HAVE to help my neighbor". There are so many variables, did the neighbor have a ND? Are they in trouble or is it a domestic? in which case who shot who? Springmom's observations were exactly correct, people who are also licensed gun owners must avoid "The Long Ranger" syndrome. We're ready Mod's, lock at will......

Topthis · August 6, 2006, 06:08 PM

Happened to me. It came from a neighbor that I did not know very well. I just called 911 (do did a few others) and the police came VERY quickly and resolved the situation. According to the police, it was an A.D. and they did not say much more.
If it had been a neighbor that I knew well...I don't think I would have done much different other than calling my neighbor after calling 911.
Running into an unknown situation with shots fired...having a handgun with me...sounds like more trouble than help. My opinion. Heck, in my opinion, if you really love your family...then stay and make sure that they are protected and safe, also, if you love your family, why place yourself in a situation that may get you killed or seriously injured...or do something that may cause you to get sued.

tony pasley · August 6, 2006, 06:37 PM

what if le is over 30 mins. away i live in the country and know both my nieghbors in fact all 3 within .5 miles we look out for each other and even who come up the road.

August 5, 2006, 01:17 PM	#4
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,990	My feeling is that interjecting your armed self into a situation you know nothing about up front has lots of potential negative outcomes. One of the reasons that civilians shoot innocent people less often than police is that the civilians are typically on the scene during the entire scenario. That gives them better insight into the intricacies of the situation than the police who usually arrive after the fact and have to rapidly sort out a chaotic situation with very little in the way of good information. By going looking for the situation, you put yourself into the same sort of situation that causes police to have a higher risk of shooting someone who doesn't deserve to be shot. I'd certainly poke my head out the door if the noise (possible shooting) continues and try to determine if there's a threat to my family or to assess what I could about the situation, but I'd be disinclined to go wandering around the neighborhood with a pistol looking for trouble (so to speak.) If there were something going on in my own yard, that might be a different story, but I'd still be VERY careful about jumping into a volatile scenario until I could figure out what was going on. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

August 5, 2006, 01:19 PM	#5
Epyon Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2006 Location: Awesome, Colorado Posts: 700	Wow, tough question... Depends on the neighbor I guess. If he's a real mean hermit kind of person that hates just about everyone I'd be less inclined to help him with a firearm, I'd still call the cops to report the crime, but I'm not risking my skin for someone who is just ungrateful. Now on the other hand if my neighbor was a good friend, one of those guys I can have big BBQs with and have a beer with, I'd probably be more inclined to risk it to help them. Now the question is, is the neighbor a firearms owner or not? If my neighbor was not a firearms owner and I heard gunshots, and I was the only person that could save them because the cops would get there too late, I'd probably go in. Those are my opinions, and that's all I have to say about that! Epyon __________________ Vote Epyon for president in 2008, if you vote for Epyon all of your wildest dreams will come true: This campaign was brought to you by Epyon; funded in part by the Pizza Party, Surprise Party, Birthday Party, and Slumber Party.

August 5, 2006, 01:57 PM	#6
Mannlicher Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2001 Location: North Central Florida & Miami Posts: 3,209	If I hear a gunshot next door, I am calling 911. All you have to report is 'shots fired', and the address. Let the cops sort it out. Shots fired in a home nextdoor can have a significant impact on your family. I am NOT going to arm myself, and waltz over to find out whats going on. __________________ Nemo Me Impune Lacesset "The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.".........Ronald Reagan

August 5, 2006, 03:59 PM	#9
springmom Senior Member Join Date: October 26, 2005 Location: Houston area Posts: 1,823	You do what makes the most difference 1) secure your home and family 2) call 911 If you are not LEO, you have no business going out hunting trouble. The police are trained to intervene and have the authority to do so. You don't. Springmom __________________ I will not be a victim home on the web: www.panagia-icons.net (my webpage) www.nousfromspring.blogspot.com (Orthodoxy) "I couldn't hear you. Stop firing the gun while you're talking!" Frank Drebin, The Naked Gun

August 5, 2006, 04:07 PM	#10
Epyon Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2006 Location: Awesome, Colorado Posts: 700	j-framer... you're right, good call. Epyon __________________ Vote Epyon for president in 2008, if you vote for Epyon all of your wildest dreams will come true: This campaign was brought to you by Epyon; funded in part by the Pizza Party, Surprise Party, Birthday Party, and Slumber Party.

August 5, 2006, 01:00 PM	#1
Maximus856 Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2006 Location: PA Posts: 547	Neighbors Say theres a situation with your neighbors... Like a gunshot or two. Do you simply stay at your house and do nothing but maybe call the police, or do you take your prefered weapon and assess the situation, knowing full well that it could be your neighbors life on the line. Obviously you'll call the police, but do you take action. Personally I couldn't live with myself knowing I may of made a differance. I'd secure my house, make sure my family is safe, and then do what I had to to make sure my neighbors were ok. Am I wrong in thinking this? -Max. PS. This is a residential neighborhood, so theres no recreational shooting going on.

August 5, 2006, 01:16 PM	#2
cpaspr Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 304	Stay home - secure yours, call PD. Your first responsibility is to your family. Therefore, trying to be a macho hero to your neighbors may get you real dead, real fast when the cops do arrive and see you outside the house with a gun. If it's a bad guy doing the shooting next door, either the neighbor or an externally introduced BG (burglery gone bad, druggy picking the wrong house, etc.) and they come across you as they're attempting to make an exit, you may not even survive for the cops to find wandering around. No, protect your family and survive for them. Notify police and let them do their job. Most residential areas (ouside of the "big" cities), a report of "shots fired" will get quick response. Now if the shooter moves next door to your house, well, then you're back to protect yours.

August 5, 2006, 01:17 PM	#3
The Real Wyatt Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2006 Location: South Central KY Posts: 339	Call the cops, arm yourself and stay alert ... but stay home. I'm willing to die for my family but I ain't willing to die for my neighbor.

August 5, 2006, 02:05 PM	#7
General P. Member Join Date: September 29, 2005 Posts: 20	Stay home and protect your family, but call police (unless your neighbor is a Firing Line member, at which he is probably just poping a few off for practice). If my neighbors called the fuzz each time they heard a shot, the police would be sending me a bill for gasoline. But if it happened at night, would call the police and stay home. Could get shot by them if they mistook me for a perp.

August 5, 2006, 02:34 PM	#8
j-framer Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2006 Posts: 375	Epyon, it was disappointing to see you introduce something as petty as someone's social inclinations ("hermit") into a decision about whether to lend him/her assistance or not. Though I too would be loath to help out an ingrate, aside from this, I would no more sympathize with a "burgers and beer" good ol' boy than I would with someone who valued solitude, and who had little use for the trivial diversions that you apparently esteem highly--highly enough to weigh them during a potential life and death situation. Not that one is ever obliged to help, anyway, but it seems tragically small-minded to let such things affect the choice. Off topic, but needed to be said.

August 5, 2006, 04:40 PM	#11
PythonGuy Junior member Join Date: November 4, 2004 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 456	Another "I should have gone to the movies" rather then make this dumb post, post. Last edited by PythonGuy; August 6, 2006 at 05:49 PM.

August 5, 2006, 04:41 PM	#12
John28226 Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2005 Location: North Carolina Posts: 292	Two Phone Calls I know my neighbors and my neighborhood - there is only one way in and out with my house being at the end of the cul-de-sac. I know the hours they keep and the cars they drive - and their children by name. When they are out of town, we get their mail and paper and water their plants - as well as watch out for their house - when we are out of town they do the same for us. The sound of shooting inside one of their houses would prompt two telephone calls, the first to 911; the second to my neighbor (from my cellular phone) while I am heading out the door. No need to "arm myself" as I am already armed. As I am going out the door, my wife, who by now has her 637 and has locked the bedroom door, will be calling 911 again to give them my description and keep them on the phone until a car arrives. What I do when I get to the house depends a lot on events up to that point including whether I get an answer on their phone. I have a key to one of the houses next to mine - the other I only have the alarm code for when they are out of town. Obviously if your situation is different and you don't feel comfortable taking any action other than calling 911, then you should do that which you feel is best. On my part, however, I will check to ensure that everything is O.K. or I will address whatever comes up as it comes up. John Charlotte, NC

August 5, 2006, 05:29 PM	#13
silicon wolverine Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2006 Location: South dakota Posts: 674	Yet another silly scenario thread. SW

August 5, 2006, 05:54 PM	#14
atlctyslkr Senior Member Join Date: March 6, 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 613	Call the cops and tell them there is a shootout next door. Give your physical description and tell them you fear for your neighbor's saftey and are going to lend assistance. Wouldn't you want someone to do the same for you.

August 5, 2006, 06:40 PM	#16
BillCA Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2004 Location: Silicon Valley, Ca Posts: 7,117	Well, shucks... nice move folks. One of the arguments used against anti-gun folks is the concept that armed neighbors constitute a potential hazard to would-be miscreants. I guess we can just flush that argument down the toilet and forget it. It has been argued that part of the deterrent effect is because a nearby gun-owning neighbor may disrupt the crime with the outcome the capture of the thug or (again) turning him into a statistic. Based on the sampling of responses here, the thug has about an 82% chance of succeeding. Any one of the sheeple can call 911 and become a peek-between-the-drapes witness. And in many cities, the end result will be your name as a witness on a crime report while they process the scene and broadcast the escaped BG's description. Gunfire from a neighbor's home means something is wrong. It could be a negligent discharge (anyone hurt?), a self-defense situation or your neighbor on the short end of the stick. No one advocates rushing in willy-nilly, however being in a position of cover and yelling to your neighbors that help is coming may disrupt criminal activity. Having your own weapon discretely holstered allows you to defend yourself if necessary. If your neighbor responds with a cry for assistance you can proceed as your training, experience and judgement allows. __________________ BillCA in CA (Unfortunately)

August 5, 2006, 07:36 PM	#17
springmom Senior Member Join Date: October 26, 2005 Location: Houston area Posts: 1,823	*That sounds* good** But Bill, you do not know what you are walking into. In order to try to get a mental picture of this, I tried to think "what if" the shots were coming from OUR house...what would I want our neighbors to do? Well, in our family, it wouldn't be a domestic disturbance, so it would either be a ND or a BG. I'll leave the ND question aside for the moment. If I have a BG in the house, I do not want my neighbors walking in trying to come help. Why? Because I am armed, I am ready to shoot or have already shot, and adrenaline is squirting out my ears. ANYBODY that walked in that isn't LEO is in danger of catching the next bullet. If they come to the door and call out "Hey, it's Mike" (our next door neighbor), then they are in danger from the BG. In other words, helpful neighbors coming over are going to create danger for themselves, and are unlikely to be able to help. There is one exception: our across-the-street neighbor is LEO. Our youngest son has been drilled that, should someone break in the the night, he is to bail out his window immediately and do his best to get over to this guy's house. HIM, I want coming over. Anyone else, I don't want to have to worry about their safety as well as my family's. What about setting up to prevent a BG escape? Again, it sounds great...until Neighbor #1 shoots Neighbor #2 while they're both shooting at the BG, because lo and behold they've got a crossfire situation set up. LEO's know how to do this without blowing each other to Kingdom Come. My neighbors probably don't. Finally, let's assume the neighbors are out there trying to help while the LEOs arrive. The neighbors are now between the LEOs and us, and are in danger of being mistaken for BGs at worst, or even at best being in the way of what the police need to be doing. I am not a police officer. I do not play one on TV, even if I do wish I looked like Mariska Hargitay I am not qualified to come to your rescue in your house if I hear gunfire. I wish I was, but I am not, and the truth is, if I try, I may get us both killed. But I will call 911, because that's the most useful thing I can do. Springmom __________________ I will not be a victim home on the web: www.panagia-icons.net (my webpage) www.nousfromspring.blogspot.com (Orthodoxy) "I couldn't hear you. Stop firing the gun while you're talking!" Frank Drebin, The Naked Gun

August 5, 2006, 08:18 PM	#18
OneInTheChamber Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2005 Posts: 789	Bad idea: 1. You could get shot by the BG. 2. You could get shot by responding LEO's who see you entering a house with a weapon where someone was just assaulted. They will assume you are the BG. 3. You could get shot by the neighbor who mistook you for the BG. 4. You could be held liable legally or financially responsible for shooting a BG not on your own property (Depends on state and local laws). You look out for you and yours. If it happens you can safely intervene to save a life, go ahead. I'm not risking my life for the neighbor's TV.

August 6, 2006, 12:12 AM	#20
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,990	I would say that if a person feels that they must get involved if there is a situation like the one posed, they need to PREpare. Do you know your neighbors? How many of them do you know? (Hint: How far away can you hear a shot?) Do your neighbors know you? When you end up in their front yard that is now a crime scene and the police acost you and find you have a weapon (remember gunshots were just fired) is the neighbor going to vouch for you or tell the cops he has no idea who you are? Are you going to be able to prove who you are? (Hint: Do you normally carry ID around the house when you're at home?) Do you know if the car parked in front of the house belongs to the resident? Do you know if the kid running down the street is a stranger or one of your neighbor's relatives? Can you legally carry off your property? Did you remember to bring your CHL/CCW permit with you when you grabbed your gun and flashlight? Are you carrying concealed? If not, is it legal to open carry in your area? In TX, not even a permit will let you carry a handgun openly off your own property. (Hints: Do you normally wear a concealment garment around the house or have one near the door? Do you normally have a holster on or have one near the door?) Does your spouse know what to do when you run out the front door to investigate gunshots? Are they going to tag along in pajamas to make sure you're ok? Call 911? What will they tell 911 if they do call? What about your kids? Are you gonna have to fight with them to keep them from coming investigating with you? Are they going to run out in the yard to see what's going on after you leave? If you feel obligated to be security for the neighborhood, you'd better know your neighbors and your neighborhood VERY well or you're going to be more of a nuisance (at best) than a help. You'd also better know the laws in your area and make sure that you comply. You'd also better formulate a plan for what family members are to do in such a situation so that it doesn't turn into a goat-rope. Taking care of you and yours is not a simple task. Things get a lot more complicated if you're going to try to take care of the neighborhood too. It's going to require a lot of preparation and at least a minimal level of continued effort to keep track of new neighbors, kids coming back from college, new car purchases, etc. I'll say it again. Interjecting your armed self into a crime scene is a touchy operation with a lot of potential for negative outcome. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

August 6, 2006, 01:22 AM	#21
Doubletaptap Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2006 Location: Around north Houston Posts: 287	First I want to say, I wish I lived next to Springmom. She's smart and sounds like a great person to have as a neighbor!! I don't live too far from her but too far for her to help me if a situation occured. Now as for the scenario, Arm yourself, secure your home,call 911 and report shots fired,stay on the line with them if you can and observe and report. If you do go outside,stay in your own yard. Heck maybe you'll get lucky and get to shoot the BG's tires out as he tries to flee the scene!!! Your best help will be on the phone with the law. Giving addresses,descriptions and updates as they occur. This will help the law do their job faster and may result in a arrest!! Of course they'll release the BG on his own recognisance because of jails being overcrowded!!:barf: __________________ Don't believe the hype!!!

August 6, 2006, 11:48 AM	#22
silicon wolverine Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2006 Location: South dakota Posts: 674	I had a staff member admonish me (and rightly so) for posing the scenario of a BG in burger king shoot/no shoot. Thread was subsequently locked. I dont understand how this is different. I would like the staff to post EXACTLY what the limits are to "senario" talk. Perhaps that would limit the argument. SW

August 6, 2006, 05:56 PM	#23
PythonGuy Junior member Join Date: November 4, 2004 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 456	This thread will be locked too, this is just another "how can I use my gun" thread thinly disguised as "but I HAVE to help my neighbor". There are so many variables, did the neighbor have a ND? Are they in trouble or is it a domestic? in which case who shot who? Springmom's observations were exactly correct, people who are also licensed gun owners must avoid "The Long Ranger" syndrome. We're ready Mod's, lock at will......

August 6, 2006, 06:08 PM	#24
Topthis Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2005 Posts: 863	Happened to me. It came from a neighbor that I did not know very well. I just called 911 (do did a few others) and the police came VERY quickly and resolved the situation. According to the police, it was an A.D. and they did not say much more. If it had been a neighbor that I knew well...I don't think I would have done much different other than calling my neighbor after calling 911. Running into an unknown situation with shots fired...having a handgun with me...sounds like more trouble than help. My opinion. Heck, in my opinion, if you really love your family...then stay and make sure that they are protected and safe, also, if you love your family, why place yourself in a situation that may get you killed or seriously injured...or do something that may cause you to get sued.

August 6, 2006, 06:37 PM	#25
tony pasley Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2006 Location: western north carolina Posts: 1,641	what if le is over 30 mins. away i live in the country and know both my nieghbors in fact all 3 within .5 miles we look out for each other and even who come up the road.