redpitbull44
Expert
- Sep 30, 2010
- 926
- 18
This morning at 7:30 I had a guy break into my house. He came in through my back door, which is adjacent to my bedroom. The back door is ~1/2" narrower than the hallway it opens into. The wife and I were fast asleep, and heard a loud bang on the back door. We were both jolted awake. The second bang I was throwing off the blankets and on my feet, reaching into the gun safe where my M&P 45 resides loaded, with a round in the chamber. By the third and final bang, the door popped open. I heard my 70lb pitbull "Spot" charging down the hallway, and he hit the back door as it came open. The intruder braced the door, and then dashed into my bedroom, where me, my wife, and my 3 month old son had been sleeping. He was met by me standing there, pistol in hand, with every last micro inch of trigger slack and takeup depressed. That is to say, I was literally waiting for the shot to break, as he began screaming "Its me, its me, don't shoot!" The man was wearing a camouflage shirt, a ball cap, and a turkey hunter style face mask.
I wear contact lenses, but I don't sleep in them, so I could not see him very well. My first reaction was "Who the F*** ARE YOU!!!!???!!!" "It's me, Johnny" he replied, and pulled down his mask.
*Back Story*
Johnny is related to three of my neighbors. He's a two time convicted felon. I know he has been to prison, and that he went to prison for burglary. I also know that Johnny has had a drug problem. I saw Johnny just two weeks ago. He was there when I had to put down a dog that had been hit by a car. Johnny doesn't live near me, but as stated, his mother, grandmother, and cousin all live within a mile of my house. Today, he looked much thinner than he was two weeks ago. I have had dealings with meth users, and he definitely fit that description to a tee. He looked like he'd been up for 3-4 days.
* *
Upon hearing him say "It's me, Johnny." I said "What the hell are you doing breaking into my house?"
He replied "I'm scared man. Somebody's after me. They're gonna kill me. I didn't know who else to go to, so I came to you."
I said "Man, I got my wife here, my baby's laying there, get outta here, just get out on the porch." I grabbed my glasses, and followed him out the door in my boxers, .45 in hand. I know that meth, and other similar drugs will make a user paranoid, especially after prolonged use. Johnny proceeded to tell me that he had been partying with some people, had sex with somebody's girlfriend, and the guy was trying to kill him. I stood there looking at him, trying to figure out what was going through his head. In his hands were a flatbar and a pair of bolt cutters. In his back pocket was a pair of pliers. In his front pocket were several wads of rope, a digital camera hanging from a case around his neck, and a 5-6" hunting knife hanging from his belt.
I told him "Go around to the front. I'm gonna throw some clothes on." I went back in, dropped my P3AT in my pocket, and clipped on my Kershaw Tanto Blur. I went back out with my .45 in hand. I stood there listened to him for 20 minutes, attempting to calm him, and interjecting advice all the while.
I instructed him to go down to his grandma's house and hole up in case the guy came looking for him. I knew that he was coming down, and would need to find a place to crash. I also knew that he wasn't going too far. Understand that Johnny said he tried my front door, and then tried my back door when nobody answered. The problem with that is, my dog goes nuts any time somebody pulls into the driveway, touches the gate, or knocks on the door.
After he left, I called 911 to have a deputy come out. My wife and I made statements, and the Deputy went down and picked him up for Residential Entry. Due to his prior offenses, he is looking at 20 years and $110,000 bail.
Johnny's female cousin, and her boyfriend (a friend of mine) came down to get the story, apologize, and thank me for not killing him. His grandma followed suit an hour later. The cousin informed me that Johnny had been on a bender, because his girlfriend was kicking him out. His grandma informed me that there are three guys after Johnny, looking to kill him over drug money. Johnny gave the deputy the names of the guys that are after him, as well as enough info to hang them.
I just can't help thinking things like "Should I have shot him?", "I guess it's a good thing I didn't do that trigger job yet.", and "Who else do I have to worry about breaking into my place".
Everybody keeps telling me that I used good judgement in not killing him, and that this is a "win", because everybody is safe, Johnny is in jail, and the police have leads on the drug dealers.
I wear contact lenses, but I don't sleep in them, so I could not see him very well. My first reaction was "Who the F*** ARE YOU!!!!???!!!" "It's me, Johnny" he replied, and pulled down his mask.
*Back Story*
Johnny is related to three of my neighbors. He's a two time convicted felon. I know he has been to prison, and that he went to prison for burglary. I also know that Johnny has had a drug problem. I saw Johnny just two weeks ago. He was there when I had to put down a dog that had been hit by a car. Johnny doesn't live near me, but as stated, his mother, grandmother, and cousin all live within a mile of my house. Today, he looked much thinner than he was two weeks ago. I have had dealings with meth users, and he definitely fit that description to a tee. He looked like he'd been up for 3-4 days.
* *
Upon hearing him say "It's me, Johnny." I said "What the hell are you doing breaking into my house?"
He replied "I'm scared man. Somebody's after me. They're gonna kill me. I didn't know who else to go to, so I came to you."
I said "Man, I got my wife here, my baby's laying there, get outta here, just get out on the porch." I grabbed my glasses, and followed him out the door in my boxers, .45 in hand. I know that meth, and other similar drugs will make a user paranoid, especially after prolonged use. Johnny proceeded to tell me that he had been partying with some people, had sex with somebody's girlfriend, and the guy was trying to kill him. I stood there looking at him, trying to figure out what was going through his head. In his hands were a flatbar and a pair of bolt cutters. In his back pocket was a pair of pliers. In his front pocket were several wads of rope, a digital camera hanging from a case around his neck, and a 5-6" hunting knife hanging from his belt.
I told him "Go around to the front. I'm gonna throw some clothes on." I went back in, dropped my P3AT in my pocket, and clipped on my Kershaw Tanto Blur. I went back out with my .45 in hand. I stood there listened to him for 20 minutes, attempting to calm him, and interjecting advice all the while.
I instructed him to go down to his grandma's house and hole up in case the guy came looking for him. I knew that he was coming down, and would need to find a place to crash. I also knew that he wasn't going too far. Understand that Johnny said he tried my front door, and then tried my back door when nobody answered. The problem with that is, my dog goes nuts any time somebody pulls into the driveway, touches the gate, or knocks on the door.
After he left, I called 911 to have a deputy come out. My wife and I made statements, and the Deputy went down and picked him up for Residential Entry. Due to his prior offenses, he is looking at 20 years and $110,000 bail.
Johnny's female cousin, and her boyfriend (a friend of mine) came down to get the story, apologize, and thank me for not killing him. His grandma followed suit an hour later. The cousin informed me that Johnny had been on a bender, because his girlfriend was kicking him out. His grandma informed me that there are three guys after Johnny, looking to kill him over drug money. Johnny gave the deputy the names of the guys that are after him, as well as enough info to hang them.
I just can't help thinking things like "Should I have shot him?", "I guess it's a good thing I didn't do that trigger job yet.", and "Who else do I have to worry about breaking into my place".
Everybody keeps telling me that I used good judgement in not killing him, and that this is a "win", because everybody is safe, Johnny is in jail, and the police have leads on the drug dealers.
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