Lesson learnt: don't go out to investigate with a gun...

[Jicko]

Lesson learnt from recent "cop shoot the wrong guy" incidents:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=128635

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=137226

I think the lesson to be learnt here for the rest of us is if you hear some noises in the middle of the night, out the front of your house or in your backyard, don't go out with a gun to "investigate". Instead, stay in, fortify your position, so that you can defend yourself and your family if the bad guys decided to bust in.

And if you have to, stay behind cover, and yell out something like: "I am in fear of my life, and I have a gun".... so, if it is the "good guys" (cops) out there, it will give them a chance to yell back, rather than spotting you having a gun and then proceed to dropping you.

[Maddog5150]

This is the standard when teaching NRA defensive tactics. We are supposed to teach students to NEVER EVER go outside to investigate a noise. On an other note though, with me its more like, "do as I say not as I do."

[Salty]

Here's my story, happened close to a year ago:

Woke up at around 3am I think it was to the sound of "BOOM....BOOM....BOOM". It sounded as if someone was kicking in my back door. I woke up, went to the closet, and loaded my only gun, a .22 rifle. The loading seemed as if it took 100 years while the guy was banging at the door. I believe I stopped at about 6 rounds, and then snuck out the bedroom door and turned the hall light on *clop clop clop clop clop*, guy runs away when I turn the light on. I finish looking around the house, then peak out the windows. I see nothing, so I slowly open the front door to take a peek. Coast looks clear, so I get out on the porch. Then I see a flashlight and a head peek over the fence (I did not take aim, because I had not identified a target and that probably saved my life). After again what seems like 100 years of shining a flashlight in my eyes I hear "________ Police! Are you the home owner!?" I reply "Yes, someone tried to kick in my door" she replies "are you the one who called us?" I reply "No, it just happened" she then replies "Ok, there’s someone in the neighborhood, go back inside with your gun and we'll look for him out hear" I reply "ok, thanks!". She was as cool and collected as I was, and that saved both of our asses. When she said "go inside with the gun" it wasn't in a negative way, more encouragement than anything. They spent the rest of the night combing the neighborhood with dogs, but as far as I know they ever caught the guy. In the morning I looked at the back door and it had a bunch of muddy shoe prints all over it. I now know that I shouldn't have gone outside, and I know that I probably should have retreated back into the house the second I saw the flashlight, but when it's 3am and you've just been woken up by an attempted break in you aren't exactly thinking clearly. I also learned my lesson about the gun, now I keep a loaded 9mm by the nightstand vs. an unloaded .22 in the closet. Also upgraded the locks and lighting situation. Again, I'm glad the officer was level headed, and I'm glad I remembered the 4 rules and didn't point my rifle at something I wasn't ready to shoot. In the future though I won't venture outside the house, nothing good will come of it. Even if I catch the dude, what am I gonna do, chase him down the street? I'd rather he just be gone, I'll let the police do the chasing. If there is ever a next time, and I hope there isn't, I will call the cops and spend my time guarding the bedroom door. The crooks can take what they want (that's what insurance is for), long as my wife and I don't get hurt. If that's what they want though, to hurt my wife and I, then I'm prepared to stop them.

[mvpatriot]

Really an unfortunate series of events.
Hopefully I am never put in this type of situation.
RIP to the man and his family (one of whom has posted his story here in another thread)

[Boots]

Thanks for sharing

Boots

[technique]

I don't mount lights on my weapon for reasons like this.

Once I walked outside with my G35/mounted w/light to investigate a noise. I was just about to point my light/gun in the direction the noises were coming from when I was flashed with a light by a person identifying them selves as LE. Lucky for me I did not raise my weapon/light in their direction. I was told to go back in my home, and I did.

I now have a small Pentagon LED handheld light I keep with my Kimber.

Its very unfortunate that innocent people are mistakenly shot by police. Its hard in this type of situation to place fault on either side.

[CitaDeL]

This may not be a popular view, but I dont think the lesson here is for us to learn... I believe the burden of learning is still on the police.

We still do not know the full set of circumstances in the most recent shooting in Stockton, but I am not going to lay the blame on a homeowner who is totally within his rights to be armed in defense of himself and his household.

[Saigon1965]

Now go and tell this to all those guys who think your tactics of not mounting lights is outdated -

I too do not mount my lights -

I don't mount lights on my weapon for reasons like this.

Once I walked outside with my G35/mounted w/light to investigate a noise. I was just about to point my light/gun in the direction the noises were coming from when I was flashed with a light by a person identifying them selves as LE. Lucky for me I did not raise my weapon/light in their direction. I was told to go back in my home, and I did.

I now have a small Pentagon LED handheld light I keep with my Kimber.

Its very unfortunate that innocent people are mistakenly shot by police. Its hard in this type of situation to place fault on either side.

[WokMaster1]

Now go and tell this to all those guys who think your tactics of not mounting lights is outdated -

I too do not mount my lights -

I thought I'm the only doofus in CA who does not have a light mounted firearm.

Let's ALL be careful out there.

[Salty]

For what it's worth, if you point the light on your pistol towards the celling it'll light up the entire room and still be pointed in a fairly safe direction.

[Jicko]

Now go and tell this to all those guys who think your tactics of not mounting lights is outdated -

I too do not mount my lights -

1) mount a light to your firearm

2) also have an additional light as if you do not have a weapon mounted light

Then you can do it both ways.... use your #2 to search and look.... when you HAVE to use your firearm, you can drop your #2 anytime... and use your #1... given that you have a pressure activiated switch....

For what it's worth, if you point the light on your pistol towards the celling it'll light up the entire room and still be pointed in a fairly safe direction.

This won't work if you are not indoor....

[cactus]

Jicko you and I have the same tactic and I figure 2 lights are better than one. Also I keep my flash light rite by the bed so can use it to open the safe. I know with how I sleep I want my brain to be functioning prior to grabbing a gun figuring out the combo helps for me.

[Theseus]

I figure I don't need a light. . There is a light right by the front door and if anyone comes through I will have a perfect target and with the lights inside turned off he won't see what hit him/her.

[emc002]

I guess I'll be the only one to disagree here.
Running livestock, if I hear noises outside or am alerted by the dog, I DO go outside, armed. Not rushing out of my house, screaming like a berserker, mind you, but I do go out.
Now bear in mind that LE or an intruder would have a hell of a time making it even UP to my house (unless they're one of my LE freinds with the gate code) and walk the 1/2 mile driveway.
I've saved plenty of livestock this way and ran off one tweaker who was WAY lost and a couple trespassing poachers.
Your results may vary.

ETA: And my flashlight is not mounted on my handguns, I keep it in my offhand.

[Tony.]

I don't mount lights on my weapon for reasons like this.

Once I walked outside with my G35/mounted w/light to investigate a noise. I was just about to point my light/gun in the direction the noises were coming from when I was flashed with a light by a person identifying them selves as LE. Lucky for me I did not raise my weapon/light in their direction. I was told to go back in my home, and I did.

I now have a small Pentagon LED handheld light I keep with my Kimber.

Its very unfortunate that innocent people are mistakenly shot by police. Its hard in this type of situation to place fault on either side.

+1 I could never understand what the fascination is with a flashlight mounted to your gun.