Shoot or don't Shoot?

[Tiger!]

Your in your home at night watching the news. The're talking about arm home invasion robberies and you hear a sound down stares or in you backyard you grab you AR/Shoot gun/Handgun/trebuchet and flashlight to go check it out. You make it to your back porch and boom your hit with one of those 500 lune flashlights and hear a man's voice say "Police drop your weapon!". But you can't see who said this only a light.

1. If you run for cover cops or bad guys might shoot you.

2 If you drop your weapon and it's the bad guys then they take your gun and rape your family then kill your family in front of you with your gun.

3.You tell them to lower there light cops tell you to **** off. Bad guy have time to shoot you since your talking.

4. You shoot at the light as soon as you see it and kill the bad guy and you a hero. Going on the make CA a right to carry state and the CCW friendliest place on earth.

5. You shoot at the light as soon as you see it and kill officer Fife a day before he was to retire. The Gov take away the 2rd amendment the NRA disbands and the Chinese invade a newly disarmed America and you go to Jail forever.

Also what do you do if they didn't say police?

[Kodemonkey]

Ok, I'll play...

Last time I checked, the police aren't breaking into my house and are in my living room. But if they are, well, that no knock warrant is a *****... The only thing I can say is that the probability of a no knock warrant happening to me is lower than a burglar impersonating a police officer, and I would roll my odds in that it was an impersonator. That's why no knocks need to be illegal...

Of someone is in my back yard, the next thing I will hear is "911 what's your emergency". And I'll tell them there's someone in my yard. I'm not going out to find trouble.

[Ron-Solo]

Basic rule - Be sure of your target BEFORE you shoot. All you have here is some guesses, none of which justify a shooting situation, and will probably get you killed.

Go back to watching TV, it's safer.

[tdyoung1958]

If I am upstairs I'm not going down stairs to protect "stuff" I'm dialing 911 and waiting at the top of the stairs with my 12 guage until LEO's get there. I have insurance that will pay for new "stuff." People get to attached to their "stuff," like I told my ex in our divorce, "take what you want, everything can be replaced by bigger and better"

Now if someone comes up the stairs where the people I cherish and love are . . . they aren't gonna make it without a fight

[Cpl. Haas]

Sounds like a lot of bad choices. What if the voice behind the light is unarmed? Impersonating a peace officer is not grounds to use deadly force.

[lilro]

Well, in CA you have extremely limited self defense rights. I wouldn't even step outside. I'd get a good distance from the door and set up shop and wait for them to enter.

Or, I'd drop to prone and see how they respond. If shots are fired, cops or not, I'm shooting back. When they get closer or my eyes adjust to the light, I'll judge whether they're LEO or not. If so, I'll slide my gun across the ground and stay prone.

[toby]

....................

[SnWnMe]

If I am upstairs I'm not going down stairs to protect "stuff" I'm dialing 911 and waiting at the top of the stairs with my 12 guage until LEO's get there. I have insurance that will pay for new "stuff." People get to attached to their "stuff," like I told my ex in our divorce, "take what you want, everything can be replaced by bigger and better"

Now if someone comes up the stairs where the people I cherish and love are . . . they aren't gonna make it without a fight

I'm with this guy. I'll spend the few seconds I have barricading myself in my bedroom with my boomstick.

[Ron-Solo]

Or, I'd drop to prone and see how they respond. If shots are fired, cops or not, I'm shooting back. When they get closer or my eyes adjust to the light, I'll judge whether they're LEO or not. If so, I'll slide my gun across the ground and stay prone.

Ok, so the cops have identified themselves and told you to freeze, drop your weapon, etc. You are clearly armed and make an aggressive move into a prone shooting position. What do you think is going to happen? You've just initiated a firefight that you will probably lose in the long run, along with your life, and most certainly, your freedom.

I once responded to a home invasion robbery where we knew there were three suspects. When the first two armed suspects came out we detained them at gunpoint from a position of advantage and cover. When a third armed person came running out seconds later holding a 1911, we yelled at him to freeze. Had he done what you suggested, we would have killed him sure as hell. It would have been tragic, since he was the homeowner who was chasing the two suspects with his money, but he would have been dead just the same. The other suspect went out the back while we were dealing with the first two. (He was killed by police during a bank robbery about six months later). [We got on the first season of Rescue 911 for that incident in the City of San Dimas]

Sometimes, you just have to go on faith that it really is the police out there. While it can be imposters, that is really the exception rather than the norm. You have the option....comply and hope it is really the police, or the crooks might rob you. You can always replace stuff. The other option is to do stupid stuff and engage the police in a firefight. That's a losing proposition all the way around.

[Agent 0range]

First mistake is watching the news. Sounds like it's just making you paranoid! Second mistake was opening the door. STAY INSIDE! Better yet, stay upstairs.

[Arkangel]

If I am upstairs I'm not going down stairs to protect "stuff" I'm dialing 911 and waiting at the top of the stairs with my 12 guage until LEO's get there. I have insurance that will pay for new "stuff." People get to attached to their "stuff," like I told my ex in our divorce, "take what you want, everything can be replaced by bigger and better"

Now if someone comes up the stairs where the people I cherish and love are . . . they aren't gonna make it without a fight

Another +1

If your loved ones are all upstairs, call 911 and hold the staircase. No need to go out looking for trouble. If you don't have multiple bedrooms to secure, secure your door and wait for LE.

[alfred1222]

If I am upstairs I'm not going down stairs to protect "stuff" I'm dialing 911 and waiting at the top of the stairs with my 12 guage until LEO's get there. I have insurance that will pay for new "stuff." People get to attached to their "stuff," like I told my ex in our divorce, "take what you want, everything can be replaced by bigger and better"

Now if someone comes up the stairs where the people I cherish and love are . . . they aren't gonna make it without a fight

I agree as well. Id get the family somewhere safe, close the doors, and get as many guns pointed toward the door as possible.

[lilro]

Ok, so the cops have identified themselves and told you to freeze, drop your weapon, etc. You are clearly armed and make an aggressive move into a prone shooting position. What do you think is going to happen? You've just initiated a firefight that you will probably lose in the long run, along with your life, and most certainly, your freedom.

I once responded to a home invasion robbery where we knew there were three suspects. When the first two armed suspects came out we detained them at gunpoint from a position of advantage and cover. When a third armed person came running out seconds later holding a 1911, we yelled at him to freeze. Had he done what you suggested, we would have killed him sure as hell. It would have been tragic, since he was the homeowner who was chasing the two suspects with his money, but he would have been dead just the same. The other suspect went out the back while we were dealing with the first two. (He was killed by police during a bank robbery about six months later). [We got on the first season of Rescue 911 for that incident in the City of San Dimas]

Sometimes, you just have to go on faith that it really is the police out there. While it can be importers, that is really the exception rather than the norm. You have the option....comply and hope it is really the police, or the crooks might rob you. You can always replace stuff. The other option is to do stupid stuff and engage the police in a firefight. That's a losing proposition all the way around.

Was the third guy blinded by a flashlight? And as I said, if faced with that scenario I would not go outside in the first place. If for whatever reason I find myself outside, armed, and blinded, I'm gonna try to get out of the path of the light so I can see, and make assessment from there.

And most criminals don't like witnesses. If I drop my weapon, I'd probably die. If I hold my weapon, I'd probably die, but I'd be able to atleast attempt to defend myself.

But this is a high stress situation I've never had to face. So there's really no telling how I'd respond.

[calif 15-22]

Your in your home at night watching the news. The're talking about arm home invasion robberies and you hear a sound down stares or in you backyard you grab you AR/Shoot gun/Handgun/trebuchet and flashlight to go check it out. You make it to your back porch and boom your hit with one of those 500 lune flashlights and hear a man's voice say "Police drop your weapon!". But you can't see who said this only a light.


1. If you run for cover cops or bad guys might shoot you.

2 If you drop your weapon and it's the bad guys then they take your gun and rape your family then kill your family in front of you with your gun.

3.You tell them to lower there light cops tell you to **** off. Bad guy have time to shoot you since your talking.

4. You shoot at the light as soon as you see it and kill the bad guy and you a hero. Going on the make CA a right to carry state and the CCW friendliest place on earth.

5. You shoot at the light as soon as you see it and kill officer Fife a day before he was to retire. The Gov take away the 2rd amendment the NRA disbands and the Chinese invade a newly disarmed America and you go to Jail forever.

Also what do you do if they didn't say police?

I read your scenerio carefully and the correct weapon should have been the phone. "grabbing a gun to check it out". Not my first choice.

1. Call 911
2. Get family together behind safe locked door
3. While on the line will 911 tell them you are in the bedroom and armed
4. Hold tight
5. 911 operator will tell you "officers are inside all is clear"
6. Clear gun, put away and greet officers

Anything else is just cowboying it

[DSB]

Or, I'd drop to prone and see how they respond. If shots are fired, cops or not, I'm shooting back. When they get closer or my eyes adjust to the light, I'll judge whether they're LEO or not. If so, I'll slide my gun across the ground and stay prone.

Wow, that's a terrible idea.