Call 9.1.1 and leave receiver open. (Hopefully they pick up in time.)
Loudly announce: “I don’t know who the hell you are. I will use deadly force. Get out!”
Announce for 9.1.1 operator: “I am so & so; I’m at **. Someone broke into my house. I consider them a threat to me (and my family).”
If I see them, I point the barrel at them.
If they retreat, I stand still and wait.
If they don’t I repeat: “You are a threat; I will shoot.”
If they approach I pull the trigger at them. (Warning shots are dangerous and stupid.)
B> Is he in my home with my kids/family/loved ones? Call the police and then see if I can get my family out (if he doesn’t know they’re there)
Don’t move anyone. They should be taught to move to a secure place. Your full attention must be on the situation. It takes the brain 3 seconds to fully reorient between “fight or fight” scenarios.
(Follow A, above.)
C> Is he in my car? Call the police and take pictures/video with my cell phone.
This is fine as long as:
the car is pointed away from you.
the perpetrator does not his/her hands out of visibility.
D> Is he in my car with my kids? I find a way to get my kids out of the car and to safety - I would engage somehow. This is far different. I would try to involve 9.1.1, but foremost I have to protect. I would shoot.
How about pepper spray or a Taser? Both are considered nonlethal, as far as I know.
If the situation involved family/children, especially in a vehicle, I would draw/verbal order (if time)/shoot, assuming their lives are in danger.
From what I know regarding Pepper Spraying is not as good choice because it can spray in an unintended area if a sudden breeze comes up. It’s a far better choice using Pepper Gel because it’s thick and sticky and resistant to breezy days overall. Tazering is good if you’re state allows them. Personally I have Pepper Gel.
There are drug dealers living next door that have threatened to kill us so in my yard I open carry are a deterrent. If they make an aggressive move toward us or our my home then due to their threat I will defend it by force if necessary.
Hi, Linda and welcome to the gang! I do not know where you live but I would suggest keeping your phone on you and calling 911 before you pull the trigger. If you don’t have time to talk, just keep the line open and the operator will know you need help. Get on the phone as soon as you can afterwards and explain the situation. The 911 people can find your location via the GPS chip in your phone. Drug dealers are nothing to play around with. I do NOT envy you!
A lot of people are anti-OC and pro-CC because they 1) want the element of surprise and 2) don’t want to be identified as a “shoot him first” target by bad guys.
In your case, you’ve already been identified as a target, so that no longer applies.
There are situations where, especially since I’m female and north of my fighting-prime age, I really would rather have a deterrent than the element of surprise. If I can get a bad guy to just move along because I don’t look like a soft target, then I don’t have to have the confrontation at all… and for me that’s better than the element of surprise. In those situations, I open carry.
Sounds like a difficult situation you’ve got on your hands… stay aware and stay safe, and welcome to the group.
Have you spoken with your police department about these threats? I know they cannot preemptively do anything, however having a record of those threats can be very helpful if you ever do need to physically defend yourself against their aggression.
2 years ago early afternoon I pulled into my driveway and noticed 2 of my neighbors standing on my sidewalk with terrified looks on their faces. I got out of my car and as I approached them on my sidewalk they pointed across the street to a pit bull running loose. As I got closer I could see the dog growling and snarling slowly approaching the 3 of us. I had my hand on my Glock ready to draw and shoot. Just as I was drawing the police along with animal control pulled up. We watched as they snared the dog. I was ready. Not scared and certainly not over reacting. When seconds count the police are minutes away.
Hi Brian!
I’m 5’ tall and a spitfire when it comes to my property-I would definitely be running toward and yelling “get away from my Jeep”! It’s mine and I would protect it! I wouldn’t let anyone know I was armed, I believe that the “bad guy” wants to avoid confrontation and avoid “all eyes on him”.
For the “Truck Scenario” I would reach for my … wait for it… Key Fob. If you set off the alarm the doors lock and the engine is disabled. Not to mention the whole horn and lights thing. If the bad guy want’s to turn and come at me after that … Wellllll now that’s a different story.
Ok, so for the first time ever I think I might want to put an after-market alarm on my old trucks… none of them come from the era where remote-key-fob-anything existed. Now I’m going to go consider the pros and cons of such a thing.
You’ve updated my thinking. Thank you.
@Zee Unless you drive a manual the easiest upgrade is a remote start system. I put one in Momma’s 13’ Rav4 from a company called 12voltsolutions.com. Pretty much plug and play. My 99 Ram came with a Fob but my 99 Ranger is all Emanuel as is my 77 Ranchero. They could have the Ranger, I’d get more from insurance than I could sell it for Now my Chero, we’re going to have issues
Love your feisty attitude
And… I’m going to suggest maybe a careful consideration of the specific situation is called for before you dash out yelling and scare the daylights out of the bad guy.
I’ve owned a number of fierce little terriers and they’ll take on ANYthing. They have Absolutely No Idea how small they are, in their hearts they are lions. Mostly the surprise and volume and ferocity works. Occasionally, they come up against a foe who knows their own size, or who reacts from fear, or feels cornered, and then the terriers lose bigtime.
Being fierce is good. Being smart and fierce is better.
Absent a deadly threat no but in many states now any carjacking is considered to be a deadly force encounter in which you can legally use deadly force to stop the attack.
Of course, you have to be in the vehicle/entering/exiting.
Now my Chero, we’re going to have issues 
