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kragluver wrote:Shooting through a closed outer door clearly violates the safety rule of being sure of your target and what is BEHIND it. In attempting to shoot over the BG's head, the homeowner ran a serious risk of striking a neighbor. Remember that every bullet has a lawyer attached.

And every round that does not strike the intended target strikes an unintended one.

C-dub wrote:I'm not so sure I wouldn't shoot through the door. Remember a little while back here in Dallas a home owner shoot a local musician through his door and he was no-billed. The musician was drunk and had the wrong house and was pounding on the door threatening the man. He thought it was his girlfriends house. The home owner tried to shoot over his head through the door, but the guy was around 6'6" and was hit in the head.

It depends on the demeanor and attitude of the person trying to get through my door. A Girl Scout or LEO wound not be threatening me.

It's worthwhile to remember that one grand jury's no bill decision is not binding on any other case, and that the incident you cited was controversial in the initial stages.

Circumstances vary and the best thing to do will vary from case to case. However, the aftermath will be shorter, gentler, and less expensive if responding police find the violent criminal had been engaged inside the home with a splintered door frame behind him.

remington79 wrote:You shouldn't give any access codes to dispatch. They have to let the responding officers know what the code is and the only way to do that (if they are already on scene) is by radio. Now anyone with a scanner will know your access code.

Not true.

Virtually every officer carries a cell phone, and you can request that the access code be transmitted that way. Also some police agencies encrypt their radio communications so they can't be monitored by the bad guys. Finally, if you have any doubts, it takes about 2 minutes to change the access code to another one after the incident.

The benefits of being able to provide police access to the interior without having to move from your safe position far outweigh the minor inconvenience of programming another code into your lock or garage door keypad.

atxgun wrote:Let's say there's an unknown person banging on your locked front door demanding entry, and for the sake of argument they specifically state they want to rape and kill your family. You tell them in no uncertain terms you will fire upon them if they breach your doorway.

You proceed to call 911 to report the incident but yet either they are still pounding or you have no idea if they have really left if the sounds stop.

How do you best communicate to 911 that you are armed and will remain on guard until the police arrive while minimizing the chances you are shot by the responding officers?

Do you ask for a callback while they LEOs are arriving? Should you try to establish a password so you can confirm it is them at the door? Has anyone responded to a (more realistic) scenario similar to this?

Here's my suggestion for the situation you posed:

Keep an open line with the dispatcher and provide immediate updates of any changes.

Advise the dispatcher that you are armed and will disarm when officers are confirmed on scene.

Identify which door they can approach safely and where you will be expecting them.

Take up the best defensive position in the house and stay there.

Put all of your family members in a locked protected space where the access path is in your view and under your control.

Give a complete description of yourself and where you are in the house.

Use tactical breathing (in through the nose over 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, out through the mouth over 4 seconds - repeat at least 4 times) to lower your heart rate, limit the neuropsychological effects of exposure to danger, and help you think more clearly.

Don't move from your position unless it becomes tactically necessary. In that case, immediately tell the dispatcher what you're doing and where you're going.

When officers are confirmed to be in control of the perimeter, tell the dispatcher you are disarming and will let them in through the previously identified door. Confirm with the dispatcher that responding officers have been given your description. Then put your gun away, walk normally (don't run) to the door with your hands empty, in clear view and away from your body, and let them in.

If you think an intruder may be inside, stay in your defensive shelter area until officers have searched the house. You can give them access by advising the dispatcher that you will open a specific window to pass them a key, waiting for confirmation that officers on scene have been advised, putting your gun out of sight, and moving slowly to the window with hands in clear view. Tell the officers you are the homeowner and will drop them a key, and do it.

If your garage door has a wireless keypad outside or if you have some of the newer electronic keypad controlled locks on your doors, you can also give the dispatcher the access code and ask officers to make entry that way. Advise the dispatcher that you will remain in your shelter location until it is confirmed that officers have full control of the approach to the shelter area and are expecting you to open the door. Put your gun away. Shout through the door that you are the homeowner and will be opening the door. Get acknowledgment from the officers that this is OK. Then open the door slowly with your hands in clear view.

This is a basic plan. There are obviously lots of contingencies that may have to be adapted to, but it gives you a place to start.