FL: Home invasion ends well, but barely

[seamusTX]

In Port Charlotte, Florida (southern Gulf Coast), Saturday night, two men wearing stockings over their faces kicked in the door of a residence. One of the alleged robbers held one of the residents, a 69-year-old man, at knifepoint.

The other resident, the man's 25-year-old son, ran for the bedroom where firearms were stored, followed by the other alleged robber wielding a tire iron. The assailant got in one hit with the tire iron before the younger resident shot him.

Both men fled. The man who was shot ended up in the hospital with a non-fatal injury. He is expected to be charged upon release from the hospital.

Police found and arrested the other man. He is charged with home invasion and attempted murder.

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Why do you need to carry that thing in the house?

- Jim

[arod757]

I hate that you can't feel safe in your own home these days. I would love to keep my CCW in a drawer in the table where I keep my wallet, keys, etc. so it's handy as I leave the house. Nevertheless, here my Glock sits right next to me as I type this out on a break from work (I work at home), it follows me and sits on the counter as I help prepare dinner, then on the end table as I help my daughter with her homework or watch some TV.

Society has made me uncomfortable with not having my weapon at arm's length at all times. Am I too paranoid? Maybe. But article after article of home invasions makes me feel like I'm just paranoid enough.

[seamusTX]

Why don't you wear it in a holster all the time?

Taking reasonable precautions against known risks is not paranoia. There are enough home invasion robberies to make carrying all the time reasonable.

Besides which, it would be a hassle to holster and unholster every time you go in and out.

- Jim

[joe817]

Society has made me uncomfortable with not having my weapon at arm's length at all times. Am I too paranoid? Maybe. But article after article of home invasions makes me feel like I'm just paranoid enough.

Paranoid? No not at all. You are just aware of horrible events becoming more and more common, and are taking the necessary steps to protect yourself, your loved ones and your property.

Many of us(myself included) carry a pistol on our person at all times, starting with putting on our pants in the morning. Does that make me paranoid? Not at all. What it makes me, is aware that bad things can happen to any person, at any time, anywhere they might be.....including in your own home.

I quickly came to realize that when I have my little pistol in my pocket, I don't have to remember to go get it when I need to make a quick trip to the grocery store. It's already there. Is that the epitome of laziness or what?

[bdickens]

It is simpler to just have it on me all the time.

[arod757]

Why don't you wear it in a holster all the time?

No reason. I could and sometimes do, especially if I'm going to be in and out of the house a lot that day. Most of the time I'm at home working from 9:00 to 5:00 like a regular job and it's in its holster, just not on my person.

There's really no need to carry it concealed in my home though. My wife and daughter both know how to shoot. My wife actually has her own CHL. So they're not put off by having the gun in plain sight. I'm lucky to live with females that are comforted by firearms, not frightened by them.

[dewayneward]

After learning of "kickins' in broad daylight, I purchased a couple of door bars



You can get them from Home Depot(w/o the alarm) for $15. I figure that for piece of mind, get a couple of these for the front and back door and it will buy you some time (or make the crook think about his poor leg instead of trying to kick the door in again).

[mgood]

Why don't you wear it in a holster all the time?

Whenever I come home, the first thing I do is empty my pockets, take off my belt, if I'm wearing one, take off my watch, and take off my shoes and socks.
I'm just not really relaxed wearing any of that.
But I live in a two-story apartment. Door is downstairs and I'm upstairs nearly all the time. There's a loaded pistol by the computer and another by the bed. Those are the two places I'm most likely to be. And there's a loaded shotgun a few steps from either. I live alone, so the sound of anyone in my apartment would be cause for grabbing a firearm and they'd have to make it up the stairs.