Stupid gun incident...

[7.62FMJ]

I don't have many cool gun stories save this one which is dumb but anyway. A few years ago I had a condominium. One night while watching TV I hear this banging against my door, then hear screaming in the hallway. I wasn't sure if it was directed at my door or another condo. This went on for about two minutes so I grabbed a Beretta and stood next to my door yelling at whoever was outside my door. Then they started trying to kick my door in. Two things went through my mind, first I was being raided (during the fun Clinton years) or second it was someone who was trying to rob me. Feeling like the Beretta wasn't enough I ran to grab a shotgun but just then the door flew open. I turned around and levelled the 9 on this guy coming through my door shouting at him to stop only I couldn't see him because he was backlit and shadowed standing in the doorway. Then he walks right into my living room out of view, the only light in the condo was from the hallway and from my tv. Now I'm really freaked out because here I am trapped down this little hallway with some guy in my living room. I was yelling for whoever it was to get down, that I will shoot, only no one responded. Suddenly I see the guy walk in front of my TV. He stopped, looked right at me, and said my name just as I was about to pull the trigger. I told him to get on the ground and finally he did realizing that I was serious. I kept the gun levelled on him as he started to get down and then he says my name again. I realize it's my neighbor from downstairs- the guy was coked up and thought someone was in his condo with his old lady only he kicked in the wrong door. I decided to call the cops and when I went into the kitchen to get the phone, he ran out of the door. I called the cops and then just sat down on my kitchen floor leaned up against my fridge. The cops arrived and searched the area but didn't find him which made it even worse. That night I didn't go to bed because first my door was completely busted open and could only be shut but not locked because the frame was broke. They ended up catching him later on some warrant issues and I never saw the guy again. It freaked me out enough that I ended up keeping an FAL with several loaded mags inside the hall closet the rest of time I lived there.

[ballistic]

All the things I'd like to say are better left unsaid. Your neighbor was very lucky, owing to your tremendous restraint. Hopefully now he's where he can't bother anybody.

[haspelbein]

Yikes! After such an incident I wouldn't have even bothered to have the door fixed, but scheduled the moving truck for the next day.

P.S.: I once woke up to a druggie standing over my bed in my dorm room. It was freaky, but thankfully she was non-violent.

[Petrovich]

Yikes! After such an incident I wouldn't have even bothered to have the door fixed, but scheduled the moving truck for the next day.

P.S.: I once woke up to a druggie standing over my bed in my dorm room. It was freaky, but thankfully she was non-violent.

Oh, yeah right.....I got laid that way too man.

Nonviolent...sheesh....haspelbein are you putting us on????

Was she purty???

[Petrovich]

I don't have many cool gun stories save this one which is dumb but anyway. A few years ago I had a condominium. One night while watching TV I hear this banging against my door, then hear screaming in the hallway. I wasn't sure if it was directed at my door or another condo. This went on for about two minutes so I grabbed a Beretta and stood next to my door yelling at whoever was outside my door. Then they started trying to kick my door in. Two things went through my mind, first I was being raided (during the fun Clinton years) or second it was someone who was trying to rob me. Feeling like the Beretta wasn't enough I ran to grab a shotgun but just then the door flew open. I turned around and levelled the 9 on this guy coming through my door shouting at him to stop only I couldn't see him because he was backlit and shadowed standing in the doorway. Then he walks right into my living room out of view, the only light in the condo was from the hallway and from my tv. Now I'm really freaked out because here I am trapped down this little hallway with some guy in my living room. I was yelling for whoever it was to get down, that I will shoot, only no one responded. Suddenly I see the guy walk in front of my TV. He stopped, looked right at me, and said my name just as I was about to pull the trigger. I told him to get on the ground and finally he did realizing that I was serious. I kept the gun levelled on him as he started to get down and then he says my name again. I realize it's my neighbor from downstairs- the guy was coked up and thought someone was in his condo with his old lady only he kicked in the wrong door. I decided to call the cops and when I went into the kitchen to get the phone, he ran out of the door. I called the cops and then just sat down on my kitchen floor leaned up against my fridge. The cops arrived and searched the area but didn't find him which made it even worse. That night I didn't go to bed because first my door was completely busted open and could only be shut but not locked because the frame was broke. They ended up catching him later on some warrant issues and I never saw the guy again. It freaked me out enough that I ended up keeping an FAL with several loaded mags inside the hall closet the rest of time I lived there.

Kinda makes a case for carrying at home.

I do....it's always on me.

[haspelbein]

[...]

Oh, yeah right.....I got laid that way too man.

Nonviolent...sheesh....haspelbein are you putting us on????

Was she purty???

If you had only seen it .. ahem her. (Maybe you like the "baglady look"?) She was completely drugged up, and out of it, screaming that she needed medication. I shoved her into the hallway and knocked on a med student's door. He asked her if we should call 911. When she declined, we just escorted her out of the dorm.

I never found out how she actually got by the security gate and the locked door to our floor.

[Petrovich]

[...]

Oh, yeah right.....I got laid that way too man.

Nonviolent...sheesh....haspelbein are you putting us on????

Was she purty???

If you had only seen it .. ahem her. (Maybe you like the "baglady look"?) She was completely drugged up, and out of it, screaming that she needed medication. I shoved her into the hallway and knocked on a med student's door. He asked her if we should call 911. When she declined, we just escorted her out of the dorm.

I never found out how she actually got by the security gate and the locked door to our floor.

Well, I hadda ask; didn't I?

[haspelbein]

[...]
Well, I hadda ask; didn't I?

As I knew you would.

[Safety Guy]

There's a few "learning points" here.

When at home, your first line of defense is usually your perimeter security. This can be limited at an apartment or dorm, but you can still usually improve it.

One doodad I like (also for use in hotels, etc.) is a door "wedge-pole." I've used three different brands, but my favorite is the one by Master Lock company and sold at Meijer for about $20. It seems to have the most robust materials and best rubber pad for the floor placement. This tool is used to prop under the door knob and goes at an angle to the floor, in effect, wedging the door closed. Someone trying to kick in the door will have to break the lock/strike area and then overcome the pole. They may succeed, but you should have extra time to get ready (or get out another way). Keep in mind if they go to kick in the hinge side, this tool won't work.


Yelling through your door at some unknown disturbance is probably not the best thing to do. Best call the cops to check out what's happening, and keep listening for more clues. Yeah, the cops will take some time, but you won't be drawing attention to your pad, as this case appears to demonstrate: two minutes or so of banging, then when the druggie hears noise from your door, he evidently decides that's where he should go.

The "rationality" of an intruder or attacker is not always a given, again demonstrated here. We tend to think in terms of either someone rational like us, or at least "criminally rational": a crook who puts his life ahead of any undue risk. In this case, there was little or no "understanding" of what was going on by the intruder. Thus the unexpected behavior.

You did well not to shoot.

There have been cases in which a drunk "comes home" to the wrong apartment (most of the doors looking alike) and entering an unlocked door, etc. Another reason to have the best locks and security hardware you can get. If we can keep the "problem" outside, we probably won't need to shoot it (there are a few possible exceptions, ie., arson).

I take it you didn't have a peephole or other way of viewing your hallway. Another useful feature.

If one's home is busted into, some spare wood and other construction supplies & tools will be nice to have to temporarily secure your place until better repairs can be made.

Oh, one more thing: an FN FAL is not the best "condominium defense rifle" around. You probably knew that...

Karl