Did I do the right thing?

[Shaun Manning]

I've been carrying for about six months now and like most of us I had always hoped I would never have to draw my weapon let alone use it. Well, I had an incident last week that still has me a bit shaken up and I'm still not sure if I handled it correctly. As an avid reader of the usacarry.com site I thought I'd look to you fine people for an opinion. So, here is that happen:

I currently live in an apartment as I just relocated a few months ago and just now got around to buying a new home. Since I still had quite a few months left on my lease I decided to place an ad on craigslist (I know!!) for someone to sublet my apartment or just take over the lease. I got an email from a person asking if they could come over and look at the apartment. I said no problem and gave him the address. Before I go further let me clarify. Whenever I leave home I am carrying. I don't however, carry around the house but do have a gun in a couple rooms in case of a break-in. So he shows up, young guy, about 19 or 20. My first thought was "this guy can't afford this place". He asks to see the bedroom so I bring him back and walk away toward my nightstand. My back is to him (not smart in retrospect). He then tells me to turn around. Confused, I turn around and he is pointing two somethings at me. He states he has mace and a Tazer and that he wants my cash, phone and any other valuables. I put my hands in front of me and say something like "no problem man, be cool. My wallet is right here in my nightstand" I turned around and opened my nightstand pull out my Glock 19 which I keep there at all times. I turn back to him and aim straight at him and order him to drop the "stuff". He hit me with the mace but with all the adrenaline in my system I really didn't feel it until later. I realized after this that I had my finger on the trigger and probably had it about 1/2 depressed ready to fire. He backed out of the room and yelled for me to drop my gun or he would call the cops (insert laughter here). I yelled back that in XYZ state I have every right to shoot him and an inch of sheet-rock wouldn't protect him. After about 10 more seconds of yelling back and forth he dropped the mace and tazer and ran out of the apartment. I locked the doors and eventually called the cops who came and took a statement. The cop was actually surprised I didn't shoot him.

Here's where I'm struggling. I had every right to shoot him, he maced me and was pointing two weapons at me. however, I realized that they were both defensive weapons that couldn't incapacitate me unless he got a lot closer (it was the type of taser he would have had to touch me with). I guess I felt my life wasn't in immediate jeopardy so I didn't shoot. What would you have done? Was I wrong in not shooting? Did I risk my life? I'm really torn on this issue. Your feedback would be welcome.

Thanks

 

[Paul_of_TX]

I guess in hindsight you did the right thing by not shooting since nobody was harmed. Some don't get that privilege. I think you showed more restraint than most would. If I am in my home, face to face with an attacker and holding a gun there will be a bullet coming out of it. What were his plans after he maced you? What if he got a hold of your gun? If you did shoot him then what would his slimy defense lawyers say was his reason for being in your bedroom? Might claim you invited him in and the toys he brought are because you like it rough. You are alive and not under any suspicion of wrong doing so it is difficult to say you did the wrong thing.

 

[dj12midnit]

I would think at this point since you did not fire, it would be in your best interest to move immediately do not wait. You made this kid look bad, and now that he knows you have a gun he will not be bringing a tazer and mace.

 

[Treo]

Given you’re alive I can’t say you did the wrong thing but I will say that you need to make up your mind that you will shoot or quit carrying the gun. By not shooting you demonstrated your unwillingness which equals unpreparedness. The crook demonstrated his willingness by “firing” as soon as you presented a threat a more savvy crook would have kicked your ass and taken the gun

 

[ZRowe24]

I think you did the right thing because of how it turned out. Obviously you gambled, but you were right. He was a coward. Had he been more prepared you may have lost your life.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using USA Carry mobile app

 

[XD40scinNC]

He will now be more aggressive toward his next victim, perhaps tasing at the first chance he gets.

Sent from my ADR6400L using USA Carry mobile app

 

[tricolordad]

I think you called his bluff correctly and showed great restraint. However...like treo said, had he been a better criminal you'd have gotten your ass kicked. Probably killed too. My gun does not come out unless I am willing to shoot, and yours shouldn't either. When he hit you with the mace, you were at a severe disadvantage. You need to practice getting off the X.

 

[CharlesMorrison]

Don't just "get off the X"... Shoot while doing it.

 

[recithree]

any idoit that would say for you to drop the gun or they will call the police would probably make himself to be the victim and he was just a good ol boy interested in a apartment and you invited him to the bedroom to rob him and good thing he had mace and barely made it out with his life.

makes me want nanny cams in house just like that lady who was beaten.she would of never been able to convey the malice of that guy.

also glad you ok.

 

[Treo]

He was a coward.

How do you figure? the crook attacked as soon as the OP displayed any threat, that's not cowardice.

Had he been more prepared you may have lost your life.

Again, the second the OP showed any inclination to fight the crook attacked. He demonstrated his preparedness (and the fact that he was far more willing to fight than the OP) by "shooting" the second he was confronted with a shoot/no shoot scenario.

The OP is lucky he's not dead

 

[ZRowe24]

He was trying to hold up a person in their own home with mace BC he's too lazy to work for his own...that's a coward.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using USA Carry mobile app

 

[BluesStringer]

If I'm alive and unharmed, you won't find me second-guessing myself for not killing someone.

Here's where I'm struggling.

Nor will I be struggling with the successful expulsion from my presence of someone intent on victimizing me.

I had every right to shoot him

That's not the right question though. Did you have a good reason to shoot him? You're alive and unharmed, and so is he. Unless you're trying to channel Paul Kersey, you should have no regrets about that fact.

he maced me and was pointing two weapons at me. however, I realized that they were both defensive weapons that couldn't incapacitate me unless he got a lot closer (it was the type of taser he would have had to touch me with).

And thus you answered my last question; you had no valid reason to kill him.

I guess I felt my life wasn't in immediate jeopardy so I didn't shoot.

Obviously at this point, you can be sure that your guess was correct, and your decision not to shoot was appropriate.

What would you have done?

Washed out my eyes real good, completed my statement to the cops, calmed down and let the adrenaline work its way out of my system, then spend some time evaluating how to avoid that situation from ever happening again, and then get on with life without being "torn" because I made the appropriate decision not to kill another human being.

Was I wrong in not shooting?

I can't imagine how anyone could come to that conclusion.

Did I risk my life?

You already answered that question above. You "guessed" that you were not in any real danger, and you were right.

I'm really torn on this issue.

The only question you need to answer for yourself is what would've happened if the guy had advanced after hitting you with the spray? Are you capable of pulling the trigger when it is appropriate? If the answer is yes, then you have nothing to be torn about. If the answer is no, then the only thing you have to be torn about is how you're going to sell your guns, because they're doing you more harm than good if you conclude that you aren't a trigger-puller even in a deadly force being used against you scenario.

Your feedback would be welcome.

Well, there ya go then.

Blues

 

[Lowjiber]

Double tap is/was the correct response. Even though invited, a stranger threatened you with two weapons. Your immediate response should have been to eliminate the threat. Period.

 

[walt629]

IMHO and this IS a refection on me, Hesitation like that can make you dead.

The first mistake was not being armed after inviting a stranger into your home.

Next you failed to trust your instincts. I don't care what people say about profiling. If your instinct was to suspect the persons ability to live up to the financial responsibility you were asking him to, then you should have closed the door in his face.

Next you should have taken his ID and held it.
HIM: Hi. I'm here to look at the apartment.
ME: Sure. Let me have your ID.
HIM: Huh?
ME: Yeah. I like to know who I'm dealing with.

If at that point he hesitates, the door closes in his face.

Calling the Cops was the right thing that you did. By you reporting it and getting the description out, you protected yourself from the numb-nut calling the cops and telling them 'you lured him to your apartment to abuse and rob him'. Don't laugh. I've heard of worse.

If you consider this a life learning lesson, you'll benefit from the experience. If not we'll read about it in the news.

 

[gvaldeg1]

Your first mistake was advertising on Craigslist. Your second was giving the guy your address. Your third was not pulling the trigger. BluesStringer said "Obviously at this point, you can be sure that your guess was correct, and your decision not to shoot was appropriate.". The only thing I agree with him about is that your "GUESS" was correct. The guy could have had a knife or even a gun. How do you feel about putting your life on the line based on a "GUESS"? You're the one that has to decide. I'll bet that most of the people on this site would have pulled the trigger.

 

[Loader]

You didn't feel immediately threatened, so did the right thing. Don't second guess. Would you feel better now if you had taken his life? Probably not. You taught him a lesson he won't soon forget.

 

[Austin]

I admire your restraint. I feel I would have put some holes in him.

 

[wolf_fire]

I will echo others statements about moving out immediately. Pay the extra months rent and consider it a blessing since now this punk and his punk friends know of a place to score a firearm.

As far as your actual question is concerned, only YOU know exactly what played out there. Only YOU could see his body language and facial expressions. Only YOU know if there was fear and retreat on his face and in his body language. The fact that you are asking if you did the right thing, tells me you have some doubts about whether he really was going to retreat or not. If I'm wrong, I apologize.

If your actual question should be "could I have shot?" then I have to say, get that answer straight with yourself and your maker before carrying again. You are fortunate. You got a chance to be tested and walk away from it. Others aren't so fortunate.

 

[recithree]

i believe you did the right thing.however if i was partially blinded and sensed or saw him moving closer instead of moving away my answer is different.also i dont think i could move out quick enough.

 

[gejoslin]

Here's something that no one has considered. Some people just can not pull the trigger. No matter what the situation they just can't do it. Something the OP may want to learn about himself. Next time it may cost him his OR a loved one's life.