Drew my weapon last night

[jcreek]

Sort of. Never ended up drawing down on him but I drew to a low ready.

Yesterday evening I was over at the in-laws having dinner. My wife's aunt was also there with her 4 grandchildren. We were sitting out on the back porch having a beer when I saw I guy I didn't recognize walking through the house towards the porch door.

At first I thought it was just one of my in-laws friends that I hadn't met. He came to the back door and stuck is head out of the door. At this point I started to move my hand to my weapon because this guy looked tweaked out and not like anybody my in-laws would associate with.

He said "hello", and my in-laws looked over and saw him. She proceeded to scream, while he yelled "How the fck did you get in my house!?" At the time, the only people inside the house with him were the four, 8-12 yr old grandchildren so I immediately stood up and drew my weapon. He proceeded to stutter through who he was.

Apparently he was working for a butcher going door-to-door selling meat. He had talked to my grandfather-in-law in the driveway (who's 83 and has fairly severe dementia) who had told him we were on the back porch. For god knows what reason, he had taken this as an invitation to let himself into the house and walk through to the back porch instead of going around the side (there's not even a fence.) Needless to say, we escorted him off the property and told him he wasn't welcome back. They also gave a stern talking to grandpa to make sure he knows not to let strangers into the house when he's home alone.

Anyways, I just thought I'd share and see what some of your thoughts were. Police weren't notified and I don't expect anything else to come of it.

 

[Treo]

Drew my weapon last night

Crayon or chalk?

Seriously, after reading your post I’d say you were 100% justified and had it been my home, I would have seriously considered calling the cops.
Couple things to note

He had talked to my grandfather-in-law in the driveway (who's 83 and has fairly severe dementia) who had told him we were on the back porch.

If Grandpa’s dementia is that far progressed he should be under supervision at all times and should never be let out the front door alone.

Apparently he was working for a butcher going door-to-door selling meat.

I actually did this for about 2 weeks after I got out of the Army (just long enough to figure out it was a scam) and I can assure you it is a network marketing scam from the top down. The drivers have to pay “rent” for their truck everyday whether they make a sale or not so they’re being scammed and then they turn around and scam you. It’s not a scam in the sense that they take your money and you don’t get the meat but the meat is insanely over priced, you have no idea if it’s safe to eat (there was a company in Colorado who’s entire stock thawed out and they just refroze it and sold it anyway) and they use what amounts to strong arm tactics to sell it.

That said, in Colorado they are required to carry a business license with them when they sell so I would have demanded to see it and definitely called the cops if he couldn’t produce one.

The only people I’ve ever seen that are successful at this “business” are the ones that get into your home and basically won’t leave unless you buy something.
The folks that I did it with had at least one driver that was using the truck as a cover to sell weed, and if I knew it after 2 weeks you can bet the “manager” knew it too.
My point is the people that do this kind of “work” are ripping you off to begin with and it’s not a huge step from that to burglarizing your home or committing other criminal acts.

I view any door to door meat guy as a crook who hasn’t been caught yet and treat them accordingly

(note the above does not apply to Schwan’s they’re a rip off too but not in the same way)

 

[whodat2710]

I would completely blow off Treo's advice on how you should care for family members. I'm sure you have professionals advising you on that. I would be wary of the fact that he may have asked Grandpa nothing more than "where is everyone?" and then went to peek out the back door to see if gramps was "out-of-it" or if you were really back ther before he robbed the house. Who knows?
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As far as the other advice, probably spot on, especially about the license and 911. I would say that unless they are selling something for the girlscouts or a school program (i.e. easily identifiable as a kid) I would be wary of anyone selling door to door. That just isn't a viable option for businesses to turn a profit now days, unless you drive an ice cream truck. That's just my opinion. I actually had a guy try to sell me a home security system. "sure mister stranger with nothing but a clipboard and a uniform looking shirt, come case my house and take down all my personal info..."

 

[Sir Diealotz]

Etch a sketch

I would have done the same.

 

[docmath]

I think you handled it well!

 

[Treo]

I would completely blow off Treo's advice on how you should care for family members. I'm sure you have professionals advising you on that.

FWIW I actually used to be a professional. I worked as an EMT and an RMA for several years before the economy tanked and I ended up as a security guard.

I would never leave a person who is described as having fairly severe dementia alone and certainly not alone and out of the house. There are stories all the time in the news about dementia patients wandering away from their care givers often with unfortunate results.

That said, if you can find a professional to refute me please feel free to post it up

 

[gunnerbob]

Good reactions, pretty well played. Hind sight is always 20-20.

 

[Dunewolf]

Better to be ready, then to be caught flat footed and all.

As for calling cops / etc.. they would have just taken the gun and caused an issue for owner and all.. Because according to the OP story, the guy had assumed grandpa gave permission. Its not like grandpa was waring a sign that said "I have dementia".

Now had the guy not wanted to leave, or decided to come back - then I would have contacted the cops.

 

[chup]

Carrying a gun and drinking???

 

[tricolordad]

FWIW I actually used to be a professional. I worked as an EMT and an RMA for several years before the economy tanked and I ended up as a security guard.

I would never leave a person who is described as having fairly severe dementia alone and certainly not alone and out of the house. There are stories all the time in the news about dementia patients wandering away from their care givers often with unfortunate results.

That said, if you can find a professional to refute me please feel free to post it up

There you go running your mouth again. I have a feeling that there's more to the road rage story than you admit.

 

[BluesStringer]

Carrying a gun and drinking???

Posting while drinking???

 

[Treo]

Carrying a gun and drinking???

C'mon dude he had A beer in his inlaws home

 

[whodat2710]

FWIW I actually used to be a professional. I worked as an EMT and an RMA for several years before the economy tanked and I ended up as a security guard.

IAWM (It ain't worth much). As has been postulated in the past, you are probably a 12 year old that just got your own computer and are making up stories for your own amusement.
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Gun forum, gun post with opinions asked for regarding gun issues. Your unprovoked verbal diarrhea regarding how his in-laws care for someone was not only unnecessary, but irrelevant and off topic. That's why I called you out on it.
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your "expertise" on any issue is too questionable (as is all of ours) to be asserting right or wrong on this forum without reference or citation. Opinions are asked for, welcome, and evaluated by all for their own application or not in their views. Beyond that it is egotistical self righteous babble.
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IMHO...
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Batteries released...

 

[jcreek]

If Grandpa’s dementia is that far progressed he should be under supervision at all times and should never be let out the front door alone.

They have 7 acres so he was still on the property just in front of the house. He has an RV parked out there that he uses as his space.

 

[fudo]

The intrusive young man was lucky, stupid, but very lucky.