A family- husband, wife, small child- sitting on their back porch saw a shirtless man in their back yard. When they shouted a challenge, they had to flee inside after he attempted to enter the house. The wife managed to snap a picture:
Seminole County deputies are hoping that someone in the public will identify who this is. I only wonder why the homeowner didn’t mark him for future identification. “Hello police? A guy just broke into my house. Do I know who he is? No, but if you just search the area for the guy with the sucking chest wound, that will be your guy.”
Note that he is inside of the screened porch, and his is looking right at the person taking the photo. This guy entered an occupied home in full knowledge that the residents were there. He didn’t care that the people were home- meaning that there is a high probability that he is there to hurt the occupants. There are those who say that you have insurance, so there is nothing in your home worth someone’s life.
My family is in my home, and they are worth more to me than you. My most difficult decision at this point will be choosing between my ready weapons:
- 3 inch 12 gauge shotgun loaded with 00 Buck
- AR15
- 9mm M&P
You break into my house, and you just signed your death warrant. The arriving cops will need a piece of chalk, a shop vac, and a mop.
25 Comments
oldvet50 · August 23, 2023 at 5:52 am
To those who say nothing I own is worth someone else’s life, remember, it is not I that make that decision – they do. They evidently value my stuff over their own life. That is the problem. These thugs are getting away with the most brazen acts because there seems to be no downside to them….let’s show them how dangerous it really is.
C · August 23, 2023 at 7:09 am
My only regret would be not getting to see the look on the evidence clerk’s face when he’s tagging a reproduction trench mace.
Zarba · August 23, 2023 at 7:15 am
Does the screened porch count as “inside your residence” in Florida? Hate to have some prosecutor hang you because “the porch doesn’t count”.
EN2 SS · August 23, 2023 at 11:10 am
I don’t know about Florida, but in Texas, every place within my property line is a freefire zone if I feel unsafe. That includes my car, boat, motorcycle, truck, Walmart, etc.
Divemedic · August 23, 2023 at 4:07 pm
The burglary statute in Florida defines burglary as a crime in which a person enters a dwelling or a building. It is a burglary to enter both a conveyance and a part of a dwelling any kind, including the attached porch
https://www.ralphbehr.net/burglary-crimes.html
Don W Curton · August 23, 2023 at 7:29 am
How much sheetrock do you wanna replace afterwards?
I’d go with the 12, unless you’re thinking he has more friends coming, then the AR is your best bet. Aim low on the first shot and walk the rounds up.
Keep the 9 tucked in the holster or handoff to your wife. I’m guessing the guy is way stoned out of his mind on drugs. You gonna wanna hit him with the biggest thing you got for him to even feel it.
Anonymous · August 23, 2023 at 7:32 am
OO is the correct choice.
An Ony Mouse · August 23, 2023 at 6:21 pm
I prefer No. 4 buck. More pellets for more wound channels, slightly less penetrative and greater hit probability at longer ranges.
A 2 1/2 inch shell is adequate for inside the house ranges and less destructive to the soft furnishings and interior decor. You will have to replace the carpet, though tiled floors make for easier clean up if your area is warm enough to make tiles a good choice.
Divemedic · August 23, 2023 at 6:26 pm
Smaller pellets don’t penetrate as well, which you noted. That isn’t what you want in a self defense round. Also smaller pellets tend to have a larger pattern.
TechieDude · August 23, 2023 at 7:48 am
I have a remington 1100 with a selection of shells on a stock holder for just such an occasion.
Toastrider · August 23, 2023 at 7:55 am
I’m amazed the picture got disseminated. You know how some media organs are these days.
That being said? Drugs. If that guy’s not hopped up on something I’ll buy the next round of drinks. And as you say, if he’s that close, inside the covered porch and rattling the door? It’s go time and someone’s getting lit up.
Aesop · August 23, 2023 at 8:31 am
You’re in a free state, right?
Consider something suppressed.
No one saw him come there; no one needs to see him leave either.
Short drive with some rolled up carpet out to the swamps, and feral hogs and gators take care of the rest.
No sense getting the worthless authorities unnecessarily involved with a simple tresspassing case between strangers, amirite?
Divemedic · August 23, 2023 at 4:01 pm
Horrible advice. It’s much harder to explain why you were engaged in legitimate self defense after you hid a body and destroyed evidence. In most free states (which obviously don’t include California) a critter in your house is fair game, while hiding a body is destroying evidence and tampering with a crime scene.
Aesop · August 24, 2023 at 12:42 am
Won’t be no explainin’ if it’s done right.
And it’s not horrible advice, but it’s certainly horrible that it’s come the point where one can make a reasonable case for doing it.
Looking back at the last 50 demonstrations of the expertise of law enforcement from coast to coast just on this blog, I’m not convinced that inviting the police to any party is wise or prudent, no matter how justified the shooting was.
Maybe someone could interview Kyle Rittenhouse or George Zimmerman for their thoughts.
When the process is the punishment – and it inarguably is – it would seem best not to start the process.
Anonymous · August 23, 2023 at 9:08 am
Wouldn’t it be nice if zoning, building codes, and taxes permitted the structure of our house buildings to do their job, and keep intruders outside for 30 mins until the police arrive? Plus, hurricane-thrown objects would also be kept outside. Your home should be a castle, or at least a fort.
Divemedic · August 23, 2023 at 4:02 pm
I would love a moat and a drawbridge. Sadly, the wife won’t allow it.
Anonymous · August 23, 2023 at 9:51 pm
How about that retrofit window film from 3M that keeps the glass pieces together when a blunt impact breaks it? youtube DOT com/watch?v=cZy4DJHM
SiG · August 23, 2023 at 9:33 am
The news described him as “a shirtless man” but he looks buck naked in that photo.
Divemedic · August 23, 2023 at 10:04 am
“Yeah, well, when an adult male is chasing a female with intent to commit rape, I shoot the bastard – that’s my policy.”
The Mayor – “Intent? How’d you establish that?”
Harry Callahan – “When a naked man is chasing a woman through a dark alley with a butcher knife and a hard on, I figure he isn’t out collecting for the Red Cross.”
Dirty Harry
Joe Blow · August 23, 2023 at 10:57 am
WhenI lived I NY a sheriff explained the legal thinking to me.
If you apply deadly force, you are denying that person their right to a fair trial.
That is literally the reason that NY objects to castle doctrine/stand your ground laws. Your rights are immaterial, the perpetrators rights supercede yours.
Thats why I moved to TN!
Dirty Dingus McGee · August 23, 2023 at 12:41 pm
3″ with 00 buck has 15 pieces of ,30 cal pellets. Unless said ner do well is right on top of you, figure at least 4-5 pieces will miss the target. Might end up taking out my refrigerator and them sum bitches ain’t cheap. So my S and W 916 Eastfield is for outdoor use only. My AR is for when the target is out in my yard, my HK-91 for when they are out in the bushes at the edge of my property. Inside the house; S and W 686P 4″ barrel using jacketed hollow points.
Always use the right tool for the job at hand.
Divemedic · August 23, 2023 at 3:29 pm
I think you are overestimating the spread pattern of shot.
At 1 yard, the shotgun’s “pattern” is really no pattern at all. Rather, it’s roughly an inch-wide mass of lead pellets that acts as one large projectile in flight.
At 3 yards, the mass opens to about 2 inches wide;
at 5 yards it spreads to about 3 inches.
By 7 yards, the pattern opens to 5 inches and by 10 yards most cylinder-choked guns print patterns that are approximately 8 inches wide.
My house is 15 yards from front to back. That means the longest distance in my house will see about a 10 to 12 inch pattern.
So back to the post at hand. This critter looks to be within 10 feet or so. That means the shot fired at him will mean all 15 pellets striking within 2 inches of the point of aim. There is no way that 20 percent of the pellets will miss a target the size of a man’s chest at a distance of less than 20 feet.
Dirty Dingus McGee · August 24, 2023 at 4:13 am
Just from my experience with shotguns, more limited than with pistols, variables in weapon and ammo have to also be considered. The weapon I referenced has a 20″ barrel with a cylinder bore so it give more of a spread than my 870 with a 26″ barrel and a modified choke. And different brands of ammo also makes a difference. Some hold a “tighter” pattern than others. Also makes a difference if it’s factory ammo or a reload. With a reload you usually have more spread also.
All that said, when I had an FFL in the late 70’s-early 80’s, I recommended a shotgun for most folks that were looking for a pistol for home defense. Why? 99% would never spend the time to become proficient with a pistol, so were as likely to shoot themselves. Shotgun just made more sense due to the sight and sound of them.
Steve · August 23, 2023 at 3:47 pm
If all were equally handy, start at the top of the list and work your way down until he is no longer a threat.
And hopefully, he’s got enough to pay ServiceMaster. Otherwise, his next of kin are getting the bill.
Unknownsailor · August 23, 2023 at 4:05 pm
At typical house distances, a 12 gauge is a devastating fight stopper. My problem with them is length; even with an 18.5 inch barrel they are way too long. I have taken a shotgun class with Rob Haught, who runs a Remington 870 as unconsciously as breathing. I decided then I would stick with carbines for long guns.
Screened porch or not, the act of breaking in demonstrates intent and means simultaneously, and as a defender I am not required to give him opportunity. At my house, this guy would be DRT.
Comments are closed.