St. Louis Lawers (What would you have done.

[Tex1961]

I'm pretty sure we all know about the St. Louis couple defending their property.... So for the sake of a civil discussion, no keyboard commando's, warrior wannabe's, etc... Just normal every day people who have a home and a family to protect... Obviously most of here are LTC and have various levels of training and skills, not to mention a decent arsenal tucked away...

I'm looking for honest, thoughtful answers here... Really stop, think about it and put yourself not in their situation, but in your own home, right outside your front sidewalk....

Me... Well... I live in a pretty standard neighborhood. Upper middle class, 2 story home... It's me, my wife and my two 22 year old sons.. All who shoot and are all very well versed in how to handle a firearm.

So I'll start by saying that I would most likely hear a ruckus outside and run to a window to see what was going on... Upon seeing a large crowd (most likely in the road and sidewalks) I would most likely walk out my front door to see what was going on.... Well, to my surprise a find a lot of people holding signs and chanting something... I even see a few carrying firearms... After figuring out that this was most likely a BKM movement, I would probably just step back into my home... I would immediately yell for my wife and my 2 sons and let them know what was going on and to lock and load... I would also most likely call 911 just in case the police didn't know there was a gathering in my neighborhood and find out if any police were in the area...

I would then send my sons upstairs (armed with their rifles) to stand by their upstairs windows and lights off and shades mostly closed just to be unseen and unobserved.. I would also most likely send my wife to the back of the house to watch the back yard... I of course would be standing at the front windows watching as well.

Even if a few were walking across my yard I THINK... That I would still not go out to confront anyone... As long as nobody was doing any damage to my property, I would just hopefully watch them pass by....

NOW.... Lets take this a bit further....

Someone in the crowd decides that they would like to cause a bit of a ruckus and start throwing rocks, etc. though my windows... At this point I would have yelled to my boys and let them know what was going on and to be ready to defend from the upstairs windows.... And not to discharge their firearms unless someone either started shooting at our home or threw a Molotov cocktail... Or whatever.. Basicly anything that would be be considered an immediate threat to our home or lives.... I would in my own mind at this point go out front with my chosen weapon and while NOT leaving my front porch and with my weapon in a low ready position yell out to get off my property and move along.. We've done nothing to you and somebody has already thrown rocks and damaged my home....

I'm going to end my post here... I'm sure that things would most likely start either getting ugly or hopefully they see that I am armed and willing to defend my home and family.. All I want if for them to leave my property.. And if things did start to go south as far as anyone either raising a firearm towards me or starting to lob a firebomb at my home then yes... I do believe that I would discharge my firearm at that individual to stop the threat.... OH.. Let me also say that I would immediately have everyone recording on their phones from the beginning.....

So.. I don't know... I'm just an ordinary guy who has never been in this situation... Who knows what could happen, or how things could end up... I'm just sitting here trying to imagine what I would most likely do in their situation. Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong... Not aggressive enough, or to aggressive... Thus this post.... What would you do....

[Tex1961]

Post is now unlocked

[SewTexas]

here's where it gets a bit different....
(understanding I don't know the laws there, but I do understand how it works here in TX)
this happened in a gated neighborhood, the homeowners own the streets and sidewalks....the protesters were on private property even on the streets....
they also yelled threats to burn the home and kill the dog. they had a legit fear for their lives.

[Tex1961]

here's where it gets a bit different....
(understanding I don't know the laws there, but I do understand how it works here in TX)
this happened in a gated neighborhood, the homeowners own the streets and sidewalks....the protesters were on private property even on the streets....
they also yelled threats to burn the home and kill the dog. they had a legit fear for their lives.

Thanks for the response, but I wanted to keep this thread about what would YOU DO on YOUR property. I only used the St. Lois couple as an example case.

[SewTexas]

here's where it gets a bit different....
(understanding I don't know the laws there, but I do understand how it works here in TX)
this happened in a gated neighborhood, the homeowners own the streets and sidewalks....the protesters were on private property even on the streets....
they also yelled threats to burn the home and kill the dog. they had a legit fear for their lives.

Thanks for the response, but I wanted to keep this thread about what would YOU DO on YOUR property. I only used the St. Lois couple as an example case.

given the same circs, ie, if I were at my parent's place, I'd have done the exact same thing,
but, I don't live in a gated community, so at my place, it's be slightly different, but if they came onto my yard, yeh, probably.....from write ups, the protesters were crazy and scary.

[AF-Odin]

I would use whatever cover was available, not necessarily showing the weapon (at least initially), telling them that they were on private property, I have called the police, please leave now and do not approach the house. Depending on their actions would have a plan for escalation.

[AJSully421]

My MMQB is that the only “mistake” that they made was pointing the firearms around like they did. The crowd was chanting and had broken a gate, but that would not yet justify leveling off at the whole crowd.

A couple of things: first, it is just bad optics and tactics. Second, I do not believe that they were justified in pointing weapons at all of creation like they did. Third, keeping a firearm at low ready also has the added benefit of being able to “escalate” a hostile act or a charge. If you are at low ready, and one guy comes out of the crowd towards you, you can come up and aim to show that one guy that you mean business in an attempt to get them to back down. Not so if you are already pointing it at everyone.

The good news, it worked and no shots were fired.

[oljames3]

Stay inside and call the police.

[Soccerdad1995]

I'm not sure I understand the question, but I'll try my best.

I live on a public street, so the protestors would not be trespassing if they stayed in the street and off my lawn. When I first saw them, I would be armed with the handgun that I carry on my belt at all times, but I would also grab a long gun from the bedroom safe. I have a choice of 2 in that safe, and would probably get the Tavor instead of the shotgun. I would tell my wife to call 911. Not that I'd expect a police response, but more to get things on record. My dog would be going nuts, so I'd probably lock him in the bedroom when I got the Tavor (he's a small dog).

I'd tell my wife to get to the bedroom and cover the door to that room with the shotgun, while she stayed on with 911, just in case the protestors got extremely violent and got past me. If our kids were at the house, they would get to that same bedroom as well. I'd then take up a position near the front of the house where my windows overlook the street. I should be able to see anyone on the street without giving up cover, and without showing them that I have a rifle. If they enter the house, I'd stop the threat using whatever level of force was necessary to accomplish that. I wouldn't leave the house unless it was on fire.

So basically the same response as I would have to a home invasion, give or take, with the added benefit of being fully awake when things started going down (I always picture myself being awoken from sleep during a home invasion).