CHL Scenario - What would you do?

[GlockenHammer]

I have a game for you to play. I create a scenario, give you the first bits of information, then you tell everyone what you would do. The difference between this thread and so many others is that instead of you making up missing details that make your decisions correct, I get to make them. To be fair, I have already decided on many important details and will not make stuff up just to make your decisions wrong.
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Here goes. You are preparing your home to evacuate an oncoming Cat 5 hurricane. The roads are already gridlocked and gas stations are mostly out of gas. Your house is very close to one of these evacuation routes. Cellular service is next to impossible and law enforcement is overloaded with public safety duties.

It is mid-day and you are outside putting up the last boards on the windows (making the interior uncharacteristically dark) prior to evacuating. Your wife is inside packing up the last of your most valued posessions, many of which are already loaded in your evacuation vehicle (SUV). It's been at least 10 minutes since you've bumped into your wife as she's working the inside-of-the-house jobs and you are working the outside. Your loaded SUV is blocked in the driveway by your pick-up truck. Both vehicles are fully fueled, but you plan to leave your truck in the garage when you depart. You have the keys to the truck in your pocket, the SUV keys are in the kitchen.

As is your custom, your handgun is holstered on your hip despite the hard, sweaty work in the back yard. You also have your cell phone, a flashlight and folding knife. You shoot IDPA regularly to keep your skills sharp and consider yourself pretty good. You read TexasCHLforum.com occasionally and exercise your mind with tactical situations so that you'll be ready when you need to take action with your handgun. Your wife shoots, but does not yet have her CHL (waiting to take the class). Her gun is locked in the quick-access safe in the master bedroom closet. Your two grade-school-age kids are either upstairs playing, or across the street with the neighbor's kids. Of course, the neighbor's kids could be at your house as well--you've been working in the back yard.

You walk to the back door (the only glass not covered with wood) and find your wife being accosted in the kitchen by an unknown male 20-30 yrs old (we'll call him "BG") demanding the keys to the car. BG is standing about 10 feet to the right of your wife from your viewpoint. He does not appear to have a weapon (you see both empty hands), but appears very intent on succeeding. You feel confident that you can get the drop on BH because he does not know you are there yet. You would have a clear shot if wanted to take it (no immediate cover for BG, neither wife nor kids in line of fire or beyond).
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That's all you know for now. You must make your move (or choose not to make your move if that is your choice). Post your actions based on what you know so far. After several people have posted their initial responses, I will fill you in on more details of the scenario as your actions uncover them. (If I were to do this too quickly, it would give the latecomers to this thread an unfair advantage in knowing more than you did when you had to "make your move". )IF you are getting to this thread late, have some guts and post your response NOW before you read anything below, otherwise you forfeit any right to criticize those that had the guts to make a move.)

It's your move....

[ghentry]

Is the backdoor locked? Is this a sliding glass door or a solid door with glass panes?

Oh yeah, how mean is your wife?

[GlockenHammer]

All house doors are unlocked. The back door is the normal swinging type that opens inward to the house. The wife has little patience for criminals and can be REALLY mean if her kids are in danger.

[gigag04]

Draw, get the drop on him, move in, keeping my eyes on him the whole time, tell him to "get back" or "hands in the air" or whatever else comes through my head in the loudest, flashback to my time in the corps, voice I can muster.

My oldest, at 6 yrs old would hear the drama, and come downstairs with his 870 express to cover a second angle, while the youngest at 4 would call 9-1-1 and say there is a bad guy in the house, I would pass my piece to the wife and zip tie the guy.

If he makes a sudden move he goes down. Sorry...but I love my family.

(I don't have wife and kids yet, but...you know...)

-nick

PS - depending on what he done to my wife I would get my fill of cheapshots to the ribs/kidneys before the cops get there. Don't screw with my family.

[HighVelocity]

Let her go, you can have the car, , toss keys over BG's head, Give BG 230gr sunroof.

[GlockenHammer]

Let her go, you can have the car, , toss keys over BG's head, Give BG 230gr sunroof.

230gr sunroof

[ghentry]

There are a lot of possibilities here. Having time to think it out, I might throw my keys in a direction away from the wife and hopefully he would grab them and run out the door, allowing me to separate him from my family. On the other hand, my first instinct would be to run to her rescue (throw open the door and draw down on him), however, he is only ten feet away and may try to take her hostage. Is he jumpy enough that he's going to run just by seeing me? If I give him the keys, will he think we are weak and now demand money, jewelry, etc.? He is unarmed, but could be drug crazed and have strength much greater than mine. This is a lot to consider in a small amount of time.

My answer: I would think instincts would kick in and he'd be staring at a Glock within seconds. If he moved quickly in any direction other than out the door, he would be shot until he dropped. The news media would portray him as a poor soul that ran out of gas and water and I would be a rabid gun nut with a "gun license".

[Kalrog]

First priority - check my 6. Anyone circling around to the back of the house? I have this luxury because he isn't openly armed and he isn't hitting my wife RIGHT NOW. If not, then I draw and enter and order they scum back and down. If he darts anywhere... Mozambique. Then let the wife explain her side. Then the unknown speak. Go from there.

[stevie_d_64]

You want the scary answer...

BANG!!!

"I ain't got time for this %*#@."

[txinvestigator]

Glass can deflect bullets, so no shooting thru the glass for me. I would do as giga04 would. Draw on the man and tell him he is under arrest. (any person can arrest for a felony committed in his presence or view. The felony is a Burglary)

How it goes from there depends on his reaction to me. (my wife would also be moving away from him at this point. She has taken martial arts before and we have discussed distance=time)

[jimlongley]

I'm with TX, draw, seek cover, not necessarily in that order, check and keep obseerving 6, and tell him he's under arrest. Then the next assessment of the situation can begin.

[GlockenHammer]

Pretty good. Here's what you have found out so far, taken in order of your responses:

Draw, get the drop on him, move in, keeping my eyes on him the whole time, tell him to "get back" or "hands in the air" or whatever else comes through my head in the loudest, flashback to my time in the corps, voice I can muster.

So far, you and your wife are safe. The BG doesn't move and complies with your demands. Now what are you going to do?

Let her go, you can have the car, , toss keys over BG's head, Give BG 230gr sunroof.

See PM for what happens for you.

My answer: I would think instincts would kick in and he'd be staring at a Glock within seconds. If he moved quickly in any direction other than out the door, he would be shot until he dropped

Like gigag04, you're still safe, the BG is complying with your demands. Now what?

First priority - check my 6. Anyone circling around to the back of the house? I have this luxury because he isn't openly armed and he isn't hitting my wife RIGHT NOW. If not, then I draw and enter and order they scum back and down. If he darts anywhere... Mozambique. Then let the wife explain her side. Then the unknown speak. Go from there.

Kudos for checking 6. You don't see anyone on your check. BG does nothing and is complying with your demands. Now what?

You want the scary answer...BANG!!!"I ain't got time for this %*#@."

You can always tell the .45ACP guys. Us niners would be bang, bang, bang, bang.... Okay, you drop the BG DRT. What now?

Glass can deflect bullets, so no shooting thru the glass for me. I would do as giga04 would. Draw on the man and tell him he is under arrest. (any person can arrest for a felony committed in his presence or view. The felony is a Burglary)

Smart move on the glass. It is double-pane insulated glass and strong as hell (rated for hurricanes, you know). You've got him at gunpoint and he is complying with your every command. Now what?

I'm with TX, draw, seek cover, not necessarily in that order, check and keep obseerving 6, and tell him he's under arrest. Then the next assessment of the situation can begin.

Okay, you've got him. Nobody on your six. Now what?

[ghentry]

My answer: I would think instincts would kick in and he'd be staring at a Glock within seconds. If he moved quickly in any direction other than out the door, he would be shot until he dropped

Like gigag04, you're still safe, the BG is complying with your demands. Now what?

Ask my wife where the kids are, if they are out of the house, tell her to take the phone to the neighbors and call 911, telling them I have someone at gunpoint. This gets her away from the danger and help on the way. I have a cell phone but am not going to divert my attention from the BG. I remain holding him at gunpoint until the police arrive. If he is still complying with demands, have him lay down on his stomach, feet towards me, hands on his head.

If the kids are inside the house, tell her to take the phone upstairs, call 911, get her gun and protect the kids. Again, I remain holding him at gunpoint. If he moves towards the direction of the stairs at all, he is dropped.

I can't see getting her to cover me while I tie him up or vice versa.

[gigag04]

Okay, you've got him. Nobody on your six. Now what?

I have him lie on the ground, I give my still shaken, but dead nuts accurate wife my gun to cover him/me and I tie him up with duck tape and bailing wire (If that ain't country...I'll...).

Find out from Jr. the ETA on the cops and wait.

-nt

[Kalrog]

Kudos for checking 6. You don't see anyone on your check. BG does nothing and is complying with your demands. Now what?

Cover the BG. Move to a more defensible position. Have BG get down / cross legs / hands behind the back / etc. Get the wife's story and maybe have her call 911 or get the kids (depends on her story) while I cover the BG. Arm the wife with another gun - where there is one, there could be more. Maybe get the BG's story (depends on the wife's story).

BG moves wrong = more holes in BG.

*Waiting for more info*