Homeowner on shooting intruder: It's a weird feeling

[stevie_d_64]

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HOUSTON—A Harris County homeowner who shot an intruder who broke into his house said pulling the trigger is the most difficult decision anyone can make.

“It’s a weird feeling,” said Jorge Guzman while walking through his bullet-riddled Lima Drive home. “I don’t care who it is or who they think they are, when you’re in that position, it’s totally different.”

The break-in occurred in the early morning hours last Monday, at the home located in the 13000 block of Lima Drive. Only Guzman and his uncle were home at the time. The chilling encounter was captured in a call to 911.

“Please, they’re breaking the windows,” Guzman told a dispatcher.

Guzman then went on to describe the sounds he heard from a back bedroom where he had barricaded himself with a handgun. “I hear somebody in the house. They’re trying to open the door. Hurry! Please hurry.”

The dispatcher continued to reassure Guzman that sheriff’s deputies were on the way. At one point, Guzman was instructed to lay down his weapon.

“Go and put your gun down because if you hear anything, it’s going to be the deputies,” the 911 dispatcher insisted.

Then, moments later, the sound of gunfire can be heard. Deputies arrested the wounded suspect, along with a woman they say drove his getaway car. Guzman is just happy to put the incident behind him.

“You don’t know what’s on the other side of that door,” said Guzman.

I believe this is something that folks need to know and understand, that it is a serious business we are in...

Again, I believe the "dispatcher" and the "system" are expecting people to be sorry for what they do when they defend themselves, at least that is what I see is being insinuated here when these types of stories make the mainstream...

I am not sure if this is a training issue, that dispatchers and responding law enforcement are instructed to expect this to be the case, and "defenders" are to comply or be treated as a threat to those responding and should be scrutinized or treated as a threat if there is not a complete compliance and subserviant reaction by someone like us...

Maybe I am being a bit of a pain about this, but I believe we handle ourselves just fine, and should not be subjected to assinine instructions like this...

To put it simply, I will never display a firearm in the presense of responding law enforcement in a case like this...

To each his (her) own...

[suthdj]

When you call 911 you give them the information they "Need" address & situation then hang up or just set the phone down so you can keep both hands free for defending your self. That way they can't tell you to set down your weapon before you are safe.

[wford]

Hanging up the phone struck a chord with me. Basically BG breaks down door GG has gun.
So after I place a call to 911 describe the situation and hang up. 2 years or 6 minutes later no cops so I place a second call to 911.
While on the phone I glance right and look down the muzzle of a shotgun. I yell or squeak "I live here".
STAND UP ! HANGUP THE PHONE ! FACE THE WALL ! Now while I'm facing the wall , cop walks over and picks up the phone and I hear him say
LADY ! THIS IS THE POLICE !

Given a next time I would probably make the 911 call have my say and just lay the phone down and just yell things if necessary.

[LostInAustin]

...down the muzzle of a shotgun. I yell or squeak "I live here". STAND UP ! HANGUP THE PHONE ! FACE THE WALL ! Now while I'm facing the wall , cop walks over and picks up the phone and I hear him say LADY ! THIS IS THE POLICE !

Given a next time I would probably make the 911 call have my say and just lay the phone down...

[karl]

When you call 911 you give them the information they "Need" address & situation then hang up or just set the phone down so you can keep both hands free for defending your self. That way they can't tell you to set down your weapon before you are safe.

I think the main reason it is important to tell the dispatcher you're armed is so that the officers know what to expect in case the situation has not been "resolved" once they arrive. Most with a brain would readily announce themselves armed to responding LEOs, but they should know there's a GG with a gun.

I don't think hanging up would be the correct choice either, definitely set it down and free both hands like you said.

I absolutely do not agree with the detached advice dispatchers give. They give the advice as if they are miles away. If I'm calling 911 for police backup, I'm in trouble and fearing for my life. Don't tell me not to defend myself.

[jsimmons]

Defend yourself, and THEN call 911.

[txbirddog]

Defend yourself, and THEN call 911.

[C-dub]

Interesting thoughts. What about calling from your mobile and staying on the line with one of those ear piece things? I know it's probably an after-thought most of the time, but if one were able to do this?