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A single shot in the dark...

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 8:57 am
by kw5kw
Last night at approx 10:38 P.M. I heard a single gunshot down the street.
I was working on the computer in the office that has two windows, one that faces the street (east) and one that faces the house next door (south).

I grabbed the wife and we moved back away from the windows and into our bath which is at the back of the house. I grabbed my XD-45, and my cell.

Now with brick walls and a bathtub to protect us, I dialed 911 and reported it. We stayed there with our dog. Our dog, Stormy, only once 'woofed' but never barked. She was in 'alert mode' though, because her ears were 'perked' up, when they're normally floppy. She could tell my our demeanor that something was amiss.

A few minutes later the FT Worth Police arrived on the scene, and asked what I'd heard. I told him that I had heard a single report of a medium to larger caliber handgun, and that I shoot, so I know that what I heard was definitely gunfire. I told him that it came from a southerly direction and that I did not peek out to see if I could see anyone.

That's his job, not mine!

My job is protecting my family!

His 'partner' was already cruising the adjoining streets looking for something out of the ordinary.

This was close though, no more than two houses down the street!

That's just too close!

Russ

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 9:14 am
by propellerhead
What part of Fort Worth?

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 9:48 am
by kw5kw
West side, just inside Loop 820 and south of Hwy 80.

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 9:55 am
by propellerhead
That's close! I'm just south of I-20 off Bryant Irvin.

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 10:50 am
by longtooth
Good job gathering family into your "safe area."

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 12:43 pm
by texag06
Good job handling the situation! Glad it didn't turn into something more serious. Have you gotten any feedback from the police?

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:26 pm
by kw5kw
propellerhead wrote:That's close! I'm just south of I-20 off Bryant Irvin.
We're over there a lot. I really hate the traffic over there on both Bryant Irvin and Hulen. We go over there to eat at Joe's Pasta!

Where do you shoot and when. Maybe we can go together sometime!

the range I shoot at doesn't have any of this that I've ever seen...
http://www.xdtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20887
I did like this thread, and I see you posted there also.

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:49 pm
by propellerhead
I've been going to On Target in Benbrook lately. They're open till 8/9 pm so I can easily make it home, change, load up, and head out to go shoot after work. They're also open on Sat/Sun. Elk Castle is still one of my favorites. The RO's are pretty strict and really enforce their rules. That's a good thing!

When do you usually go shoot?

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 2:28 pm
by kw5kw
I go to On Target, where I got my CHL and renewed this past May.

My daughter and Son-in-Law are going to go there on the 5th of August and take their CHL's together.

I plan on being there at least to watch them shoot, maybe they'll let me shoot with them if the class is small.

During the week, at lunch hours, I go to Burleson Handgun Academy and shoot once or twice a month.

I've never actually used the range at Elk Castle, but I have purchased 3 different guns from them. Nice folk there.

I drove by Winchester in East Ft. Worth a couple of days ago, but didn't shoot... just purchsed a mag for less than Elk Castle wanted for one.
it was 28.00 for a 45 they only had the 10 round 9mm's

I went to the range here in Burleson (I work in Burleson) --- Burleson handgun academy --- and shot last Monday during lunch.

Out of 250 only had 5 fliers, the rest were close.

Not the guy next to me tho... whoo, I want to be behind him, you never knew where the next hole would appear.

Russ

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 3:30 pm
by propellerhead
I'll have to check out Burleson's range. It's a little farther but I'm often in Crowley.

When I went to On Target on a Saturday that they had a CHL class going, they used the rightmost 5 lanes, 5 shooters at a time. The leftmost lanes were still open and in use by regular customers. I'm sure they'll let you shoot with your daughter and SIL.

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 3:49 pm
by Venus Pax
I'm glad you were wise and got away from windows. You were smart to let the cops go hunt the thug down and not try to play rambo.
I'm for defending oneself and the family, but I'm not out for looking for a fight.

Re: A single shot in the dark...

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 5:27 pm
by flintknapper
kw5kw wrote: A few minutes later the FT Worth Police arrived on the scene,
Russ

Russ,

Just curious, can you tell me approximately how many minutes it took for LE to respond. The reason I ask....is that I will compare it to the (average time) I was told it would take our local police to respond to a high priority call.

Thanks,

JMM

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 10:14 pm
by kw5kw
it was right at 9 minutes for two cars to show, one continued patroling while cne came to the door to take our statement.

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 10:17 pm
by TxFire
There are alot of variables that affect response times and I feel it unfair to compare them from incident to incident. Average response times for your area should be available from your local LEO admin. office and that will give you a fair idea. That's just my .02 worth.

Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 5:59 am
by flintknapper
TxFire wrote:There are alot of variables that affect response times and I feel it unfair to compare them from incident to incident. Average response times for your area should be available from your local LEO admin. office and that will give you a fair idea. That's just my .02 worth.

I agree, and the true purpose of my gathering this information is not so much for comparison in the sense that it is "contest", or that I am in anyway judging the efficiency of our local PD.

I am trying to find information that supports what our local police chief told me about 10 years ago: That on average it takes them at least 3 minutes to respond to a high priority call.

I use this information at an invitational "shoot" that I host each year to demonstrate the need to be able to defend ones self (at least until LE arrives). A lot of bad things can happen in three minutes.

Nonetheless, you are certainly correct in stating that variables will affect response times. Thats why I asked our police chief for an estimated "average".

I am not complaining about the services they provide.

Thanks,
Flint.