A story about a Gun in a normal house in Florida... ( Archived) (94)

So... the female caretaker actually shot you (or someone in your family) then?

I'd have to wonder about that neighborhood. You say it was a nice neighborhood, but it sounds to me like that female caretaker was REALLY on edge and she was prepared for trouble (rather than being prepared for guests). In a truely *nice* neighborhood, people don't even bother to lock their doors much less have a handgun at the ready like that. I think that neighborhood must not have been quite so nice in fact, or else that caretaker had been victimized in the past... did you ask her?

Just because it looks pretty does not mean that people haven't had their pretty doors kicked in in the middle of the night, been tied up and gagged at gunpoint while their home was burglerized.

Crime is in fact a problem in the U.S. there's no doubt. More legal gunowners willing and able to protect themselves with lethal force would likely reduce this criminal element.

And when approaching the front door to a home or residence which you do not own and in which there is likely to be a caretaker (or owner) inside who may or may not be expecting you, it's best to knock 1st before trying to enter. That's common courtesy and common sense I'd think. How would you feel if you were alone in that house and you suddenly realized somebody was at the front door trying to open it from outside, without so much as knocking or ringing the doorbell? Would you assume it was just a family member... really? Put yourself in that caretakers shoes and think what she must have been thinking as you were trying to open that door.

- Michael ("American by birth, Texan by the Grace of God!")

Texas "Castle Doctrine" law no longer requires that they be inside your home for the homeowner to be able to use lethal force to repel an invader. The home and the property it sits on (ie. the yard) are all considered the same Castle, and if somebody is tresspassing with clear criminal intent then the homeowner has the right to use lethal force BEFORE they can get inside the home. And the law errs on the side of the homeowner.

So if you're looking to commit a crime against a homeowner, you might want to avoid doing it in the great State of Texas!

It's unfortunate that we have to have such rights here, but too many homeowners were being murdered by criminals in their own homes. Kick-burgleries where armed men would kick-down the front door of a home at 3am in the morning were on the rise, and honest citizens were getting killed in their own homes in the 1990's and early 2000's.

No burgler's life is worth the life of a homeowner minding his own business in his own home late at night.

While I love Texas, I don't necessarily love the criminal element that lives here also... and I'm prepared to do my part to reduce that criminal element should it come kicking down my door! This is the only reason I even have a gun as I obviously do not hunt wildlife or anything.

- Michael ("American by birth, Texan by the Grace of God!")

You should have knocked or rang the doorbell 1st though. That remains common courtesy in most all of the United States no matter how nice the neighborhood. You see, criminals don't knock or ring doorbells generally... so unfortunately you gave off the wrong signs by just trying to open the door like that.

I cannot explain why the rooms looked like they'd been recently slept in. It's possible that the caretaker had been having company over though... as a caretaker I'd assume she can still have friends over correct? I dunno.

Also note, neither you nor your family got shot. You got drawn on, but not shot. No physical harm was done, and hopefully in the future you WILL remember to knock 1st and wait before trying to open a door! It's common courtesy here, and it'll go a long ways to help preventing such a misunderstanding in the future.

Regards!

- Michael ("American by birth, Texan by the Grace of God!")

I totally disagree with you about knocking as she was the highered live out help that knew we were coming and where going to treat the house as our own....especially paying several thousands of dollars for the right to use the house...

The women had let people stay there illegally whislt her employer the home owner worked and lived in Belgium...

The same caretaker was meant to be on twenty hour help to us....

Not once did she come near the entire time we were there and we had to call her to ask for things to get the pool cleaned and she would not pick up the phone to us...

I stayed in that house on several occ's alone both during the day and the night. swam in the pool and left all the doors unlocked and jogged in the neighbourhood every morning at 5am before it got to hot...never once did I feel unsafe....

In my home people I know are never asked to knock before they enter I guess that is the difference in cultures....

why wud ye knock a door when ye have a key?????????

Thanks Scorpio we Celts think the same way....

seems a bit weird to me if ye need to knock on a door of a house ur renting before entering

Well that right there shows how disrespectful this 'caretaker' was since she was allowing the house to be used without permission. It is very likely the ones she was allowing to use it were of a criminal persuasion as well and therefore the whole situation could have been a very shaky one. I am sorry the experience happened to you but I am sure glad nothing worse occurred. Judging from what you have said it very well could have.

I doubt I would ever use that house again since it is very possible this caretaker has shared keys with who knows what other kinds of people etc.

Sadly enough these kinds of things do in fact happen and it is a shame that households feel the need to have guns in their possession but at the same time the way criminals are given more rights then law abiding citizens it is nice to know that there is at least some way to defend yourself if you have no other way to do so.

Not condoning what happened just trying to help you understand what might have been behind it happening, that's all.

*side note* your current picture always makes me think you are sad and need a hug...


me

Depends on the state, but some states you can if you fear for your life... being a woman she probably was in fear.

zee