Father fatally shoots intruder - 16 year old daughter

[Sam7sf]

I think in a residential setting that concern is a bit overblown. But that said, the momentary on feature allows you to light an area up for a second and then keep moving in the dark if you're so inclined.

I’m not in a residential setting.

 

[Sam7sf]

Glens point would mean you’re being attacked or know it’s coming and you would have to be in a very dark area.

 

[oldag]

I think in a residential setting that concern is a bit overblown. But that said, the momentary on feature allows you to light an area up for a second and then keep moving in the dark if you're so inclined.

However, the bright lights of today will probably leave you without any night vision even though the WML was pointed in another direction. Not sure the momentary feature is actually practical.

 

[Axxe55]

Glens point would mean you’re being attacked or know it’s coming and you would have to be in a very dark area.

I could see that being very possible in a LE, or military situation, but very unlikely in a civilian use of self defense.

 

[SQLGeek]

I’m not in a residential setting.

Understood. I was referring to more original post. For you maybe night vision is better.

 

[Sam7sf]

Understood. I was referring to more original post. For you maybe night vision is better.

My lot is tucked away, once the clouds cover the sky it’s pitch black. A neighbor several hundred yards away is a drug lord. He has a son who’s exhibited fits of rage and outbursts, with a gun, against a woman. Prohibited person also. Clearly a trusted member of society. Local le seems to have a hard time following up. Trespassing is not something they are dumb enough to do with a sober state of mind. We have good neighbors elsewhere. Still, I’m sure you can understand how some of my post make sense now.

 

[Sam7sf]

Also the cameras I have and plan to try, do best with little light. Start getting too much light and image is bad.

 

[mad88minute]

In the middle of the antifa riots across America I stepped up security in my home.

One night my daughter decided to come downstairs and let her dog out the back door so she could potty ( we have a doggy door and she is trained). I heard the back door open( loudly). I flopped out of bed grabbed my gun and popped outside my downstairs master. My plan has always been to secure the stairway to my 3 kids and wait for police or the intruder to come to me.

I was pissed that it was my daughter. Glad I never pointed anything at her. And impressed with the speed of my reaction.


Here is a short list of what we added.

Upgraded strike plates on outside doors.

Door bars propped under handles so it will take a few kicks to get a door in.

Monitored alarm with glass break motion and door/window sensors

Security cameras outside and one inside on main entry. With motion alarms to my phone.

Already keep handgun with mounted light bedside, added an AR15 in the corner of my master bedroom.



Sent from my moto e6 using Tapatalk

 

[Sasquatch]

Here's a good watch if you're looking at "full size" pistol lights and compares the SureFire X300, the Streamlight TLR-1HL, and a handful of other lights.



There are only a couple lights described as "painful" - the TLR-1HL, the X300, and the Modlight. These are lights that are true use-of-force options because they're blinding and painful. Other lights can blind temporarily but a bright enough light can cause temporary incapacitation or cease of unwanted advancement of a potential threat. They HAVE to look away and that gives you a chance to move and gives you enough time to ID, issue commands, or if necessary send an express gift of heavy metal their way.

I'll be upgrading lights on some of my guns as funds allow.

@Sam7sf - what I have on my rifle right now is as much as its going to get. Sling, light, and optic. Optic is pretty simple, non-illuminated LVPO that I keep on 2X power. Sling because its absolutely necessary, like a holster for a pistol, and the light for seeing what I'm potentially shooting at. That's it. I am not well off enough to shell out $10,000+ for good NV, so zero need for a LAM of any sort. I don't need VFG's or AFG's or hand stops or anything else. IF anything else gets added to that particular gun, it'll be a can.

My shotgun - a Mossberg 500 - has a dot sight on it. I haven't decided on how to mount a light to it, and it would have to be a pretty stout light on a pretty stout mount to stand up to much 12ga recoil. The shotgun isn't my primary, or even second pick for a defensive weapon.

If you think about it - in a residential or concealed carry citizen defender type scenario - the "beacon" aspect of a WML is mental masturbation more than reality. There will be ambient light of some sort, and unless you are a 10th degree spinjitsu Chuck Norris approved ultra black belt - you're going to make some noise as you move. What I'm saying is you won't go unnoticed by a hostile invading your territory, so the use of a bright light to blind their ass is just going to work to your favor. You only need a fraction of a second to ID the target as friend or foe anyway, so a momentary blast of light can both ID the target and disorient them and screw with *their* night time vision. Let them see spots while you take a safer position.

I used to think night sights were mandatory on a gun. But then think about it - if its dark enough the night sights are really useful - its too damn dark to see your target to ID it properly. If its light enough you're going off the outline of your sights, then plain black sights are all you need anyway. If I'm using a WML or a hand held light to ID my target, I don't need night sights - so tritium sights are a $80-150 waste, in my own opinion. Give me a red dot with some blacked out suppressor sights as backups for my handgun sighting system.

 

[Sam7sf]

**** it. Just let that sheriff from Idaho sleep in your front lawn.

 

[Sam7sf]

Lot will be sterilized

 

[Sam7sf]

“Thought I heard an Indian kid”!

 

[Sam7sf]

I shouldn’t joke like that. I’m an asshole.

 

[Sasquatch]

I shouldn’t joke like that. I’m an asshole.

But you know what - I bet no one screws with that Sheriff's stuff

 

[mad88minute]

Here's a good watch if you're looking at "full size" pistol lights and compares the SureFire X300, the Streamlight TLR-1HL, and a handful of other lights.



There are only a couple lights described as "painful" - the TLR-1HL, the X300, and the Modlight. These are lights that are true use-of-force options because they're blinding and painful. Other lights can blind temporarily but a bright enough light can cause temporary incapacitation or cease of unwanted advancement of a potential threat. They HAVE to look away and that gives you a chance to move and gives you enough time to ID, issue commands, or if necessary send an express gift of heavy metal their way.

I'll be upgrading lights on some of my guns as funds allow.

@Sam7sf - what I have on my rifle right now is as much as its going to get. Sling, light, and optic. Optic is pretty simple, non-illuminated LVPO that I keep on 2X power. Sling because its absolutely necessary, like a holster for a pistol, and the light for seeing what I'm potentially shooting at. That's it. I am not well off enough to shell out $10,000+ for good NV, so zero need for a LAM of any sort. I don't need VFG's or AFG's or hand stops or anything else. IF anything else gets added to that particular gun, it'll be a can.

My shotgun - a Mossberg 500 - has a dot sight on it. I haven't decided on how to mount a light to it, and it would have to be a pretty stout light on a pretty stout mount to stand up to much 12ga recoil. The shotgun isn't my primary, or even second pick for a defensive weapon.

If you think about it - in a residential or concealed carry citizen defender type scenario - the "beacon" aspect of a WML is mental masturbation more than reality. There will be ambient light of some sort, and unless you are a 10th degree spinjitsu Chuck Norris approved ultra black belt - you're going to make some noise as you move. What I'm saying is you won't go unnoticed by a hostile invading your territory, so the use of a bright light to blind their ass is just going to work to your favor. You only need a fraction of a second to ID the target as friend or foe anyway, so a momentary blast of light can both ID the target and disorient them and screw with *their* night time vision. Let them see spots while you take a safer position.

I used to think night sights were mandatory on a gun. But then think about it - if its dark enough the night sights are really useful - its too damn dark to see your target to ID it properly. If its light enough you're going off the outline of your sights, then plain black sights are all you need anyway. If I'm using a WML or a hand held light to ID my target, I don't need night sights - so tritium sights are a $80-150 waste, in my own opinion. Give me a red dot with some blacked out suppressor sights as backups for my handgun sighting system.

I have an olight valkyrie on my bedside Glock 45 MOS. I've been waiting to add a red dot untill I decide on upgraded sights.
I kinda agree with your analysis on night sights.

And I'll also add an opinion.
Additional dots on a front sight post take away from the red dot. I have a lone wolf Glock I built with fiber optic sights and a burris fast fire red dot. It's one or the other. Both is kinda confusing.

Sent from my moto e6 using Tapatalk

 

[Sasquatch]

I have an olight valkyrie on my bedside Glock 45 MOS. I've been waiting to add a red dot untill I decide on upgraded sights.
I kinda agree with your analysis on night sights.

And I'll also add an opinion.
Additional dots on a front sight post take away from the red dot. I have a lone wolf Glock I built with fiber optic sights and a burris fast fire red dot. It's one or the other. Both is kinda confusing.

Sent from my moto e6 using Tapatalk

Yeah, I think if you're running a fiber optic front with a red dot - you've be best served by different colors between the dot sight and the fiber optic. One green, one red or something like that.

 

[Coyote9]

Sad and I am sure the man is heart broken for life, ONLY idiots fire a weapon at an unidentified target.
There are many things that "go bump in the night" very few are hostile and even fewer valid threats

 

[Hank1973]

Ohio girl, 16, fatally shot by father after she’s mistaken for intruder, reports say

Janae Hairston, 16, was shot in the garage of her home by her father, who thought she was an intruder, Columbus police say.

www.cleveland.com

Doesn't get much worse than this. What can we learn from it?

Noise was in the garage. I would have had my wife call 911 while I get the weapon ready and consolidate family. That's probably when I would have noticed that my daughter wasn't in her bedroom. That said, I am not sure how clearly I would be thinking at 4:30 in the morning.

I know it won't matter what any judge or jury could hit him with....it will never be as bad as having to live with this the rest of his life. Identifying your target, as well as a clear field of fire are both absolutely necessary before even thinking of pulling the trigger. Such a sad outcome.

 

[andrew83]

There's a lot to break down with this and the first thing we can learn is that you should always know your target and what's beyond your target. The 2nd thing is I've heard people ask "should you let an intruder know you are armed?" I've always felt that answer is a yes. I'm not eager to shoot anyone, and by simply stating "I am armed and prepared to fire" would have allowed either an intruder to flee or allow his daughter to announce herself. A light on a home defense gun is paramount, yes they can see where you are, but more importantly you can see WHO they are.

 

[DFW1776]

Yep. Lesson is Dont start shooting till you know where all your family members are. Duh. Dont start shooting till you know the target is a bad guy.

Fortunately I cant, and never will live a life so scared I would just shoot at unknown people in my garage.

You hit the nail on the head.....two times. What a horrific situation and tragedy.