[Dagwood]

I live in a tract home neighborhood. My wife and I have lived here since the home was built. 22 years, very little problems.

My wife has been working swing, so she doesn't get home till after 1am. I have security motion lights in the driveway and ring cameras at the front door and on the blind side of the house.

She parks in the driveway. Owns a mid sized car, low to the ground. I park my suv and my truck on the side of the house, but my work van is also parked in the driveway. Just setting the scene.

Tonight around 9pm I went out to move my vehicles around, and when I went out there were 2 teenage boys walking around the back of my van. They were on the sidewalk, but I hadn't seen them in my neighborhood before.

When they saw me one of them said "how's your evening so far"? I responded, but was cautious. I got in my car and drove down my street past the next door neigbors house and they were kneeled down behind his truck parked on the street and it appeared they were using their phone light to look under the rear of his truck.

I rolled down my window and asked them " what are you 2 mother f'ers doing and the one kid said he was pulling stickers out of his shoes. I know, long story. I told them they needed to stay the hell away from peoples cars and went and parked my car on the side of my house.

At this point 2 other kids walked up and obviously knew the other kids. I went inside and called the non emergency police line and reported suspicious kids and behaviour and asked that they send a car to the neighborhood to check it out.

I kept an eye out and saw them walk and run by several times. I went out with my pistol with a light on it and stood at my front door at one point, not pointing it at them but holding it so they definitely saw me. I also carried it in sight and backed my vehicles in.

My thought is they were casing the neighborhood for easy targets to steal catalytic converters later. As I kept an eye out of my front window, it appeared more and more that the teens may have been playing a game of hide and seek or something completely innocent.

My question: Did I over react? None of the teens were tatted up or anything, just not kids I usually see on my street. I was pretty worked up for a bit. I kinda feel like I did over react a bit, but what do you do.

 

[ajole]

They’re thieves. No doubt. If they were playing, they’d have said so. Stupid excuses are what thieves come up with. Next time you see them, take a few pictures. Also, chances are good they didn’t walk there. See if you can spot their car, or the car that comes and picks them up.

Have you got car alarms? Set them.

 

[moona11]

I live in a tract home neighborhood. My wife and I have lived here since the home was built. 22 years, very little problems.

My wife has been working swing, so she doesn't get home till after 1am. I have security motion lights in the driveway and ring cameras at the front door and on the blind side of the house.

She parks in the driveway. Owns a mid sized car, low to the ground. I park my suv and my truck on the side of the house, but my work van is also parked in the driveway. Just setting the scene.

Tonight around 9pm I went out to move my vehicles around, and when I went out there were 2 teenage boys walking around the back of my van. They were on the sidewalk, but I hadn't seen them in my neighborhood before.

When they saw me one of them said "how's your evening so far"? I responded, but was cautious. I got in my car and drove down my street past the next door neigbors house and they were kneeled down behind his truck parked on the street and it appeared they were using their phone light to look under the rear of his truck.

I rolled down my window and asked them " what are you 2 mother f'ers doing and the one kid said he was pulling stickers out of his shoes. I know, long story. I told them they needed to stay the hell away from peoples cars and went and parked my car on the side of my house.

At this point 2 other kids walked up and obviously knew the other kids. I went inside and called the non emergency police line and reported suspicious kids and behaviour and asked that they send a car to the neighborhood to check it out.

I kept an eye out and saw them walk and run by several times. I went out with my pistol with a light on it and stood at my front door at one point, not pointing it at them but holding it so they definitely saw me. I also carried it in sight and backed my vehicles in.

My thought is they were casing the neighborhood for easy targets to steal catalytic converters later. As I kept an eye out of my front window, it appeared more and more that the teens may have been playing a game of hide and seek or something completely innocent.

My question: Did I over react? None of the teens were tatted up or anything, just not kids I usually see on my street. I was pretty worked up for a bit. I kinda feel like I did over react a bit, but what do you do.

Yes I think you did over react. Flashing your pistol seemed overboard. You didn't say that the kids did anything criminal or threatening. But you seemed threatening. You called the cops let them do their jobs. If you catch them committing a crime it depends on your state and local laws. Know them inside and out.

 

[greg_r]

You definitely overreacted. While I agree with @ajole that the kids were up to no good, I also agree with @moona11 , there was no reason for brandishing.

I went out with my pistol with a light on it and stood at my front door at one point, not pointing it at them but holding it so they definitely saw me. I also carried it in sight and backed my vehicles in.

My thought is with the situation the way you described it, you became the aggressor when the above happened.

Personally my EDC would of stayed holstered until the threat of bodily harm became evident. You had already called the police, let them do their job.

 

[adam01364]

I kept an eye out and saw them walk and run by several times. I went out with my pistol with a light on it and stood at my front door at one point, not pointing it at them but holding it so they definitely saw me. I also carried it in sight and backed my vehicles in.

In mAssachoo$hitz, that could've resulted in a charge of brandishing, and if it went to court, 90% chance of losing the case as well as forever losing your firearm license.

My question: Did I over react? None of the teens were tatted up or anything, just not kids I usually see on my street. I was pretty worked up for a bit. I kinda feel like I did over react a bit, but what do you do.

If you have to ask the question in hindsight, you already know the answer. You'll know for sure if a parent or two come knock on your door this weekend...
OTOH, if the kids were up to doing no good, they prolly won't be doing it on your street.

 

[undeRGRound]

2 edged sword.
Learn from these one or 2 mistakes, do better next time, but at least you probably warned them off your neighborhood. For now.

 

[TNTRAILERTRASH]

Time to refresh your knowledge of your state and local laws on brandishing. Even open carry and holstered display can get you in trouble according to some local and state laws.


Got a camera on your phone? Use it. Document their faces. Your ring camera caught them. Did you offer the video to the police? They might have been looking for these guys, already Ring video from other neighborhoods where things happened.

Did you know where the other kids were from who recognized them?

In Nashville, LaVergne, Smyrna, and Murfreesboro thugs are breaking into cars, stealing gas, and catalytic converters. Almost daily reports on local news of them shooting at homeowners. They aren't playing.

Need to develop some different tactics. Blinding hand held flashlights are a good idea, I had a tweeker come down my street at 9pm one night. I was just getting out of my car with the gate closed. Pitch black. The dogs saw or heard him. Out came my 1200 lumen Feyatchi light. I was 60+ feet away from him. He freaked out. I mentioned I knew the cops were looking for him as his mom lived down the street in the other place I eventually bought out from under them. He wanted a ride. He had a restraining order against him too. Not allowed near his mother.

I love my fence, my dogs, and my dead end street.

 

[ajole]

In my state, holding your pistol in your hand while on your property isn’t brandishing, and open carry is legal, as is concealed.

So it’s not brandishing in some states…as long as you didn’t point it at them.

 

[TNTRAILERTRASH]

In my state, holding your pistol in your hand while on your property isn’t brandishing, and open carry is legal, as is concealed.

So it’s not brandishing in some states…as long as you didn’t point it at them.

Mine neither. However multiple "harmless waifs" can lie and get you tossed into jail with a whirling legal mess that might take a bunch of time and money to navigate if at all. In the mean time politicians on both sides are working on redflag laws as we type. Wanna give up your guns for months or years as you spend lots of money proving you were in the right?

New Mexico has been going anti-2A in a big-big hurry. Stupid people who might read the headlines are adopting stupid opinions force fed to them by the media.

 

[Dagwood]

Well, i don't believe that currently as the law is written in my state that what i did was considered brandishing. But all of the points that you bring up are valid and I feel i did over react. It's a shame that a law abiding citizen with intent to protect life and property can ultimately be determined to be the bad guy. The police never did come and question me. That wasn't really my intent when I called them. I just wanted them to show presence in the neighborhood as a deterent. Kinda like me standing at my door was hopefully a deterrent. My property and catalytic converters are all in tact today, so thats good.

 

[TNTRAILERTRASH]

I ripped on a guy at work the other day. His wife almost got boxed in on the perimeter of the local Walmart in Smyrna by 2 cars. She was able to get out and get home. Thugs.

I asked if she reported it to the police as there is video at Walmart. Perhaps the police were already looking for these guys? Every traffic light in that area has cameras. Nope. He seems to think there is no reason to talk to the police, or to Walmart.

He bought a S&W EZ almost 2 years ago. Has never shot it, has never loaded it. Wanted my suggestion on teaching his wife to shoot. I told him book a class with an instructor who knows how to teach women to shoot who have never shot before. Then go golfing while she takes the class as you are the worst instructor for the job. Make sure it is a class where she can qualify to get her carry permit. Encourage her to get her permit.


The cops in Smyrna don't usually play around. Let them do their job.

He's clueless. He doesn't network with his neighbors. Has shady characters caught on video on their street. He doesn't let the cops know.

She's a teacher, and he's a former musician turned truck driver. No real sense of self preservation. 2 kids at home.

 

[amberloo]

In many places they could have called to police and you could have been arrested for assault by pointing a gun at them.

 

[Quavodus]

You didn't overreact. If this Country plays out like a lot of people think it will, you may have to up your game, quite a bit.

 

[RACHGIER]

You didn't overreact. If this Country plays out like a lot of people think it will, you may have to up your game, quite a bit.

Yes, because the intentional presentation of a firearm for the sole purpose of intimidating several minors is a fantastic display of reasonable and rational behavior by a gun owner and adult...

 

[moona11]

You didn't overreact. If this Country plays out like a lot of people think it will, you may have to up your game, quite a bit.

Kids actually not breaking any laws and him flashing a gun is the correct way to do things? Thats a fast track to going to jail.

 

[lklawson]

My question: Did I over react? None of the teens were tatted up or anything, just not kids I usually see on my street. I was pretty worked up for a bit. I kinda feel like I did over react a bit, but what do you do.

Some of it yes,some of it no.

If you think they're casing the area then just call the cops. Maybe take a few pics if you feel safe doing so. Seriously, you pay your taxes. When was the last time you called the cops for, well, anything? Use your tax money. Let them do their job and take the risk. They have Qualified Immunity so they can legally intimidate all they want.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[moona11]

I was thinking about this again the other night. When I was a kid/highschool. We were out screwing around playing hide and seek. One of my buddies hide under a car. The crazy guy down the street came out with a long gun. I don't remember if it was a rifle or shotgun. But he was yelling and waving his gun. So we ran off and I told my brother. Who is 10 years older. Him and his buddies went over and dead the piss out of that guy. The cops didn't do anything. Years later I bought a house across the street from crazy man. He was still thinking he was something special. We had a flood situation and the Army corp build a dike down the road and yards to contain the river. This guy drove on the dike because he was special and didn't have to obey the law. The NG guys patrolling it beat his ass and he spent a month in jail to correct his behavior.
The point is if you aint a cop don't act like one. They get paid to do it.

Besides what would you do if the kids lipped off to you and decided to make the street infront of your house their newest hang out? Shoot em?

 

[cicpup]

My question: Did I over react?

No more than any old man. Next time just wave your cane towards them in a threatening manner.

 

[cicpup]

dead the piss out of that guy.

What?

 

[moona11]

What?

Typing is hard. And proofreading is for losers. And I'm either retarded or the phone changes what I think I'm typing. Or both

Beat it was supposed to be beat.