Guys Posing as Mormon Missionaries Actually Turn Out to Be Gun-Wielding Thugs

ocarolan · Aug 22, 2013

CoastRange57 said:
Generally when someone knocks on my front door, and it is unexpected, I arm myself and walk out a side door (with an LED light if at night,) and flank them and ask their business. I first turn on the porch and yard lights if at night that have a high light level. I stand behind one of the lights. This immediately puts them in a defensive position, gives you control of the situation and forces them to make the next decision real fast on how far they think they can get. Most of the time they have no business with me that I am interested in and I tell them to leave now. That way I never open the front door and allow them even a chance of getting inside.

Good strategy if executed well. Personally though, I'm hesitant to greet a visitor outside my house... especially at night or while visibly armed. First, the visitor may assume I am NOT the home owner, and act accordingly. A lost UPS or Dominos guy may call 911. A LEO or another carrying citizen... could react more strongly.

For similar reasons, I'm not visibly armed when answering the door. No need to become the next Jose Guerena - that $20 million settlement is tempting but it ain't worth being dead.

Misterbill · Aug 23, 2013

I always knew these guys were bad news, now I KNOW! -Apologies to Mormons, it was just kinda right there.

CoastRange57 · Aug 23, 2013

ocarolan said:
Good strategy if executed well. Personally though, I'm hesitant to greet a visitor outside my house... especially at night or while visibly armed. First, the visitor may assume I am NOT the home owner, and act accordingly. A lost UPS or Dominos guy may call 911. A LEO or another carrying citizen... could react more strongly.

For similar reasons, I'm not visibly armed when answering the door. No need to become the next Jose Guerena - that $20 million settlement is tempting but it ain't worth being dead.

My reasons for not wanting a potential confrontation at the front door is that tactically it is a very bad place to REACT from. I want to be in control of all interactions that take place on my home turf. I have light sensors across the entire entry portions of my property. You break that beam and a chime goes off in my house, shop and office. I can then check cameras or look outside to see whom or what is there. This gives me valuable time to mentally prepare my response. I will know who is at my door already before even thinking about answering it. That is sufficient to determine if it is LEO, UPS or a street tweaker. It is also enough to bring the dogs to a level one alert behavior, and they are seldom less than 10 feet from me at most times.

When you have an interaction at your front door, the person outside has an immediate tactical advantage, and if they decide to force entry, you are immediately forced into a retreat and cover situation. This is likely to result in the use of deadly force, which if engaged outside in a flanking matter, you may be able to verbally rectify the situation in your favor. If I engage them in questioning out side, I have eliminated one thing in their favor and that is the element of surprise. They have to regroup with their own criminal behavior and intent and make a quick decision as to what happens next.

I will not be openly armed. The threat level is not high enough until after I have questioned them as to their business with me, and have directed our interaction to the next level, the level that I want it to be at. The minute you let someone direct or control the interaction on your own home turf, you have given them a tactical advantage, and to regain it will require at least 2 more steps on your part , and a possible escalation of your projection. Thinking these scenarios out and discussing them like this is huge pre planning factor that is required for effective self and homestead self defense. I am in no way saying your way is flawed at all, as you made very legitimate points.