Misidentification of the threat

[HeadHunter]

A Mistaken Identity shooting happens every week on average. At a bare minimum, you should pick up your flashlight BEFORE you pick up your gun. Depending on your temperament, keeping the gun a few steps away may be a good idea also.

Very few people practice shooting with both a handgun and a handheld light. That's why I give the Flashlight practice session of my Indoor Range Practice Sessions book away for FREEEEE! A flashlight and verbalizing "Who's there?" would prevent just about all of these tragedies.

https://store.payloadz.com/details/2505573-ebooks-law-indoor-range-session-11-flashlight.html

 

[dcline9163]

I always wake up with a clear mind and a gun on my nightstand. I have great alarm system. Chances are if you make it in the door, you're a dead man. I do understand a lot of folks takes a while to wake up, but myself and I don't know why I have always been that way. On the same note if my family comes in the middle of the night, they always call. Even my neighbors know that when I'm out shooting, we all communicate together. There are 3 of us around me that have each others back.

 

[cmshoot]

I always wake up with a clear mind and a gun on my nightstand. I have great alarm system. Chances are if you make it in the door, you're a dead man. I do understand a lot of folks takes a while to wake up, but myself and I don't know why I have always been that way. On the same note if my family comes in the middle of the night, they always call. Even my neighbors know that when I'm out shooting, we all communicate together. There are 3 of us around me that have each others back.

I thought I woke up good and clear as well.......for the first 40 years or so of my life. You may not know that it’s changed, until it does.

 

[Sowega86]

My grandfather was a combat vet during WWII and up until he was sent to assisted living in 1989, he always slept with his issued and loaded Colt .45 under his pillow. He never had an incident.

I've walked into a coffee table too many times and finally placed automatic night lights throughout the house which illuminate just about everywhere. I sleep with a CPAP but keep my Shield 9mm with a red laser in a night stand, and have a pet who can alert.

 

[cmshoot]

My grandfather was a combat vet during WWII and up until he was sent to assisted living in 1989, he always slept with his issued Colt .45 under his pillow. He never had an incident.

I keep a fire extinguisher in my kitchen, but I’ve never needed it. I’m gonna keep it, though.

 

[cmshoot]

Different folks are different; I shouldn’t have to say this.

Just because I have had a couple of issues when startled awake in recent years doesn’t mean that someone else will.......but it certainly raises the possibility. Until it happened, I had no issues and I was 100% positive that I wouldn’t have a problem. I was wrong. On both occasions, I didn’t reach for a firearm, but instead lunged out with my bare hands. What was different on those two occasions that may have caused the different reaction? I have no idea. Maybe I was having a dream that primed the pump. If so, I didn’t remember it once I woke up.

I can pull up incidents that occur on a weekly basis where folks are startled awake and use a firearm to assault a friend or family member, resulting in death or serious injury. I guarantee that every one of those folks were 100% certain that it wouldn’t happen. If they weren’t 100% certain, they wouldn’t have kept a loaded firearm beside them while asleep.

Out of the hundreds of times I’ve been startled awake, it’s only been an issue on two separate occasions. How many times does it take to have a tragic incident? Just one.

There are plenty of folks that have been startled awake with no bad reactions. Doesn’t mean that the next one won’t be The One. It also doesn’t mean that they will ever have an issue. They could go their entire life with no adverse reactions......most people do. But, just because they have never had an issue does not mean that you or I won’t. Just because I had a couple of incidents doesn’t mean that anyone else will.

I was clear earlier in this thread that keeping the firearm out of reach isn’t a plan for everyone. Live by yourself? No worries at all. When I travel for work, I secure my hotel door, add a solid rubber door wedge that I carry with me, and keep a firearm within easy reach from bed. I’m in the room all alone, so there are no worries.

I previously described the layout and security at my house. Having the gun within reach isn’t going to effect my ability to arm myself before the threat can get to me. I’m more of a target than the average person; I’ve helped put a few thousand folks in jail and am currently a Federal agent. I recognize this and it doesn’t change my plan; I still have plenty of time.

This is a topic that few folks actually put a lot of thought into. My goal was to stimulate discussion and get folks to discuss it while recognizing the possibility of w bad outcome.

 

[dcline9163]

I thought I woke up good and clear as well.......for the first 40 years or so of my life. You may not know that it’s changed, until it does.

I do understand that habits can change as I'm nearing 62, but I always wake up early as I, like my Father can say that waking up early with good rest helps a body. That being said I almost never dream. If I do it's rare, so I guess I spend my nights resting better than tossing and turning.

 

[payneed]

Good stuff! cmshoot
I may need a hide away shelf in my toilet room (separate room inside my bathroom is why I called it that) because if I wake up, I'm going to need to go pee first.

 

[Deleted member 79987]

Different folks are different; I shouldn’t have to say this.

Just because I have had a couple of issues when startled awake in recent years doesn’t mean that someone else will.......but it certainly raises the possibility. Until it happened, I had no issues and I was 100% positive that I wouldn’t have a problem. I was wrong. On both occasions, I didn’t reach for a firearm, but instead lunged out with my bare hands. What was different on those two occasions that may have caused the different reaction? I have no idea. Maybe I was having a dream that primed the pump. If so, I didn’t remember it once I woke up.

I can pull up incidents that occur on a weekly basis where folks are startled awake and use a firearm to assault a friend or family member, resulting in death or serious injury. I guarantee that every one of those folks were 100% certain that it wouldn’t happen. If they weren’t 100% certain, they wouldn’t have kept a loaded firearm beside them while asleep.

Out of the hundreds of times I’ve been startled awake, it’s only been an issue on two separate occasions. How many times does it take to have a tragic incident? Just one.

There are plenty of folks that have been startled awake with no bad reactions. Doesn’t mean that the next one won’t be The One. It also doesn’t mean that they will ever have an issue. They could go their entire life with no adverse reactions......most people do. But, just because they have never had an issue does not mean that you or I won’t. Just because I had a couple of incidents doesn’t mean that anyone else will.

I was clear earlier in this thread that keeping the firearm out of reach isn’t a plan for everyone. Live by yourself? No worries at all. When I travel for work, I secure my hotel door, add a solid rubber door wedge that I carry with me, and keep a firearm within easy reach from bed. I’m in the room all alone, so there are no worries.

I previously described the layout and security at my house. Having the gun within reach isn’t going to effect my ability to arm myself before the threat can get to me. I’m more of a target than the average person; I’ve helped put a few thousand folks in jail and am currently a Federal agent. I recognize this and it doesn’t change my plan; I still have plenty of time.

This is a topic that few folks actually put a lot of thought into. My goal was to stimulate discussion and get folks to discuss it while recognizing the possibility of w bad outcome.

Folks there's a great personal defense lesson for the week right there.

 

[Jambo]

Folks there's a great personal defense lesson for the week right there.

Don't wake up cmssoot unless you want your butt whooped?