APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA — A homeowner sustained a non-threatening gunshot wound to his thigh following a confrontation outside with a suspected home intruder. According to the Casa Grande Valley Dispatch, the man took a rifle to investigate a disturbance on his property. At around 3 am, the man heard his dogs sound the alarm and he grabbed his rifle to head off an intruder. Once outside, he ran into the intruder and a confrontation ensued in which the intruder managed to gain control of the firearm and discharge it into the man’s thigh. The intruder immediately fled following the gunshot.
From the story, it’s unknown whether the intruder kept the firearm in his escape or discarded it. All that is known is that he was able to gain enough control over the firearm to successfully use it against the homeowner. This, in of itself, serves as a principle point of warning for homeowners going out onto their property to investigate possible intrusion.
We’ve covered a lot of similar situation stories where the main confrontation begins or escalates quickly outside the door of the house itself. In these situations, the homeowner is usually unaccompanied and operating in a low-light environment.
Trying to tell the 2A community to not go outside and investigate possible disturbances on their property is like telling a dog to become a vegetarian. That said — if you sense a disturbance in the Force, call the police. Don’t go outside to do battle with the forces of evil (or just a wayward burglar or two). The second you step out alone into a darkened environment, you’ve just increased your potential attackers chances significantly.
Read this story we covered about an elderly man who successively thwarted a home invasion by keeping it cool and letting the home invader do all the work. Not convinced? Check out this account where a woman encountered the same thief twice in a row — and made sure he never came back again. The one common feature you’ll see between those two cases and this one is the homeowner wasn’t trying to be a hero, he (or she) was playing it safe.
In a potential home invasion situation, you want to limit your fields of fire down to the point where you can cover a corridor or doorway with just the firearm you have on you. Especially if you’re operating alone, you need to maximize your chances of success while severely limiting your foes. It’s a “brains versus brawn” scenario that continually plays out in the defender’s favor. So, next time you hear someone rustling around outside — why not do you a favor and call the police. Now, living in Apache Junction, Arizona, it may take state police or deputies some time to get there — but guaranteeably they’d rather arrive to the robber being long gone than you clutching a seeping thigh wound and needing emergency services.
Fight smart. Don’t charge out into the fray when your enemy is more than willing to do you that favor.