Bro. James Reed
New Member
Please read my story and tell me at the end whether or not a gun was good in this situation.
This happened to my grandparents in 1977.
My grandpa served in the Army's Military Police during WWII. He was also an Expert Rifleman, commonly called a sharpshooter. He owned an old .22 rifle. My grandmother did not like having a gun in the house, so she hid the bullets to prevent any accidental shootings from taking place. My cousin Sylvia and her husband Travis had just had a little baby girl. They were also in the process of moving back to her home town from Houston. Travis had left the morning of this incident to take a load of belongings to their new home. My aunt, who was still living at home, was out for the evening. My grandfather was 5'6" and weighed about 120lbs.
My grandparents had lived in their home for about 25 years prior to this without incident. It was a good middle-class neighborhood on the outskirts of the Houston city limits.
This story occurs with my grandparents, cousin Sylvia, and her baby girl all in the house at night. I believe it was about 2am when this occured.
A man, who was a football player at the University of Houston, was in an argument with a waitress at a local bar during the evening. He followed her home, or so he thought. The waitress was a neighbor who lived three houses down from my grandparents, and she drove a similar car to theirs. This man came banging on my grandparents' door early in the morning looking for this waitress. Of course, he was at the wrong house. My grandfather came to the door and told him he was at the wrong house, but the large, drunk football player wouldn't have it. He "knew" he was at the right place. My grandparents went to call for the police, but the phone was dead. My grandmother told me this was the only time she can ever remember that their phone had been out of order. My cousin Sylvia, leaving her daughter asleep in her room, went though the backyeard and hopped the fence to call for help from the neighbors house.
In the meantime, my grandmother and gone and brought my grandfather's .22 to him, and also the bullets, after having to hunt for them. They stood in their dining room, just off the living room, yelling at the man to go away and leave them alone. My grandfather told the man that he had a gun and he would shoot him if he came in the door. The man just kept up has rants, screaming and cursing at my grandparents to let him in. Finally, the man kicked the door down. Yes, he literally kicked the door and it flew off the hinges...he was a big guy!
He walked in and my grandpa told him to stop. The man walked towards them and my grandpa fired the gun at him, all the while my grandma screaming "Shoot, Willis, shoot!" He shot him twice in the chest, one of which went through him and embedded in the living room wall. The man then cussed him again and walked out to his car. He dug through his car, we don't know what for...perhaps looking for his own gun. He then came back up, laid across the hood of my grandparents' car, and waited until the police/paramedics arrived.
The man didn't die, but he very well could have. My grandpa was very shaky and shocked over this incident. He was afraid he had killed the man, but at the same time he was relieved his family wan't hurt.
Now, I firmly believe that, had my grandparents not had a gun in the house, the man would have broken in their door and possibly beaten and/or killed my grandparents.
Was it worth it to have a gun in this instance? YES.
Did God protect my family? YES.
Would God have stopped this man if my grandparents had not had a gun? WHO KNOWS?
I own a shotgun and my brother owns the same .22 rifle that my grandpa used to shoot that man.
One who would not take the same steps by shooting this man, given the same circumstances, to protect their family does not deserve the right to have a family.
God gave us common sense. I do not tempt God to protect me by stepping out in front of a speeding car, even though He could protect me from it. In the same token, I will use the knowledge of firearms and technology that God has blessed humans with to protect my family, if the need arises.
I probably would have regrets and remorse over shooting someone, even for this cause. But I would in noway second guess that decision before, during, or after the event.
If someone has the intent to hurt me or my family, then I will use my God-given RIGHT TO LIFE and defend myself and my family.
If you own a gun, know how and when to use it. Keep it in a place where it is easily accessible to you, but not your children. If someone is threatening your life or your family, you better defend them, or else God just might decide to take them away from you.
This happened to my grandparents in 1977.
My grandpa served in the Army's Military Police during WWII. He was also an Expert Rifleman, commonly called a sharpshooter. He owned an old .22 rifle. My grandmother did not like having a gun in the house, so she hid the bullets to prevent any accidental shootings from taking place. My cousin Sylvia and her husband Travis had just had a little baby girl. They were also in the process of moving back to her home town from Houston. Travis had left the morning of this incident to take a load of belongings to their new home. My aunt, who was still living at home, was out for the evening. My grandfather was 5'6" and weighed about 120lbs.
My grandparents had lived in their home for about 25 years prior to this without incident. It was a good middle-class neighborhood on the outskirts of the Houston city limits.
This story occurs with my grandparents, cousin Sylvia, and her baby girl all in the house at night. I believe it was about 2am when this occured.
A man, who was a football player at the University of Houston, was in an argument with a waitress at a local bar during the evening. He followed her home, or so he thought. The waitress was a neighbor who lived three houses down from my grandparents, and she drove a similar car to theirs. This man came banging on my grandparents' door early in the morning looking for this waitress. Of course, he was at the wrong house. My grandfather came to the door and told him he was at the wrong house, but the large, drunk football player wouldn't have it. He "knew" he was at the right place. My grandparents went to call for the police, but the phone was dead. My grandmother told me this was the only time she can ever remember that their phone had been out of order. My cousin Sylvia, leaving her daughter asleep in her room, went though the backyeard and hopped the fence to call for help from the neighbors house.
In the meantime, my grandmother and gone and brought my grandfather's .22 to him, and also the bullets, after having to hunt for them. They stood in their dining room, just off the living room, yelling at the man to go away and leave them alone. My grandfather told the man that he had a gun and he would shoot him if he came in the door. The man just kept up has rants, screaming and cursing at my grandparents to let him in. Finally, the man kicked the door down. Yes, he literally kicked the door and it flew off the hinges...he was a big guy!
He walked in and my grandpa told him to stop. The man walked towards them and my grandpa fired the gun at him, all the while my grandma screaming "Shoot, Willis, shoot!" He shot him twice in the chest, one of which went through him and embedded in the living room wall. The man then cussed him again and walked out to his car. He dug through his car, we don't know what for...perhaps looking for his own gun. He then came back up, laid across the hood of my grandparents' car, and waited until the police/paramedics arrived.
The man didn't die, but he very well could have. My grandpa was very shaky and shocked over this incident. He was afraid he had killed the man, but at the same time he was relieved his family wan't hurt.
Now, I firmly believe that, had my grandparents not had a gun in the house, the man would have broken in their door and possibly beaten and/or killed my grandparents.
Was it worth it to have a gun in this instance? YES.
Did God protect my family? YES.
Would God have stopped this man if my grandparents had not had a gun? WHO KNOWS?
I own a shotgun and my brother owns the same .22 rifle that my grandpa used to shoot that man.
One who would not take the same steps by shooting this man, given the same circumstances, to protect their family does not deserve the right to have a family.
God gave us common sense. I do not tempt God to protect me by stepping out in front of a speeding car, even though He could protect me from it. In the same token, I will use the knowledge of firearms and technology that God has blessed humans with to protect my family, if the need arises.
I probably would have regrets and remorse over shooting someone, even for this cause. But I would in noway second guess that decision before, during, or after the event.
If someone has the intent to hurt me or my family, then I will use my God-given RIGHT TO LIFE and defend myself and my family.
If you own a gun, know how and when to use it. Keep it in a place where it is easily accessible to you, but not your children. If someone is threatening your life or your family, you better defend them, or else God just might decide to take them away from you.
