Man walks through my backyard at 9:20am SAT

[GoCodeBravo]

Well, I am happy to report that there was no confrontation, since the family was home. So here's the detail, then what I did...

SCENARIO:

- Standing in the kitchen talking to my young bride (front of house)
- Son is sleeping in his bedroom (back of house)
- Catch a 20-something male walking VERY quickly across my backyard
- Backyard is 100% fenced (one side is 8 foot tall)
- Sun is shining, grass is soaked, so I can see wet footprints later where he crossed my concrete patio

HERE'S WHAT I DO:

1. wife goes to Son's room
2. I go to back door - do not open it or let potential BG know I'm there
3. He disappears to my left - towards my son's room
4. I wait 2 seconds, then retrieve my XD - not loaded since I have not installed my ADG Sports quick-access safe yet
5. Load the chamber and carry said XD back to backdoor in belt tuck format
6. I hear from wife that my son is OK
7. Realize back gate was not locked from Fri PM...
8. Wonder if it was a electric utility "meter reader"...but then they usually have a VEST on and knock first on the front door.
9. Wait 2-3 more minutes and look at all windows, looking for strange vehicles out front...seeing none, I...
10. Finally go outside for a sweep (gun under shirt at this point)
11. Go back in...check with wife
12. Seeing my neighbor on one side getting in his car, I tell him what I saw, the he realizes that he may have left his backdoor unlocked with young wife and 1 yr old...he bolts inside.

That's it. Never figured out who the mystery man was and it still bugs me. First time I've EVER seen anyone in my neighborhood in my backyard.

Any comments as to WHAT YOU DO when you see an unknown on your property, especially your BACKYARD?

[sa-xd9shooter]

While armed...go out and ask him what the hell is he doing!

[DanTheEldest]

Originally Posted by GoCodeBravo

Any comments as to WHAT YOU DO when you see an unknown on your property, especially your BACKYARD?

Trigger the claymores and prod any large remaining pieces with the muzzle of my 12-gauge. Retrieve shovel.

But seriously....I think you did a good job. Job one is to make sure the "friendlies" are accounted for and in a safe location. You retrieved a weapon, also good; I think I would have grabbed up my cellphone too, just for the heck of it. You did the right thing IMO by not challenging the guy and potentially escalating the situation--if he's going to just pass on through, let him, but alert your neighbors (which you did). If he's going to try to make entry into your residence, that's a whole different situation and you adjust your tactics accordingly.

One of the things my CCW instructor said that stuck with me was something to the order of "If armed intervention isn't immediately required to save your life or someone else's life from dire physical threat, stay cool and be a good witness". Sounds like that's what you did.

[Sparks007]

Good Job, but here is my advice....
Call the Police first and report it. Have them come out and handle it.
If he busts in the house, have him at gunpoint (finger off the trigger) and tell him to leave.
Don't ever use force on the suspect unless he goes after you or your family directly.
I went thru this and pulled my gun out once when I noticed somebody had been in the backyard. If I would have shot an unarmed man, I'd be in jail now.

[Johnnybgood]

Sounds like you played it safe, good job. It does call for concern though seeing as you said your back yard is fenced. My back yard is fenced and all gates chained and locked, any body found there doesn't belong there. I will let the dog out to say hello to the tresspasser because they aren't there by accident. I have had situations before and always called police first giving as much info as possible. Once when talking to the leo outside my house he told me to buy a gun I grinned as I felt my firearm tucked inside the waisteband of my pants. I did buy another gun though a XD 45 compact and I will probably buy another one and another one and...

[Tard]

I was home and some older teenager came walking quickly past me from my own fully fenced backyard while I was washing the car. Same thing, I pretty much was on full alert, went inside to make sure the family was OK.

Later I saw him walking on a nearby road and just asked what he was doing, he said it was a shortcut the old owner let the kids take to the ballfield nearby.

Not everything is evil.
Exception: Hillary

[beardman2]

yikes. I would have had the wife call the cops (cell phone) while attending to the child. I would have kept him in sight until the cops showed. But thats in a perfect world with 20/20

[Bree]

In most states you can't defend property with deadly force except in the case of "My Home is My Castle" doctrine states. Even there, once the perp is outside the door, your defense of home is castle fails since he isn't in your castle. So I think that you did the right thing to not confront him.

If he had entered your home, depending on your state law, you might have had justification to simply pop him. My state, NY would have wanted to see more than simple entry. They would want to see evidence of intent to harm you or burglarize the house before the green light went on to shoot.

Shoot him in the yard and you probably would go to jail unless he drew on you first.

My $.02

[Kontiki]

Nice job. I like the idea of also notifying LE so they can make contact with the individual. That addresses multiple scenarios.

[chavez]

Well done! Have you considered a dog? My dogs would have either discouraged entry or sounded the alert at a minimum. Just a thought.