Girl, 15, Killed During Home Invasion
LAS VEGAS -- A girl shot and killed during a home invasion in a western Las Vegas neighborhood has been identified as 15-year-old Alexis Postorino, according to the Clark County Coroner's Office.(Nice reporting there, dorks - the way you've constructed that sentence [poorly] it sounds like they were shot by the cops)
Postorino and an unidentified man were both shot and found by police at a townhouse on Villa Lorena Drive near Grand Canyon Drive and Tropicana Avenue early Monday morning.
A home invasion is one of the biggest nightmares one can face. It's the sheer violation - that your castle has been breached - combined with the sudden and often violent confrontation with the invaders that makes an active invasion so terrifying. Waking up to the sound of a door being kicked in, or a window being broken, often by multiple assailants; it's the stuff of nightmares and horror movies.
Have a plan - and practice it. Make sure everyone knows what they are supposed to do - and where they are supposed to do it. Practice "bad guy" drills just like fire drills - see how quickly you can access a weapon from a standard sleeping position. Folks in states like MA that require "safe storage", invest in quick-opening safes and train with them religiously. Know what you are going to do before you have to do it, and you're a good part of the way there.
There's other things, too - the most important being to make your house unattractive as a target. Bring those HDTV boxes to the dump directly or to work for recycling; don't leave them on the curb two days before trash pickup. Invest in a longer deadbolt. Reinforce windows. Plant rosebushes around tempting access points. Have a large, hungry dog. Not everyone can have an expert marksman retired state cop living next door (but it sure helps), but taking many small steps might just convince the bad guys that your castle is too heavily defended.
A moat and alligators would be a nice touch, though...
That is all.
Link from PISSED - thanks for the warning.
7 comments:
If and when my local chief of police EVER gives me the CC permit I requested months ago, I'd like to see what your opinion and practice is regarding accessing your 'oh shit' weapon should you be woken up by an intruder. That'd be a compelling post, Jay!
You don't already have the moat with alligators?
Hmmm.
Paul,
How long has it been since you submitted your completed application? By law, they're supposed to have your permit in 40 days (although there are towns that grossly exceed this, as there is no penalty for non-compliance).
You might want to call the PD and inquire, perhaps in the guise of "I would hate to find out it got lost in the mail".
As for the OS weapon, that answer might surprise you. And yes, it is most definitely post-worthy. Let me ruminate on it a bit...
AW,
Where did I ever say I didn't? ;)
I dig the moat and alligators.
I dig the moat and alligators.
If you live n Mass. and pay any attention to safe storage laws for your "oh shit" weapon, you're a putz. Don't admit to it, but I never kept my go-to gun locked when I was sleeping. They were locked up when I left the house.
Keep your quick access/fingerprint/code button safe bolted to the bedframe. Open and unlocked.
Only lock it when leaving the house.
Access should be the default condition when the owner is present at home, sans the presence of small kidlets.
The only person testifying as to when you opened that safe should be you.
Jim (who is thankful to live in Texas w/o that "storage" B.S.)
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX
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