Mom protecting her 3 month old ...

[Rebecca VA]

That poor dear girl. It sounds as though she has had enough stress for a lifetime.

[ravinlunachick]

This MSNBC article says her husband was 58, and that he died of cancer on Christmas day. It also says the police believe the robbers were possibly after prescription drugs the husband had been taking (probably for pain).

 

I'm not sure I could have been so calm in her situation. I guess when that mama bear instinct kicks in you do what you have to do.

 

The article I linked says that she had been scared for quite some time; she'd noticed things being moved around while she was gone, and she was often scared in the middle of the night. If she's anything like me, she had time to think about what she'd do if anyone tried to come in. That, along with her mama instincts, probably gave her the calm she needed.

[Murphy101]

The article I linked says that she had been scared for quite some time; she'd noticed things being moved around while she was gone, and she was often scared in the middle of the night. If she's anything like me, she had time to think about what she'd do if anyone tried to come in. That, along with her mama instincts, probably gave her the calm she needed.

 

Yes. I agree. Apparently these wackos targeted her literally the day her dh died. They came out to her place the day after her died. And the German shepherds that she was trying to breed to earn a bit of money started dying. That poor girl. I rather wish she had shot the other guy too. I saw on some comments elsewhere that some locals are basically thinking only a low character type of girl would marry a 58 year old man. Guess that means they think she deserved all this mess?!:glare:

Edited January 5, 2012 by Martha

[LG Gone Wild]

I didn't follow the link...

 

Stupid Question: *WHY* on earth did she feel the need to call 911 to get permission to take care of the vermin attempting to break into her home? (I understand calling 911 to get police on the way, but I can tell you all if some idiot wants to break into my home, I'm not asking for permission to shoot...and I certainly won't warn him. :tongue_smilie:)

 

Maybe because we have a legal system and not a justice system.

[Murphy101]

Honestly?

 

I think this young lady was smart and terrified and completely alone in the world. That baby is probably the only reason she gets up in morning.

 

I think she asked the dispatcher bc she really didn't want to hurt someone and bc she knew that if she did something wrong - not only would she go jail, but she could lose her son.

 

It's been a week and she hasn't left her home and still answers the door gun in hand. I imagine it will be a very long time before she feels safe leaving her home, much less sleeps well.

 

The only good thing, is she left home to live with her dh when she was 15 and the action cut her out of family. Apparently since the baby was born and these tragic events, her mother has made strong efforts to be there for her and reconnect. Thank goodness. I hope her mother is someone she can depend on right now bc that poor girl needs that in spades.

[angela in ohio]

Dh teaches NRA safety and concealed carry classes. You do warn the intruder; we even practice yelling in a commanding voice. About 75% of what you learn in gun training is about how to NOT use the gun.

 

If they run off, you call the police, and hopefully they will be there before they get to the neighbors (if you live around here, your neighbors are likely armed, too, though. :D)

 

I'm also glad we moved and we no longer have to wait for the police. We have called once (drunk cold man on our doorstep in the wee hours, and we called them to give him a ride home,) and they came in about one minute. In the city, it was a very long wait.

 

I doubt she had been trained, and she did the best she could. And at the point where he is coming into her bedroom, it's time to shoot no matter what. A knife wins in a gun versus knife fight.

 

I don't think she would go to jail or lose her baby no matter what. That's a fallacy. If you shoot an intruder, you are told to expect to be arrested until everything is cleared up. Once they determine that the person was in your home and out to harm you (he had a knife,) you are freed. That is the worst case scenario (but you are alive, so it's still better than the alternative.) The few times when people have been in serious trouble have been times they went crazy and shot a fleeing intruder or some nonsense like that.

 

Those who own a gun should be those who are willing to use it. I would have no problem shooting someone who was threatening my family's life.

 

Anyway, it all sounds like an interesting movie. I hope she sells the rights to her story and makes buckets of cash.

Edited January 5, 2012 by angela in ohio

[curlylocks]

Maybe because we have a legal system and not a justice system.

 

OK -- but where I live, if I waited for the "legal system" (police), it would be an hour or more before they arrived. ;)

 

Honestly?

 

...

 

I think she asked the dispatcher bc she really didn't want to hurt someone and bc she knew that if she did something wrong - not only would she go jail, but she could lose her son.

 

 

Yes...honestly. I don't necessarily want to hurt someone, but I will defend myself, my children and my property...with/without "permission". ;)

 

I don't think she would go to jail or lose her baby no matter what. That's a fallacy. If you shoot an intruder, you are told to expect to be arrested until everything is cleared up. Once they determine that the person was in your home and out to harm you (he had a knife,) you are freed. That is the worst case scenario (but you are alive, so it's still better than the alternative.)

 

Those who own a gun should be those who are willing to use it. I would have no problem shooting someone who was threatening my family's life.

 

:iagree:

[Pamela H in Texas]

I just saw this on the news a minute ago.

I wondered if she would get in trouble for hiding and planning on shooting. Looks like no.

 

The other thing I wondered is if the guys thought she was not home. Several years ago, my kids were told to keep quiet if someone knocked on the door when I wasn't home so that the people would just go away (we're JWs, know how many "home, but hiding" people we get? LOL). Well, someone took that as permission to break in. In the end, they ran off when they realized people WERE home. After that, we changed tactics. So my thought being that had they known she and the baby were home, would they have gone away?

 

How terrible that she is 18 and a widow and now has killed a man. That is a lot for a couple weeks. :(

[Renee in NC]

Here is another story that happened not far from here a week or so ago. Except this time it was a 14yo boy and his 17yo sister.

[Renee in NC]

I just saw this on the news a minute ago.

I wondered if she would get in trouble for hiding and planning on shooting. Looks like no.

 

The other thing I wondered is if the guys thought she was not home. Several years ago, my kids were told to keep quiet if someone knocked on the door when I wasn't home so that the people would just go away (we're JWs, know how many "home, but hiding" people we get? LOL). Well, someone took that as permission to break in. In the end, they ran off when they realized people WERE home. After that, we changed tactics. So my thought being that had they known she and the baby were home, would they have gone away?

 

How terrible that she is 18 and a widow and now has killed a man. That is a lot for a couple weeks. :(

 

In this case it seems that they *did* know she was there and were targeting her.:glare: People on drugs do not to rational things.

[Moxie]

It disturbs me that we are at a point in this country that there could be a QUESTION of her getting in trouble. She should not have felt the need to ask if it was okay to shoot. No one breaks into your home with good intentions!

[pdalley]

In this case it seems that they *did* know she was there and were targeting her.:glare: People on drugs do not to rational things.

 

Yeah, she had the door barricaded with the couch and they still tried to push in. They knew she was home.

[angela in ohio]

Here is another story that happened not far from here a week or so ago. Except this time it was a 14yo boy and his 17yo sister.

 

What a strong young man.

 

We get the NRA magazines, and there are stories like this every month.

[Parrothead]

Go ahead, make my day...

Do you feel lucky, punk?

 

You gotta love Harry Callahan

[Murphy101]

Yes...honestly. I don't necessarily want to hurt someone, but I will defend myself, my children and my property...with/without "permission". ;)

 

I'm sorry. I didn't mean it as are you honest. I meant it as do you want my honest opinion? My complete failure to be clear.

 

I totally agree I don't need permission. I don't think she needed permission.

 

I do think she is 18. A new mom. Has no family. Just buried her husband. I think she is smart, tough, and scared.

 

I don't think she was really asking permission. I think she was asking for reassurance. Am I right here? Will my son be okay if I do this? What if they don't believe me? Do the cops know hiw scared i am - scared enough to shoot? What if the police don't get in in time? All of that is summed up in asking, "can I shoot?"

 

I'd love to hear the entire 21 minute 911 call.

 

 

The other thing I wondered is if the guys thought she was not home.

 

How terrible that she is 18 and a widow and now has killed a man. That is a lot for a couple weeks. :(

 

Not only did they know she was home, they were going around the house banging on doors trying to get in.

[ClassicCole]

She did an excellent job of protecting her child. Her 911 call backs her in many ways. Very smart of her. Years ago when I was pregnant and had a toddler had a scary experience. While bathing the toddler there was a loud crash as someone kicked in the first door. Whoever it was knew someone had to be there since it could only be locked from the inside. There was one more door to get through. I didn't have a gun in the home but did yell and made a dash across the house for the phone, while pretending to already be loudly reporting it. It did scare the intruder(s) away. And if I'd had a gun would have done the same if they had preceded in the next door.

[funschooler5]

Can't we send her some money

or something?

 

I feel like helping out or at least

sending a card so she knows she's not

alone...all of us on this thread are

supporting her.

 

In the link that Ravinlunachick posted, it says that the Blanchard Police Department has set up an account with Chickasha Bank and Trust to help her.

 

I'll admit that I'm normally anti-gun, but stories like this make change my mind. The mom was so smart and clear-headed on the phone....absolutely amazing.

[K&Rs Mom]

She probably called 911 to get the police to come. When that takes too long, it's good to have another option. I don't think she called to get permission for anything, but it's great that the operator was reassuring to her to help her do what she had to.

[Mrs Mungo]

I totally agree that she did the right thing and that I would do the same. However, I don't think that can be expanded to pro-gun laws always being better. Oklahoma's gun law is a good one, IMO. They have to be in your house. In some states the laws are too lax.

 

We have an extremely good friend who was murdered (not in Oklahoma) after he confronted a problem child teen neighbor of his elderly mom. Aforementioned problem teen had been harassing our friend's mom, banging on her windows at night, slashed her tires, etc. During the confrontation problem teen's dad went into the house for a gun, came back out and then shot. A claim of feeling threatened and a couple of small lies were enough to get them off. Problem teen has since gone to jail for other reasons.

[ravinlunachick]

 

Here is another story that happened not far from here a week or so ago. Except this time it was a 14yo boy and his 17yo sister.

 

 

If you listen to the audio of that 911 call, the operator specifically tells that boy to NOT fire again, just to tell her if any more intruders come in the house, EVEN when he tells her that the guy had a gun and shot at him!

[Mrs Mungo]

 

 

If you listen to the audio of that 911 call, the operator specifically tells that boy to NOT fire again, just to tell her if any more intruders come in the house, EVEN when he tells her that the guy had a gun and shot at him!

 

That operator is insane! The boy was shooting with buck-shot, one of the intruders had a gun and she told him to put the weapon away?

[ravinlunachick]

That operator is insane! The boy was shooting with buck-shot, one of the intruders had a gun and she told him to put the weapon away?

 

Yep. At first, I thought it was because the deputies had already arrived, but it was at least 5 more minutes before anyone was on scene, and the boy told her repeatedly that he was worried that someone else might come in the house (he had retreated to the upstairs bedroom with his sister).

[Murphy101]

That operator is insane! The boy was shooting with buck-shot, one of the intruders had a gun and she told him to put the weapon away?

 

I couldn't listen to the entire record bc the operator annoyed the heck out of me. After just a few minutes of listening to her say "do what?" and "can ya see em?" can ya tell meh wha da look like?" I wanted to smack her senseless. That was all I understood. She was very difficult to understand. I had no problems understanding the girl.

 

The operator really bothered me bc she was difficult to understand and she wasn't listening to the girl and she was giving stupid and conflicting advice. Tell me what they look like conflicts with stay back!

 

And no I am not a proper English snob. I have plenty of okie accent. But dispatchers and other personel in crisis jobs have got to be very clear to do their job imnsho.

[ravinlunachick]

I couldn't listen to the entire record bc the operator annoyed the heck out of me. After just a few minutes of listening to her say "do what?" and "can ya see em?" can ya tell meh wha da look like?" I wanted to smack her senseless. That was all I understood. She was very difficult to understand. I had no problems understanding the girl.

 

The operator really bothered me bc she was difficult to understand and she wasn't listening to the girl and she was giving stupid and conflicting advice. Tell me what they look like conflicts with stay back!

 

And no I am not a proper English snob. I have plenty of okie accent. But dispatchers and other personel in crisis jobs have got to be very clear to do their job imnsho.

 

Um....ok. :confused: The kids on the phone seemed to understand her very well, as could I, a lifelong Southerner. I agree that she didn't seem to take them very seriously at first (asking the girl if they were just knocking!) and I most heartily disagree with her advice to the boy to put down his weapon and not fire again, but I think she was clear enough to those who live in the same area.

[Renee in NC]

Um....ok. :confused: The kids on the phone seemed to understand her very well, as could I, a lifelong Southerner. I agree that she didn't seem to take them very seriously at first (asking the girl if they were just knocking!) and I most heartily disagree with her advice to the boy to put down his weapon and not fire again, but I think she was clear enough to those who live in the same area.

 

I understood her just fine!:D I thought she just wanted to make sure that he didn't shoot his grandaddy (who they called for them.) I think he would have shot again if someone else came in - whether she told him to or not. I think that is why he kept asking for her to tell him when the deputies were there.

 

It brought up a good discussion in our house about what we would do/not do in the same situation. We don't have guns that are easily accessed, but the 13 and 18yo's could if necessary. I hope they never have to make that decision, though.

[Murphy101]

Um....ok. :confused: The kids on the phone seemed to understand her very well, as could I, a lifelong Southerner. I agree that she didn't seem to take them very seriously at first (asking the girl if they were just knocking!) and I most heartily disagree with her advice to the boy to put down his weapon and not fire again, but I think she was clear enough to those who live in the same area.

 

I know most people from NC do not speak like that dispatcher. Been there. Have friends there or from there.

 

I'm glad you understood her. But the dispatcher was very difficult for me to understand and I was listening hard.

 

I know many people speak like that in casual conversation, but most I know understand or learn quickly they cannot speak like that at work.

[Renee in NC]

I know most people from NC do not speak like that dispatcher. Been there. Have friends there or from there.

 

I'm glad you understood her. But the dispatcher was very difficult for me to understand and I was listening hard.

 

I know many people speak like that in casual conversation, but most I know understand or learn quickly they cannot speak like that at work.

 

Outside of the city areas, her accent is not unusual, even at work. You are right that many people are able to "turn it off" so to speak for their jobs, but in most of the state it wouldn't be expected. I live here, have lived here for most of my life, and have lived in various parts of the state - it isn't unusual.

[Murphy101]

Outside of the city areas, her accent is not unusual, even at work. You are right that many people are able to "turn it off" so to speak for their jobs, but in most of the state it wouldn't be expected. I live here, have lived here for most of my life, and have lived in various parts of the state - it isn't unusual.

 

Okay.

[ravinlunachick]

I know most people from NC do not speak like that dispatcher. Been there. Have friends there or from there.

 

I'm glad you understood her. But the dispatcher was very difficult for me to understand and I was listening hard.

 

I know many people speak like that in casual conversation, but most I know understand or learn quickly they cannot speak like that at work.

 

She sounds about right to me too. Certainly not uncommon. Now I'm thoroughly confused. Speak like what? Are you implying that she was unprofessional because of her accent? Surely not. Would you tell an Hispanic friend that she should learn that she "cannot speak like that at work"?

[Mommyfaithe]

I am sadden that she had to kill her intruder, BUT given that he made his choice she made the RIGHT choice. AND I would do the same thing.

 

http://gma.yahoo.com/video/news-26797925/oklahoma-mother-18-kills-intruder-breaking-into-her-home-while-on-phone-with-911-27777235.html

 

:iagree: I would not hesitate to protect my children. Not for one nano-second past the point where I knew they were in danger.

 

~~Faithe

[ravinlunachick]

Martha, I will agree with you that it is important, vitally important, that 911 operators be intelligible to those on the phone. If (heaven forbid) it ever gets outsourced the way so many customer service calls do, I'm doomed. I might as well never call 911 again, because I often find myself on the phone with someone I can't understand at all. It's very frustrating, and I can't imagine trying to manage it in an emergency.

 

I guess the lesson here is that local 911 offices should have a Native and Yankee-tiered system for handling calls. Or have at least one MidWesterner on staff at all times. ;)

[didadeewiththree]

I think this story serves as a good warning to would be intruders that if they try to break into any person's home, there is a chance that they will be killed, no matter what their intent is. I think that if every criminal knew that just about every homeowner owned a gun and knew how to use it, there would be a great decrease in home invasions!

[Murphy101]

She sounds about right to me too. Certainly not uncommon. Now I'm thoroughly confused. Speak like what? Are you implying that she was unprofessional because of her accent? Surely not. Would you tell an Hispanic friend that she should learn that she "cannot speak like that at work"?

 

Yes. My dh does corporate training, which includes call centers and they are trained to know they cannot keep their job and if they can't speak clearly and professionally. In fact, it is one of the reason phone interviews are a requirement when applying. It doesn't matter if they are Hispanic or southern or whatever.

[Murphy101]

Martha, I will agree with you that it is important, vitally important, that 911 operators be intelligible to those on the phone. If (heaven forbid) it ever gets outsourced the way so many customer service calls do, I'm doomed. I might as well never call 911 again, because I often find myself on the phone with someone I can't understand at all. It's very frustrating, and I can't imagine trying to manage it in an emergency.

 

I guess the lesson here is that local 911 offices should have a Native and Yankee-tiered system for handling calls. Or have at least one MidWesterner on staff at all times. ;)

 

Whew. Thanks.

[Rebecca VA]

Just saw an interview with this girl on Fox News -- I think it was just posted. She is so impressive -- extremely self-possessed and intelligent. She seems so alone there with the baby, and I wonder where her parents are? Why aren't they with their daughter, whose husband just died less than two weeks ago? She is certainly a daughter any parent could be proud of.

[Murphy101]

Just saw an interview with this girl on Fox News -- I think it was just posted. She is so impressive -- extremely self-possessed and intelligent. She seems so alone there with the baby, and I wonder where her parents are? Why aren't they with their daughter, whose husband just died less than two weeks ago? She is certainly a daughter any parent could be proud of.

 

In previous links there is mention that she left her mothers home when she was about 15. She has been estranged from her mother until very recently.