Do you home carry? You should. If you need a(nother) reason, just look at the Sunday evening home invasion and hostage stand-off that took place in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. In the end, the homeowner died from his wounds and the intruder shot three cops before authorities finally took him into custody.
COMSTOCK TOWNSHIP, MI — Authorities are releasing more details on a hostage situation in Comstock Township that left a young husband dead and three officers injured.
It happened around 10:30 p.m. Sunday at a home in the 6300 block of Proctor Avenue near King Highway.
Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller says a wife, her husband, and their child were watching television at the time when the suspect, unknown to the family, broke inside the residence and started, “40-minutes of mayhem.” Dispatchers received 911 calls from the wife inside the home who said her husband was downstairs with an intruder. Fuller says the wife “took their child out of harm’s way” and hid in another room in another part of the house.
Law enforcement officers from multiple departments arrived at the scene and the SWAT team was enroute when officers heard a gunshot inside the residence. Officers went into the home to “try to save lives,” according to Fuller.
A homeowner was killed inside the home. The victim has been identified as 22-year-old Christopher Ryan Lee Neal. Fuller says he is new to the community and recently moved in about two weeks ago.
A new homeowner? Perhaps the intruder thought the previous resident still lived there and had drugs, money or certain valuables. Either way, the intruder went in without regard for human life. Not only did he (allegedly) kill his hostage, but cops say he shot three responding officers before they dogpiled him.
Fortunately the wounded officers will survive. Unfortunately the homeowners didn’t have the means to fight back handy. And double-bad unfortunately. the male homeowner died.
On your person remains the safest place to keep a personal protection firearm. This goes for while you’re out in public as well as at home.
Sometimes people believe their home acts as a magical bubble that keeps evil at bay. Far from it. The walls of your home offer little more in the way of protection than those “no guns” signs work at keeping evil out of public spaces.
In a comfortable carry rig, with the right gun, you will oftentimes forget you have the gun on your person. But should you need it in a hurry, it remains right there.
Home carry, people. Home carry.