[Sugam]

Serious story i thought i would share.   christmas eve....

Last night i was woken up to my mom screaming that someone was in the house.
I immediately think someones trying to steal christmas gifts.  So i grab my shot gun and run down stairs.
Moms on the phone with the police. 

I look around and its so dark i couldn't see anyone.  I start calling out orders to come out with hands up and i wouldn't harm them.
My mom says   ... shes right in front of you  right there  on the chair.   I couldn't see because it was so dark.

I see a metallic object in her hands   not quite sure what it was    i almost fired thinking it was a knife but i kept restraint because something was off about the issue
she did not talk or even flinch with a gun pointed at her.  no emotion

Closer look it was a spoon....  and she was making peanut butter sandwitches with my moms home made rolls for christmas.
She was an older African American homeless woman   just  cold  and hungry.

I stood down and pointed down to prevent an accidental fire and told the police on the phone that she appears unarmed but i have her at gun point   and to not shoot the half naked man with the shot gun.

She was mentally ill  did not know where she was  thought she was home.

They arrived and i surrendered my weapon.  they proceeded to remove her
I believe shes now receiving care at the local hospital for mental issues.

A day that could have been tragic had the best possible outcome you could get out of a situation like that.

[Penguinslayer4]

That is crazy man. Good job keeping a level head though!!

[Starky]

Well I am glad it turned out that way, you were a reasonable person, it could've been worse had it been someone else.

[Lovanatana]

Jesus. Way to keep your cool and your possibilities open, had you not thought further, we would have one less person in this world who could be cared for professionally.

Use this experience and build on it for the next. This is not a moment, it is an oppertunity to learn.

[Avocado Toast]

Damn Fish, sorry to hear that man, glad y’all are all safe though.

[Sugam]

I found out today she was in the house undetected for 4 hours.
Which explains why there was no snow on the floor or wet floors.

I just keep wondering what if it was a real threat.
I was trained on how to handle a home invasion by a personal friend who is a local police officer.
But its been a while and I did make errors I failed to verify the room was empty before preceding to the next hallway. She was right behind me in the dark.
I want a super bright flashlight for my shotgun now. Then i have the ability to both blind and identify people in a dark room.

While i am physically safe...
Right now im experiencing some acute PTSD which im sure will pass in a few days.

Like i hear creaks and things and i get scared and run down.

Like yesterday... Buffalo Bills football was on and mom likes to shout at the tv for the home town team
Her shouting was really fucking with my head.
and i had to keep telling myself it was just football.

Right now instead of being with my family for christmas im sitting alone at home with a gun 3 feet away from me trying to "protect the house"
The situation effected me more then i realized.

While i was not physically hurt, the mental aftershock is awful.
There is no christmas for me today.

Just me, the creeks from the wind, noises of falling snow from roofs and me runnning around.

Thankfully I'm not the type who would accidentally mistake another occupant as an invader.
Its burned into my head to bark and yell and do anything possible to identify someone before anything.

[La Flama Blanca]

Glad you were safe and there with your mother at the time.

Hope the PTSD subsides in the coming days.