Do you answer your door if someone knocks on it during the night?

[Savago]

I have being reading about the subject and there are so many cases of police shooting through doors/windows/walls/etc at legal gun owners while inside of their homes that it made me think about the subject.

Take this as another example (https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-police-immunity-guns/). Andrew Scott was at his home with his girl friend preparing to sleep when at 1:30AM someone knocks at his door.

He decides to grab a 9mm pistol and answer the door and was gunned down by four deputies. They never announced that they were police or even had a search warrant. The courts granted qualified immunity to all officers and unfortunately, that is the common rule in most of these cases.

That made me think if answering to a knock on your door is ever a good idea during the night (or even during the day).

What you guys think about the subject? Do you attend to your door during the night and if so, do you carry with you a pistol for safety?

In my case, I guess I may answer the door but I wouldn't ever open it. Whoever is outside better state their business or better leave and if it is during the night, I will have with me my trusted Sig Sauer p226 Navy.

[Savago]

From Scott's case, I think these two are key:

On the majority decision:
"Judge Frank Hull, writing for the majority, said that Sylvester and his fellow deputies did nothing wrong when they knocked without announcing themselves and that, besides, Scott could have chosen not to open the door. After Scott opened the door, Hull reasoned, Sylvester violated no clearly established law when he shot and killed the young man."


And on the dissent:
“If Mr. Scott was subject to being shot and killed, simply because … he made the ‘fateful decision’ to answer a late-night disturbance at the door to his house and did so while holding his firearm pointed safely at the ground, then the Second Amendment … had little effect,” Martin wrote. She concluded that Sylvester had clearly violated Scott’s Fourth Amendment rights by conducting a warrantless raid and using excessive force.

[Bret SD]

My German Shepherd dog has a bark that will deter anybody. And no, I would not answer the door at 1:30 a.m.

I would grab the pistol and try to determine who was out there, by no means would I open that door.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I guess it matters a lot on where you live. I always answer the door. I’d be concerned it was a friend who needed help. Or anybody else needing help. If it was 1:30 I’d probably look out the window first. (I doubt a German Shepherd would deter a group of cops)

[Serk]

I check one of the three cameras pointed at the front porch and decide based on that.



As far as with a pistol, if I have on pants, I have a pistol on my person. I don't have it out waving it around, but it's on my person and ready to deploy quickly if ever needed.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I check one of the three cameras pointed at the front porch and decide based on that.



As far as with a pistol, if I have on pants, I have a pistol on my person. I don't have it out waving it around, but it's on my person and ready to deploy quickly if ever needed.

Shouldn’t you be out there sweeping your front porch ? 

[98valk]

I follow what my president tells me to do.  'Just fire the shotgun through the door'

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/more-advice-from-joe-biden-just-fire-the-shotgun-through-the-door

[Serk]

Shouldn’t you be out there sweeping your front porch ? 

Heh, I don't even trim along the sidewalk, much less sweep the porch...

[scooperhsd]

I don't have a gun, but even if I did - I wouldn't answer at 0130 AM. Only POSSIBLE exception would be if they had called me beforehand and I was expecting them.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Shouldn’t you be out there sweeping your front porch ? 

Heh, I don't even trim along the sidewalk, much less sweep the porch...

You need to put your 3 minions to work.

 (There are SOME advantages to living in a desert)

[Bret SD]

I guess it matters a lot on where you live. I always answer the door. I’d be concerned it was a friend who needed help. Or anybody else needing help. If it was 1:30 I’d probably look out the window first. (I doubt a German Shepherd would deter a group of cops)

Obviously you've never had to face a very large and angry male German Shepherd/wolf dog.

Deterrence can mean a lot of things, in this case, it means the cops need to change their plan, which gives me more time.

If they shoot my dog through the door or the window I can sue them into Oblivion. If they knock down my door without a warrant I can sue them into Oblivion.

If cops are knocking on my door in the night, I know their intentions are not good.

 I am not a criminal.

[Jess from VA]

No one ever knocks at night, ever.

When I've had a suspicious knocker (rare), I open an upstairs window above and at an angle to the door, and ask what they want.  That window is in the arms, bench, cleaning, storage room, so there's a few choices.  

The (very few) panhandlers don't get a door (or window) answered at all.  

The guys I'm always nice to are the two young Mormons doing their mission work.  I always offer them a cold drink and tell them about the great Mormons I served with in the Air Force.  

[carolinarider09]

It was impossible to answer the question truthfully for two reasons.   

1.  The answer I needed was not there. 

2.  I would not tell you if I did and how and why. 

Sort of "dumb" it would seem to publish how I answer the door, anytime of day or nigh on a public forum

Like Serk, I have many, many options of knowing who, where, when, what.   

[98valk]

I guess it matters a lot on where you live. I always answer the door. I’d be concerned it was a friend who needed help. Or anybody else needing help. If it was 1:30 I’d probably look out the window first. (I doubt a German Shepherd would deter a group of cops)

Obviously you've never had to face a very large and angry male German Shepherd/wolf dog.

Deterrence can mean a lot of things, in this case, it means the cops need to change their plan, which gives me more time.

If they shoot my dog through the door or the window I can sue them into Oblivion. If they knock down my door without a warrant I can sue them into Oblivion.

If cops are knocking on my door in the night, I know their intentions are not good.

 I am not a criminal.

the 70lb American Pitbull Terrier I use to have would be barking and run up to the door and body slam the door hard and then just bark. He definitely gave fair warning to whoever was on the other side that he was there.

[old2soon]

     Anyone knocks on my door the first thing I turn on is my L E D floodlights. Should those lights NOT go on I KNOW something ain't right. And that right there is as far as I go in an open forum. RIDE SAFE.

[RNFWP]

It makes sense to me that every ones location, circumstance and approach to this is unique. It would be hard vote from a short list of choices.

For me currently, I live on a low crime, low traffic street. However the area around me is growing like a weed and I do see more cars that I don't recognize than ever before. As for a knock at the front door in the middle of the night... I have a clear view from a safe interior location as well as motion lights and a doorbell camera. Making a quick, safe, identification seems to be the key to a proper approach.

That said... anyone unknown to me, uniform or not, entering (or attempting to enter) without my permission... well... seems most of us here would have a similar, yet varied in caliber, response.

[Robert]

I check one of the three cameras pointed at the front porch and decide based on that.

MY answer is the same as Serks with the same amount of cameras.

A super intense light will stop almost anything before there is a shot.

[The emperor has no clothes]

It makes sense to me that every ones location, circumstance and approach to this is unique. It would be hard vote from a short list of choices.

For me currently, I live on a low crime, low traffic street. However the area around me is growing like a weed and I do see more cars that I don't recognize than ever before. As for a knock at the front door in the middle of the night... I have a clear view from a safe interior location as well as motion lights and a doorbell camera. Making a quick, safe, identification seems to be the key to a proper approach.

That said... anyone unknown to me, uniform or not, entering (or attempting to enter) without my permission... well... seems most of us here would have a similar, yet varied in caliber, response.

Once many years ago, my son and a friend of his took a bottle of my liquor and snuck out his window. They got caught at the nearby school drinking. 2 cops brought them home. I had fallen asleep in the recliner watching TV. Woke up to all 4 of them standing over me. I’m glad I didn’t have my gun on me.

[Bighead]

I won’t answer in the dytime. Someone that knows me knows my # anyone else can pound sand as faras I care. 

[RP#62]

Several years ago we were living out on a country road in North Carolina.  I hear a knock at the door at about 2 am one night, so I put my pistol in my pocket and went to the door and asked them what they wanted without opening the door.  The guy said he ran out of gas and wanted to know if he could borrow some.  I said we didn't have any and he needed to leave and he did.  I turn around and my wife is behind me in the hall holding a 12 gauge.  I said what are you doing.  She said I wanted to be ready in case you were stupid enough to open the door.

A couple of houses down from us, a neighbor opened the door for them and the neighbor was promptly robbed at gun point.

-RP

[Savago]

She said I wanted to be ready in case you were stupid enough to open the door.
-RP

You got yourself a good woman!
 

[Savago]

@Serk: I was considering getting myself a Nest camera but I heard that they will promptly share the videos with any government agency that requests it (even with no warrant: https://www.androidcentral.com/accessories/smart-home/google-nest-will-provide-data-to-police).

I happen to have a Synology NAS in my home, I wonder if it isn't just better configuring a monitoring solution using OSS/Freesoftware and some generic wifi cameras.

[Serk]

@Serk: I was considering getting myself a Nest camera but I heard that they will promptly share the videos with any government agency that requests it (even with no warrant!).

I happen to have a Synology NAS in my home, I wonder if it isn't just better configuring a monitoring solution using OSS/Freesoftware and some generic wifi cameras.

I run Wyze cams; they're not perfect but they've got dang good picture quality, are very inexpensive, and Wyze will only share with others if given a valid warrant...

(And the V3 cams are waterproof(ish) out of the box)

I've got 4 QNAP NAS devices but haven't tried to stream the video from my cams. You can pay for a service from Wyze to store the footage in their cloud, or you can put an SD card in the cameras and just store it locally... I go with that option. I realize a baseball bat would remove one of the cameras, but at their relatively low price a bad guy wouldn't find all of 'em (There are.... a bunch of them... deployed...)

I know I'm starting to sound like an ad, but they've also got pretty respectable night vision for a $35 cam...



(One big down side is they're primarily aimed at devices only, the web version of the cam viewer is for paying service users only, for now.... But I just run an Android emulator on my PC and keep their app open in that to keep an eye on things.)

[Patrick]

Can't answer your questionnaire.

Anyone coming to my home should trip the motion lights. Then I grab the 1911 and turn on the other outside lights and ask thru a window what they want. I'd probably then decide whether to open the door or not. That has never happened and we do live in a low crime area.

[Hook#3287]

I live in a low crime rural area 200' off the road.

Even so, day or night, if you aren't expected, you won't get a answer.

[Farside]

  A knock at night at our door unexpectedly is rare. But it does happen.  One scenario not too long ago our neighbor knocked, we were watching TV. Front porch is well lit so I did open. He had stepped away from the door and was in his driveway. The right way IMO when knocking on a door unexpectedly. Brought us some wonderful dessert that his wife had made.  We are a  Gated community and low crime area but not to say it couldn't happen.    I'll take questions 

[Rams]

If someone knocks on my door at 1:30 AM, there better be a good reason.   First, they'll wake my 176.5 lb. English Mastiff (he just visited the vet yesterday, that's how I know his precise weight).   I have no doubt he'll wake me.   Our security camera and motion lights will pick up any visitors (on all sides and entrances of the home) so, whoever it is will be standing in a fully lit situation.   So, if they are still there by the time I get there with that 176.5 lb. Mastiff barking, I'll probably take a look to see who they are and what they want.   I have absolutely no concern about a LEO knocking on my door any time.   It's the other folks that may have to deal with me, my S&W and Bowser that might want to exit "Stage Left".  

On a side note, Bowser's visit to the vet included him getting his anal gland "expressed".   Let me assure you, no one involved (The Vet, his two helpers holding Bowser, Bowser and myself)  in that procedure was very happy except when it was over then, we were all happy.     
Yeah, I just had to share that detail. 

Rams

[..]

A few years ago friend was roused by fierce knocking on his front door.

He asked who was there and was told US Marshals looking for Fred Whatever. There were people in his back yard as well.

He wisely called the local PD and waited until they arrived before opening the front door.

The Marshals had the wrong address location.

[98valk]

A few years ago friend was roused by fierce knocking on his front door.

He asked who was there and was told US Marshals looking for Fred Whatever. There were people in his back yard as well.

He wisely called the local PD and waited until they arrived before opening the front door.

The Marshals had the wrong address location.

going on for decades and nothing is done to them

https://thefreethoughtproject.com/cop-watch/swat-team-barges-assaults-children-smashes-everything-whoops-wrong-house

https://listverse.com/2017/09/26/10-swat-team-assaults-that-went-awry/

[Wizzard]

I look at my cameras and may or may not answer armed. I just pick up my phone and look before even getting out of bed.
Got 3 cameras out front, 2 in back and one on the side of the house

[Chrisj CMA]

I don’t have cameras. But I have glass on the front door. Yes I know, they can break it. But the dead bolt is key not knob. Anyway. I look out the window and decide. And yes 0 darkthirty I will have my .357.

If they don’t satisfy me verbally the door ain’t opening!

[Jess from VA]

 



Having produced a firearm (in the low ready), you ask..... what is it you want?

And they answer....  I wanna be somewhere else.

Good plan. 

[old2soon]

I don’t have cameras. But I have glass on the front door. Yes I know, they can break it. But the dead bolt is key not knob. Anyway. I look out the window and decide. And yes 0 darkthirty I will have my .357.

If they don’t satisfy me verbally the door ain’t opening!

     "Just" yer .357? You already Know what I are askin!  RIDE SAFE.

[Chrisj CMA]

I don’t have cameras. But I have glass on the front door. Yes I know, they can break it. But the dead bolt is key not knob. Anyway. I look out the window and decide. And yes 0 darkthirty I will have my .357.

If they don’t satisfy me verbally the door ain’t opening!

     "Just" yer .357? You already Know what I are askin!   RIDE SAFE.

I’m too afraid to pop a cap with the .500 in the house or even on the porch with walls and ceiling. BOOM!!!

[Cyclejohn]

Do you attend to your door during the night and if so, do you carry with you a pistol for safety?

I answer my door, day or middle of night, because I have 4 children (grown) and I never know what is going on with them. I do not own a firearm so I cannot stand ready with one. I live in a very small town in NC, and crime, beyond drug related issues, is not a big deal.

Anyway,

John

[Jess from VA]

I don’t have cameras. But I have glass on the front door. Yes I know, they can break it. But the dead bolt is key not knob. Anyway. I look out the window and decide. And yes 0 darkthirty I will have my .357.

If they don’t satisfy me verbally the door ain’t opening!

     "Just" yer .357? You already Know what I are askin!   RIDE SAFE.

I’m too afraid to pop a cap with the .500 in the house or even on the porch with walls and ceiling. BOOM!!!

A set of electronic ear muffs hangs on my beside lamp (muffles shots, amplifies everything else).

And while I prefer two-hand handgun shooting, if I will shoot at close (no miss) range with no ear protection, I'm sticking my left index finger in my left ear before pulling the trigger.  I've not had many mistakes of shooting without hearing protection, but every one of them hurt and caused hours of loud ringing.  I cannot afford to lose any more hearing acuity. 

[LTD]

I have done a lot of knocking on doors late at night.  I was a process server for two years for lawyers working 90 percent of the time at night.  I was scared at first doing it but over time I lost all fear I had none.  Anything you do in life over and over becomes routine and normalized I learned. I had seven guns pulled on me only one terrified me.  A guy on a ranch had just been burglarized and he was changing the locks and I showed up bad luck for me he came at me with a 12 gauge pistol grip with shells on a sleeve on the stock.  I could barely talk showed him this badge I carried and told him I was just a mere process server and he didnt blow me away I was lucky.  Many stories I could tell about that job but in the end I quit.  I had no fear and I was getting reckless I knew it was just a  matter of time till my luck ran out. 

[0leman]

I have a hard time remembering the last time anyone knocked on my door at 1:30 am.   There was a time when we were first married and living in Gov housing on an Indian reservation that my back door was being pounded on.  This was back in '69.    I did answer with a 357 tucked in my back.  It was an Indian neighbor from down the road, his English was not good, and my Apache was just as bad.  He was trying to tell me the town water pump house was on fire.  I went outside and saw the fire.   I fired off three rounds and yelled fire to wake up my 4 fellow gov members and went inside to change i firefighting gear.

That is the last time that anyone has knocked on my door that late at night.  We do live in a low crime area.  Yes, there may be a firearm in my hands is someone bangs on my door that late at night or there may not.   

[MarkT]

If late at night, out here in rural Colorado, it's either someone in an emergency or some miscreant up to no good.  Though I would think the latter wouldn't knock.  Everyone out here is armed - or one should assume so.   So if it happened - and it hasn't in 26 years - I would look out at the front door from the side (flanking the perp) carefully through the adjacent bay window with battle rifle or shotgun at ready arms.  After first scanning behind him and the front drive area.

Depending on circumstances I might instead, after viewing what's out there, go outside from a back door, around the side of the house and flank him, with shotgun / battle rifle at ready arms and challenge him.