Disbled Man Beaten in Home Invasion, Dog Killed

[TexasGal]

I did not see this elsewhere. Sorry if it is a double post. The men who did this are some new level of scum. This man not only suffered robbery and injury in his own home, but he has lost a faithful and likely unreplaceable service dog he loved very much. Though an elderly dog, this GSD was true to his heritage and gave his life when called upon to protect his master.
Here is a copy of the story:

Star-Telegram.com
Azle service dog killed while protecting home, master

Posted Tuesday, Feb. 02, 2010

By MITCH MITCHELL

mitchmitchell@star-telegram.com

AZLE — A service dog named Major died Monday while protecting his home from two men who robbed and pistol-whipped his master., who used a wheelchair.

The unidentified master received seven staples from injuries inflicted during the robbery, a Parker County sheriff's deputy said.

Major, a 12-year-old German shepherd, died after he was shot once in the head and once in the shoulders with a .410-caliber shotgun and a .380-caliber handgun, according to authorities. Family members told deputies that the dog attacked the suspects, which was why he was killed.

The two masked men with guns beat the 37-year-old disabled man in his master bedroom repeatedly in the back of the skull, authorities said. The suspects demanded money, then escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash in a blue, early 2000 Chevrolet pickup with what appeared to be white magnetic signs.

Thesuspects got into the residence in the West 40 Estates community in Azle about 10:30 p.m. through an unlocked back door, a sheriff's department official said. A woman who lived in the house with the victim heard the shots then ran to the bedroom where the robbery occurred, a sheriff's deputy said.

The woman chased the suspects in her vehicle for about five minutes but lost sight of them near Silver Creek Elementary School, a sheriff's office news release said.

The woman's vehicle was shot at least once on the driver's side during the chase, and then she stopped pursuing the getaway vehicle for her safety, the release said. The woman was uninjured.

A 12-year-old boy was also in the residence at the time of the robbery but it is unclear what he saw.

Authorities have collected evidence from the crime scene, but it is unknown whether any human DNA was included in the samples. The evidence has been sent to a laboratory for analysis, said Lt. Mark Arnett.

The suspects were last seen wearing coveralls and pullover masks.

Sheriff Larry Fowler said the first suspect is described as about 6-feet, 2- or 3-inches tall. The second suspect is described as approximately 5-feet, 9-inches tall, and both have medium builds.

"We are pursuing several leads at this time, but we don't have a primary suspect," Arnett said.

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call the sheriff's office at 817-594-8845.

[C-dub]

I just saw this on the news about 15 minutes ago. I am very sad for the man's loss of his companion.

[joe817]

I saw that on Channel 5 last night and it just made me sick. I hope they catch those creeps and throw the book at them.

I also hope that an organization will replace that dog for the guy. Not that the dog can EVER be replaced in that man's eyes, but he relied heavily upon that dog.

Such a shame. Such a waste.

[Tregs]

I saw it on fox last night. The last line of the news story stated that he now sleeps with 2 shotguns and a pistol by his bed. The camera showed a holstered semi-auto on the night stand and a hunting shotgun next to it. I guess the other scatter gun was on his wife's side of the bed. It sounds like he's ready for the next time.

Every time I hear a story like this, I wonder if i can get my firearm into action quickly enough. Once you hear someone coming in the door, there's a lot of thinking that has to take place before you begin busting caps. If the firearm isn't directly beside the bed, I don't know if it's useful. I have teenagers so leaving a loaded firearm beside the bed isn't an option since we always have a house full of kids.....ours and a bunch of others. Some we know very well, some we meet for the first time. I can't carry at work so getting in the habit of unholstering to the nightstand and vice-versa in the morning isn't practical.

I know others on the forum are at the same stage in life and some have gone through it. What do you do/did you do? (I'm new to the forum so my apologies if this topic has been discussed at nauseum).

[The Annoyed Man]

I saw that on Channel 5 last night and it just mademe sick. I hope they catch those creeps and throw the book at them.

I also hope that an organization will replace that dog for the guy. Not that the dog can EVER be replaced in that man's eyes, but he relied heavily upon that dog.

Such a shame. Such a waste.

I hope they go down in a hail of gunfire. Why should we pay for their upkeep in prison for the next 3-5 years? They're not going to get life or the death penalty if caught. Anybody who would do this once, will do it again just as soon as they get released. That dog was a better man than those perps.

[marksiwel]

I saw that on Channel 5 last night and it just mademe sick. I hope they catch those creeps and throw the book at them.

I also hope that an organization will replace that dog for the guy. Not that the dog can EVER be replaced in that man's eyes, but he relied heavily upon that dog.

Such a shame. Such a waste.

I hope they go down in a hail of gunfire. Why should we pay for their upkeep in prison for the next 3-5 years? They're not going to get life or the death penalty if caught. Anybody who would do this once, will do it again just as soon as they get released. That dog was a better man than those perps.

I'm not a religious person, but its time like this I hopethere is a hell so the appropriate party's can find out for themselves

[Excaliber]

I saw it on fox last night. The last line of the news story stated that he now sleeps with 2 shotguns and a pistol by his bed. The camera showed a holstered semi-auto on the night stand and a hunting shotgun next to it. I guess the other scatter gun was on his wife's side of the bed. It sounds like he's ready for the next time.

Every time I hear a story like this, I wonder if i can get my firearm into action quickly enough. Once you hear someone coming in the door, there's a lot of thinking that has to take place before you begin busting caps. If the firearm isn't directly beside the bed, I don't know if it's useful. I have teenagers so leaving a loaded firearm beside the bed isn't an option since we always have a house full of kids.....ours and a bunch of others. Some we know very well, some we meet for the first time. I can't carry at work so getting in the habit of unholstering to the nightstand and vice-versa in the morning isn't practical.

I know others on the forum are at the same stage in life and some have gone through it. What do you do/did you do? (I'm new to the forum so my apologies if this topic has been discussed at nauseum).

The first step should be to securely lock the door so it takes some time (even a few seconds) and noise (to alert the occupants) to penetrate.

A gun safe that doesn't require a key and has a code mechanism that can be operated in the dark by feel (e.g. Gunvault) may be a viable solution in your situation. It has to be securely mounted to something that's not easily moved to prevent someone from walking away with the safe with the gun inside.

[marksiwel]

I saw it on fox last night. The last line of the news story stated that he now sleeps with 2 shotguns and a pistol by his bed. The camera showed a holstered semi-auto on the night stand and a hunting shotgun next to it. I guess the other scatter gun was on his wife's side of the bed. It sounds like he's ready for the next time.

Every time I hear a story like this, I wonder if i can get my firearm into action quickly enough. Once you hear someone coming in the door, there's a lot of thinking that has to take place before you begin busting caps. If the firearm isn't directly beside the bed, I don't know if it's useful. I have teenagers so leaving a loaded firearm beside the bed isn't an option since we always have a house full of kids.....ours and a bunch of others. Some we know very well, some we meet for the first time. I can't carry at work so getting in the habit of unholstering to the nightstand and vice-versa in the morning isn't practical.

I know others on the forum are at the same stage in life and some have gone through it. What do you do/did you do? (I'm new to the forum so my apologies if this topic has been discussed at nauseum).

The first step should be to securely lock the door so it takes some time (even a few seconds) and noise (to alert the occupants) to penetrate.

A gun safe that doesn't require a key and has a code mechanism that can be operated in the dark by feel (e.g. Gunvault) may be a viable solution in your situation. It has to be securely mounted to something that's not easily moved to prevent someone from walking away with the safe with the gun inside.

If you dont have kids, I dont really see the point of a gun safe unless you are leaving the house
I keep my gun with me or near me throughout the day, and lock it up when I'm not taking it with me or not home.

[Excaliber]

I saw it on fox last night. The last line of the news story stated that he now sleeps with 2 shotguns and a pistol by his bed. The camera showed a holstered semi-auto on the night stand and a hunting shotgun next to it. I guess the other scatter gun was on his wife's side of the bed. It sounds like he's ready for the next time.

Every time I hear a story like this, I wonder if i can get my firearm into action quickly enough. Once you hear someone coming in the door, there's a lot of thinking that has to take place before you begin busting caps. If the firearm isn't directly beside the bed, I don't know if it's useful. I have teenagers so leaving a loaded firearm beside the bed isn't an option since we always have a house full of kids.....ours and a bunch of others. Some we know very well, some we meet for the first time. I can't carry at work so getting in the habit of unholstering to the nightstand and vice-versa in the morning isn't practical.

I know others on the forum are at the same stage in life and some have gone through it. What do you do/did you do? (I'm new to the forum so my apologies if this topic has been discussed at nauseum).

The first step should be to securely lock the door so it takes some time (even a few seconds) and noise (to alert the occupants) to penetrate.

A gun safe that doesn't require a key and has a code mechanism that can be operated in the dark by feel (e.g. Gunvault) may be a viable solution in your situation. It has to be securely mounted to something that's not easily moved to prevent someone from walking away with the safe with the gun inside.

If you don't have kids, I don't really see the point of a gun safe unless you are leaving the house
I keep my gun with me or near me throughout the day, and lock it up when I'm not taking it with me or not home.

If you don't have kids or visitors, or when you do you keep the gun on your person at all times, and you don't leave a gun in the house when you're not home or have another secure way of concealing and storing it when you do, you may not need a gun safe. Only you can determine that.

The gun safe option was suggested for Tregs, who had asked for a viable solution for his situation with multiple teenagers frequently in the home.

[hoot]

My wife would never allow me to keep a gun in our home until after a sequence of invasions and break-ins and robberies in our neighborhood. My 9mm tac pro is kept in my bed side table. With the top drawer open just a bit, the gun is in a position such that I can just swing my arm over and my hand will be on the grip. --- Since we keep a grand-daughter, the gun goes into the safe first thing in the morning. --- umm... I guess we are more vulnerable while my grand-daughter is here.

[TexasGal]

For anyone keeping a gun in their nightstand or just lying under the bed: A dear friend of mine awoke to a stranger in her bedroom one night standing over her with her own gun in his hand. He knew where most people keep them and had simply gotten to it first while she and her husband snored. This guy had broken into a dozen homes in the area looking just for firearms and had stolen many of them from right under the sleeping homeowner's noses from their nightstands and underneath their beds. Most of us sleep pretty soundly and if you think you will hear someone break in at the other end of the house or through a garage door, don't be too sure. You might, you might not. Not all break ins are loud. I sleep with my pistol in a simple holster under a body pillow under the covers with me. Someone would have to disturb me to put hands on it. It's instantly handy without my even having to get out of bed or move the covers. Being a revolver, I can even shoot through the covers if needed and it won't malfunction. My dogs are in the part of the house an intruder would have to pass through to get to my bedroom where their alarm would give me more time. I also suggest you consider locking knobs for your bedroom doors so someone has to also break in that door before reaching you while you sleep.
Just my 2 cents.

[MasterofFajitas]

I hope they go down in a hail of gunfire. Why should we pay for their upkeep in prison for the next 3-5 years? They're not going to get life or the death penalty if caught. Anybody who would do this once, will do it again just as soon as they get released. That dog was a better man than those perps.

Well said.

[Tregs]

Thanks for the ideas. I'm going to look into a biometric safe that I can bolt to the wall by the bed. Of course it will have to be done discreetly to gain "wife approval", but I think I can clear that hurdle.
I understand the point about locking the bedroom door, but I feel strange locking our door with our kids in other parts of the house. I guess I could put locks on their doors too, but then I'm locking myself out of their rooms......amd I'll admit that I'm a bit 'old school' and don't like the idea of locks on kids doors. Of course the world has changed since I grew up in the 70's and 80's.

I think it is Texasgal's sig that says something like, "The only bodyguard I can afford is me." I like that.

[Excaliber]

Thanks for the ideas. I'm going to look into a biometric safe that I can bolt to the wall by the bed. Of course it will have to be done discreetly to gain "wife approval", but I think I can clear that hurdle.
I understand the point about locking the bedroom door, but I feel strange locking our door with our kids in other parts of the house. I guess I could put locks on their doors too, but then I'm locking myself out of their rooms......amd I'll admit that I'm a bit 'old school' and don't like the idea of locks on kids doors. Of course the world has changed since I grew up in the 70's and 80's.

I think it is Texasgal's sig that says something like, "The only bodyguard I can afford is me." I like that.

A word of caution on biometric safes: Many safes with fingerprint readers have had extremely high failure rates on the biometric component and the manufacturers have not had a good record of standing behind their products. I suggest you carefully research the user history on any model you're considering buying. The safes with finger buttons that have to be pushed in a certain sequence have far fewer issues.

A suggestion on the door lock option for the kids' rooms while still accommodating your concerns: Install the locks - keep the keys. For fire safety and panic exit, make sure the locks are the type where both the deadlatch and deadbolt are both automatically retracted when the inside knob is turned.

[ninemm]

Did anyone else wonder at the perp's choice of target? I'm not talking about the dog. Just why this particular family/household. Doesn't make sense to me.