Well last night was exciting.

About 810 I was taking Bandit out for her evening squirt and patrol of the property – she does that. I stay in my chair. As soon as she got outside, she started growling so I thought I had an owl or a hawk on my cabana frame. Turn the flashlight on and lo and behold, there is some guy climbing the fence into my pool. I drew my pistol just in case. He was a Hispanic male, mid to late 30’s, shaved head, hoodie and shorts.

While I had him blinded with my flashlight I called 911 and within about 2 minutes I had a helicopter overhead and four cruisers pull up.
The officers surrounded him – three inside my pool fence and one just out of his view in the back. I kept my light on him. He was fumbling with his phone and rambling incoherently. Not particularly stable on his feet either. He was standing on top of the rock waterfall and swaying back and forth. He would not comply with the officers requests.

After about 15 minutes of his shouting obscenities and refusals, the guy decided to jump into my pool. And I just had changed the water. And then one of the officers says the magic words “don’t reach for that gun” – so of course the first thing that comes to my mind is that they’re going to ventilate him in my brand new pool and now I’m going to have to change the water again.
Eventually, after much cursing and splashing around he crawls to the side where he is grabbed and cuffed.

What we found in the pool was ‘interesting’. He had a gun – a six shot revolver. Also had a spring loaded knife, and over $1000 of cash is now floating around in the water. Something I didn’t know. Money doesn’t float. It quickly sinks to the bottom. Also a few packets of other stuff.

So the officers are busy hauling him to a cruiser, I helped the officers retrieve all the cash from the pool – that took almost 20 minutes because the bills started to stick to the bottom. Also helped get the gun and the knife.

The packets turned out to be heroin, two small cases full of fentanyl and a chapstick container of what appeared to be meth. Looking out at the pool this morning, we left a few things behind so I’m calling the local Sheriff’s office and have someone come out and see if the additional evidence is something they want to collect or if I can dispose of it. It can go with the case but he can’t be charged for any of these items because they weren’t collected contemporaneously.

Also walked my property perimeter, found where he came into my yard and where he crossed the fence and was looking to see if he dropped anything else.

Turns out he was a convicted felon, six previous felony arrests including drug dealing, armed robbery, car theft and attempted murder. So he’s a prohibited person and carrying the drugs is another felony, and carrying a gun is a felony, but drugs and a gun – he goes back to prison. Does not pass go.

Two things I learned. And they were important. When calling 911, put the phone on speaker so your hands are free. I can hold my flashlight and shoot at the same time, but not while holding a phone. Second thing is that when you’re holding someone at gunpoint, bring a bigger gun. While the 9mm is easy to carry, the 45 would have made me feel better.

WOW. Glad it worked out and he didn't try you or the Police

Yeah, dang. That certainly had the potential to escalate to a much more undesirable situation. Bummer about the pool though.

Way more eventful than my Thursday. Think I'd rather stick to the boredom that's my life to be honest.

Glad you made it through ok!

Three things, always have a fur pet, preferably a dog with you when you walk your property in Tuscon in the dark....

Without Bandit, an evening stroll might have been worse, the dog knew there was a problem long before you....

Be sure to give Bandit a steak... Glad you are ok.

Yeah, I dang sure hope that was non- typical. Glad it worked out like as well as it did. Glad you had both a flashlight and a gun. Something tells me the 9 was plenty of gun because you know how to use it.

I hope I don't sound like a complete idiot.... Does heroin dissolve? Could it have contaminated your pool?

I know the answer to pollution is dilution, and can't imagine having enough qty to hurt anyone, but, can it?

Are there any special steps to ensure it is safe for your family?

Chlorine would kill off any cooties, just not sure about drugs.

I was told not to swim in the pool until I had it shocked. Less worried about the heroin than I am the fentanyl. I have a few calls out right now to get answers but I can’t do anything until the rest of the evidence is removed from the pool.

Fentanyl is much more of a concern.

Would your homeowners insurance help with something like this?

Can't imagine you getting anything from the turnip.

Sooo, does Bandit prefer steak, cheesburgers, or bacon-cheeseburgers...

I bet you never thought you'd need to consider a long gun as you relax by the pool, but you can't be too careful....There's DEFINITELY something to be said for 'Peace thru Superior Firepower'!

I am going to give her some steak today

I have my Sig556 handy, but I didn't want to go back in the house and take my eyes off the guy

I carry outside at night because we've had an increase in coyote and bobcat here - I see coyotes walking across my property at all hours of the day now, not just howling at night

Glad you are ok my friend! He's lucky you didn't ventilate him!

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:
I was told not to swim in the pool until I had it shocked. Less worried about the heroin than I am the fentanyl. I have a few calls out right now to get answers but I can’t do anything until the rest of the evidence is removed from the pool.

Both fentanyl and heroin are water soluble. You could have the pool water tested by the cops. If the guy dropped a few baggies I doubt it would be enough to show up on a Nik kit.

quote:

Two things I learned. And they were important. When calling 911, put the phone on speaker so your hands are free. I can hold my flashlight and shoot at the same time, but not while holding a phone. Second thing is that when you’re holding someone at gunpoint, bring a bigger gun. While the 9mm is easy to carry, the 45 would have made me feel better.

I can understand and learn from both of those things. But I'm even worse off most of the time with a little .380 just because it's light and easy to carry. Still, if I'm at home the .45 is near and that would make me feel better too.

I'm just glad it turned out the way it did.

Damn, that is crazy. Any idea why he picked your yard to go through?

Glad to hear things worked out ok.

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:
I am going to give her some steak today

+100% Good dog!!

quote:

Originally posted by 911Boss:
Damn, that is crazy. Any idea why he picked your yard to go through?

Maybe, when the neighbor's dog ran him out of their yard, he shit himself and just wanted to rinse off in nhtagmember's pool. Maybe.

I'd change the water.

Jesus, man. That's an exciting evening, to be sure. Glad it wasn't any more exciting than that, though. Do you have a weapon mounted light? If not, this encounter makes a strong argument for one. Could have had him illuminated, and at gunpoint with one hand while you worked the phone with the other.

My wife thinks I'm nuts for toting around a pistol with a light on it around the house, and then I read stuff like this.

Its also a good reason to get a set of BT ear pieces and wear at least one, you can use the BT set to place a call and not fumble with the phone.

I"m thinking it's time to update the back lights of mi casa and get some cameras up...