Man Attacked In His RV

This is one reason why stealth camping is dangerous. The expectation from the criminal's point of view is a RV parked on the street is unoccupied. Combine that with the fact you cannot see insde them from the outside makes it a perfect target for pillaging. I would bet the intruders were as surprised by the victim as he was by them.

Bobbo wrote:
The mistake was not locking the door. Since they were able to just open the door and walk in, I am sure they were on him before he even woke up. If the door had been locked, where they had to make a lot of noise to get in, he would have stood a lot better chance of getting his gun into play.

It's entirely possible that they were just walking down the street, trying the door handles on every vehicle they passed, looking for an easy score, and if they had found his door locked, they would have simply moved down the street to try the next vehicle.

Optimistic Paranoid wrote:
Stand your ground is irrelevant in this case.

Stand your ground only applies when you are out on a public street, in a mall,anywhere you have a legal RIGHT to be. In a non-stand your ground state, you have a DUTY to retreat IF you can do so safely. If you could have retreated, but didn't, then a claim of self-defense will not be allowed by the court.

In a stand your ground state, the duty to retreat is eliminated.

But in no state do you have a duty to retreat from your own home.

And if you are awoken from sleep by people coming in through your door, it's probably impossible to retreat SAFELY, and if you cannot retreat safely, then you are not required to retreat.

Agree. If the person sleeping were to have defended himself it might fall more under the Castle Doctrine. Castle Doctrine & Stand Your Ground

The Castle Doctrine as it applies to RV's is relevant to this topic. As more folks travel around (regardless of their circumstances) the definition of home will become perhaps as hot a topic as guns themselves.

Folks, let's try to NOT get this thread shut down... weapons in RV's and the folks who carry them is a very relevant topic in this day and age. It is a valid topic and yes, this is an RV forum. We all know that Rv.net could shut it down in a heartbeat and what a shame that would be... Folks, let's keep this civil as it pertains to a real Rv'ing concern;

That said, I do not think that a gun is always the best solution (I am not saying guns should not be combined with RV's.) Perhaps another deterrent within an RV might be a pepper spray.

I have stealth camped in intestate rest stops, Walmart & truck stop parking lots as well as on city streets for overnight stays and have used it for "sleeping it off" when parked at a friends house after a party. I think I might tend to not do that much anymore because situational awareness is a first defense against anything bad happening.

"in this case there were THREE - you have to be able to shoot all three before one of them gets to you"

One round fired and the cowards will be scrambling for the exit.

Horrible event. For $20 I bought an alarm unit at Home Depot that attaches to my screen door. It can be set to chime each time the door is open and closed or it sets off a very loud alarm. Whenever I stop for a rest or for the day it is set. I also have Mr Springfield on my hip or within arms reach.

Cummins12V98 wrote:
"in this case there were THREE - you have to be able to shoot all three before one of them gets to you"

One round fired and the cowards will be scrambling for the exit.

I like this!! Yes, imagine the sound of a .357 mag fired inside an RV! Those still able, would injure each other, trying to fit OUT the door at the same time. In close/confined quarters, even a .22 cal pistol sounds like a cannon.

Jerry

I have a tactical shotgun from my boat I use the same way on my truck camper. Same type of threads on boat forums by the way.

It's always loaded, no shell in the chamber and on safety.

It's where I sleep.

The big mistake in this story is leaving the door unlocked.

To defend yourself in either a boat or RV, when sleeping, you need noises to wake you up, as well as a single point of entry, hopefully a narrow hallway you're sleeping at the end of. Also a short barrel.

This way you are awake and ready if someone comes in and they have to file into a small area to get to you. Easy shot.

Key issue here was he had no warning since the door wasn't locked.

Even if you don't want guns around, escaping through an escape hatch is possible so long as you have that warnin sound of the door break in.

MFL wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
"in this case there were THREE - you have to be able to shoot all three before one of them gets to you"

One round fired and the cowards will be scrambling for the exit.

I like this!! Yes, imagine the sound of a .357 mag fired inside an RV! Those still able, would injure each other, trying to fit OUT the door at the same time. In close/confined quarters, even a .22 cal pistol sounds like a cannon.

Jerry

You are assuming that the intruders are "normal" and will react to things in a normal way. Too many do not react normally.

toedtoes wrote:

MFL wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
"in this case there were THREE - you have to be able to shoot all three before one of them gets to you"

One round fired and the cowards will be scrambling for the exit.

I like this!! Yes, imagine the sound of a .357 mag fired inside an RV! Those still able, would injure each other, trying to fit OUT the door at the same time. In close/confined quarters, even a .22 cal pistol sounds like a cannon.

Jerry

You are assuming that the intruders are "normal" and will react to things in a normal way. Too many do not react normally.

lets see, three of them coming, one after each other, down the hall. my 12 gauge blasts a hole in number one. I operate the pump mechanism, the last two hear it. wanna bet that they don't skedaddle the other way?
bumpy

toedtoes wrote:

MFL wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
"in this case there were THREE - you have to be able to shoot all three before one of them gets to you"

One round fired and the cowards will be scrambling for the exit.

I like this!! Yes, imagine the sound of a .357 mag fired inside an RV! Those still able, would injure each other, trying to fit OUT the door at the same time. In close/confined quarters, even a .22 cal pistol sounds like a cannon.

Jerry

You are assuming that the intruders are "normal" and will react to things in a normal way. Too many do not react normally.

I will take my chances and do what I can to survive!!!

Like I said think about where you park and where your side door is pointed.