Would you kill a man who's robbing you? (long)

This question developed out of a situation that happened to me a few years ago. It's very personal, as it still kind of bothers me to this day.

Years ago, I'm living in an aparment with my sister and a friend of hers. I've got my own bedroom with an attached bathroom. My room is nicely setup. I've got my computer with high-speed internet, a large tv, an x-box, a ps2, a gamecube, and about 40 games for all the systems. One night, after a small get together when everyone has gone home, I deceide it's time to go to bed. I'm the last one up and I had been watching tv. I turn off the tv, head to the restroom and take off my contacts, turn off the lights, undress and get into bed. While not more than 5 or 10 mins later my bedroom light turns on and I turn over and see someone standing in front of my bathroom door wearing a bandana over his face. Not realizing what the hell is going on I say "What the [censored] are you doing?" It's at that point I notice that he has a large knife in his hands. He quickly walks up to me, puts the knife in my face and motions for me to turn over. "What the [censored] man" I say. I turn over and I hear him rumaging through my stuff. He's knocking [censored] over, pulling on cords, etc. He eventually leaves and takes pretty much everything I had with the exception of my tv and my computer. After a few mins the fear sinks in and I start freaking out. I wake up my roommates and tell them what just happened. They think I'm kidding but realize I'm telling the truth when they say that I'm visibly afraid and that my stuff is missing.

I'm able to figure out who it was. Turns out it was my roommate's friend. He was at the apartment that night. We check the doors and find out that they are still locked. The [censored] locked the doors on his way out! But what's really trippy is that he was inside the entire time. He never left the party. My bedroom has two entrances, the main entrance to the hallway and the bathroom (the bathroom opens to both the hallway and my bedroom). I always keep the bathroom door that's attached to the hallway locked and I keep my bedroom door locked at night. The bathroom door leading to the hallway was still locked. This crazy guy had to have slipped into my room, gone into my bathroom, and hid behind the shower curtain. That means he was there while I was in the restoom taking my contacts off holding a knife. I wonder what would happened if I deceided to take a shower before I went to bed. For almost a year I would freak out if i entered a bathroom and the shower curtain was closed.

Afterwards I wondered what I would have done if I had a gun under the pillow. Would I have shot the guy? I want to say yes, this bastard invaded my space, stole my belogings which I worked hard to obtain, and violated me. But I can't honestly say that I would have been able to pull the trigger. I used to be very anti-gun until that night... Am I alone in saying that I'm unsure if I could kill a man in a situation like that?

For those of you who took the time to read this lengthy post, thanks for sharing in on a very personal moment of mine.

[istewart]

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a gamecube

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Your error.

[diebitter]

With no experience of this sort of thing whatsoever, but with the way I feel about burglars and similar, I'd say I'd have no problem shooting the guy dead. The knife definitely tips it that way for me. If I sense any sort of potential for harming me or mine, I would shoot, I'm certain. (PS. I've had knives pulled on me before in the street, so know how this feels, and I don't think I'd shoot someone for just pulling a knife - I would if it were in an isolated place with no chance of me getting help if I go down though)

However, until I've walked in your shoes, I have no idea what would really, really happen.

Kill... no
Beat up really bad? yessss

edit- shoot in the kneecap? yes

[-Skeme-]

I'd blow his [censored] brains out. Very few people realize how quick and easy a knife can kill you. Even if you have a gun handy, it doesn't mean the situation is over or even that you have control over it. And [censored] man, you were on your bed.

By the way, this is a great argument for not having roommates.

[PoBoy321]

I don't know if I'd be able to kill him. I'd like to think that I could, but I just don't know.

Anyway, what happened to the guy? Did he get arrested? Did you get your stuff back?

[Blarg]

I'd shoot anyone who got close to me with a knife. Most people probably don't realize how fast and easy a knife can kill you. Even holding a gun in your hand doesn't mean anything is over or that you really have control over the situation. All the more so when you're on your bed, where you have no mobility.

This is all a good argument for not having roommates, by the way. There's always some roommate who thinks scumbags are cute and invites them in for a free scope of your house. You should have at least one place safe in the world, and if you have roommates, you most definitely don't.

[SNOWBALL138]

If you had a gun you wouldn't need to kill him. You could just shoot him in the crotch.

[aLOWdAkING]

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I'd shoot anyone who got close to me with a knife. Most people probably don't realize how fast and easy a knife can kill you. Even holding a gun in your hand doesn't mean anything is over or that you really have control over the situation. All the more so when you're on your bed, where you have no mobility.

This is all a good argument for not having roommates, by the way. There's always some roommate who thinks scumbags are cute and invites them in for a free scope of your house. You should have at least one place safe in the world, and if you have roommates, you most definitely don't.

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Why does this sound so much like Skeme's post?

[GoblinMason (Craig)]

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Kill... no
Beat up really bad? yessss

edit- shoot in the kneecap? yes


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I agree.

My first reaction was to just threaten him with the gun and tell him to drop the knife, but he might just throw the knife at you. I'd shoot him and feel good about it.

-Craig