Preparedness
Dangerous Doorstep Standoff: Illinois Homeowner Forced to Shoot Intruder
In the small town of Collinsville, Illinois, just 20 minutes northeast of St. Louis, a confrontation unfolded on a quiet evening last week. A man with a history of aggravated battery charges, who had been repeatedly asked to leave a home’s entranceway, challenged the homeowner with an ultimatum that he would have to shoot. The homeowner, fearing for his safety, obliged.
The man, later identified as 31-year-old Jonathan J. Gagen, was found fatally shot on the porch of the house located on the 500 block of St. Louis Road, KDSK-TV reported following the Collinsville police’s recounting of the events.
“Police responded to the 500 block of St. Louis Road just after 6 p.m. last Tuesday,” the station reported.
Upon their arrival, officers discovered a male lying wounded on the porch. Despite the efforts of the local EMS, who provided aid after officers, Gagen was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation was handed over to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office due to a family connection between the homeowner and a part-time employee of the Collinsville police department. The sheriff’s office determined that Gagen had been asked multiple times to leave the homeowner’s porch, but he had refused each request.
“The homeowner feared for his safety and got a gun from inside the home while making ‘numerous’ requests for Gagen to leave,” KDSK reported.
The homeowner had explicitly warned Gagen against entering the house.
Chillingly, “Gagen opened the storm door and said the homeowner would have to shoot him,” according to the sheriff’s office, reported by the station.
In response to this threat, the homeowner fired a single shot, striking Gagen in the chest. Another resident of the house immediately called 911 to request police assistance.
All the residents were cooperative with the investigation, the station noted.
The Madison County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has highlighted two county cases involving Gagen with aggravated battery charges.
In one case from 2020, Gagen was accused of violently grabbing a Granite City police officer’s face and scratching his eyeball. He was also accused of engaging in a physical altercation with a private security officer at a hospital, causing the officer to fall and subsequently break his leg and ankle in June 2023. Both cases were still pending as of last Wednesday.
As part of a bond condition, Gagen had been required to complete a mental health court screening in September 2023. There have been several pleadings and orders in both cases, KDSK reported, underlining Gagen’s troubled past.
This shocking incident underscores the seriousness of the potential dangers homeowners can face, even on their own property. It also serves as a stark reminder of the grim outcomes that can result from a refusal to respect boundaries and the law.
Watch a local news report about the incident below:
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Preparedness
Dad’s Heroic Fight Saves Son from Mountain Lion Attack
A California family experienced a terrifying ordeal during their Labor Day picnic when their 5-year-old son was attacked by a mountain lion. The incident occurred just before 4:30 p.m. on Sunday at the Tapia Day Use Area of Malibu State Creek Park in Calabasas, as reported by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office.
The boy’s family and several other adults and children were enjoying their time when the mountain lion suddenly grabbed the child by the head and began to run.
“Somebody screamed the baby’s name, and his dad started running,” the boy’s aunt recounted.
“The father grabbed the mountain lion with his hands, and he just fought. Then the mountain lion let go.”
The dramatic rescue unfolded in front of about 40 onlookers, some of whom noted that the mountain lion appeared completely unafraid during the attack.
Male mountain lions can weigh up to 150 pounds and measure up to 8 feet in length, making the father’s actions even more heroic.
The boy was promptly airlifted to Northridge Hospital Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. He was released later that Sunday but had to return to the hospital on Monday due to complications involving his eyes.
Upon arrival at the scene, California State Park rangers and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) officers found the mountain lion crouched in a tree near the picnic area.
The animal was deemed a threat to public safety and was euthanized by a ranger.
Wildlife officers collected evidence from the boy’s injuries, including DNA swabs from the bite marks, which were matched to the mountain lion.
“CDFW and State Park officials are thankful that the family is safe, and the child is recovering and no one else was injured,” the CDFW stated.
Watch a local news report about the incident below:
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Preparedness
Oakland Chao: Gunfire With No Police In Sight While Residents Fear For Safety
Just a month ago, five individuals were injured during a chaotic street takeover in Oakland. These unruly events, commonly referred to as “sideshows,” involve drivers blocking intersections and performing dangerous stunts like peeling out and burning rubber, all while large crowds gather to watch and record the spectacle.
Early Saturday morning, Oakland experienced yet another street takeover. This one lasted an hour and included participants firing guns into the air, all of which was captured on video. Shocked residents complained about the absence of police, as reported by KTVU-TV.
“We know that we don’t have enough police officers. … We can’t afford it.”
A video report shows what appears to be cellphone footage of individuals discharging firearms during the sideshow. Residents expressed their fear that stray bullets might cause serious injuries or worse.
“I just heard gunshots, like gunshots coming from all directions, people trying to hide. They just fire up in the air, and you don’t know where it’s going to land,” a neighbor who requested anonymity told the station.
This resident was among several who mentioned that such sideshows near 98th Avenue and Empire Boulevard have become routine occurrences.
“Like a whole hour. No police. I didn’t hear no sirens at all. … Some people were on top of that house’s roof. There were fireworks included. There were blue lasers, green lasers,” another neighbor revealed to the station.
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Police Chief Floyd Mitchell have made appearances at recent town halls, promising to take more action against these sideshows. Potential solutions discussed include using new technologies like drones and cameras, as well as enlisting the help of the California Highway Patrol.
“We know that we don’t have enough police officers,” the mayor said at one town hall, according to KTVU. “We can’t afford it, but that doesn’t mean that we use that as an excuse or reason not to be sure that people feel safe.”
Chief Mitchell noted that police are “working hard to try to curb this activity. We have a sideshow detail that goes out every Friday and Saturday,” the station reported.
Mitchell also mentioned that redesigned intersections could potentially help, but KTVU reported that residents near Saturday’s sideshow are still waiting for city leaders to fulfill their promises.
“I’ve been here my whole life, and it has changed, it has changed so much, and it’s frustrating because it seems like they don’t care,” a neighbor told the station.
KTVU said it reached out to both the police and the mayor’s office for comments on the residents’ concerns about local crime, but the station did not receive a response in time for its report.
Watch a local news report about the incident below:
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Preparedness
Chicago Mom Defends Daughter from Intruder with Concealed-Carry Firearm
A mother from Chicago, who holds a concealed-carry license, found herself in a harrowing situation over the weekend when she had to use her firearm to protect her daughter.
The incident occurred at the family’s South Shore apartment late Saturday night. The mother, who requested anonymity, shared her experience with WLS-TV.
“That motherly instincts kick in, so as soon as something happens, it’s like fight or flight,” she explained.
Her 18-year-old daughter had just finished bathing and returned to her bedroom shortly before 11 p.m. when she noticed a man attempting to climb through her window.
“So, I put the towel on, and I run out my room, and I ran right there. I’m like, ‘Yo, somebody’s trying to come through my window.’ So, my mom immediately acted on it,” the daughter recounted to the station.
The mother, a long-time concealed-carry license holder, had never fired her gun until that night.
“He was, like, hanging on her window. I just told him that ‘I have a gun. I’m going to shoot.’ And he just didn’t stop. I fired a warning shot. I didn’t even know that he got hit,” she told WLS.
The police later discovered the 36-year-old suspect on East 69th Street near Oglesby, with a gunshot wound to his leg. He was taken to a hospital and was reported to be in fair condition. Charges against him were pending as of Sunday night.
Both the mother and daughter had some stern words for the intruder.
“Next time you think about coming through somebody’s window, you just remember how that bullet felt,” the daughter warned.
Her mother echoed this sentiment, advising, “Try not to be out here committing crimes, especially trying to come into somebody’s house, because you never know what’s on the other side of that window.”
In the aftermath of the incident, the police confiscated the mother’s firearm.
This event highlights the importance of preparedness and the potential consequences of criminal actions, especially when intruding into someone’s home.
Watch a local news report about the incident below:
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
-
Survival Stories11 months ago
Emily’s 30-Day Experience of Being Stranded on a Desert Island
-
Tactical5 months ago
Midnight SUV Theft Interrupted by Armed Homeowner’s Retaliation
-
Preparedness10 months ago
Methods for Communicating During Power Grid Failure
-
Preparedness1 month ago
Ex-Ballerina’s Guilty Verdict Sends Tremors Through Gun-Owner Community
-
Nature and Wildlife11 months ago
Defending Yourself from Dog Attacks
-
Tactical11 months ago
Top Handguns for Personal Protection in the Wilderness
-
Tactical5 months ago
Armed Robber Meets Surprise Resistance at California Gaming Store
-
Preparedness4 months ago
Cartel Tracked Down, Executed Model with Instagram Food Post Clue
Spencer
June 9, 2024 at 11:51 am
One warning is enough. The other two cases didn’t put him in jail where he belonged so he finally got his just rewards. Defund the police and this will and should happen. Next please.
J. Baker
June 9, 2024 at 12:56 pm
Tired of people thinking that they have the right to do anyone bodily harm and not facing consequences. This homeowner repeatedly told intruder to stop and remove himself from the owners property. It may, to some people, think it’s morally wrong. It’s high time that intruders realize that people are sick and tired of being the victims.
Homer Jarvis
June 9, 2024 at 1:32 pm
The homeowner had all the right to use deadly force in this insadence and should not face any charges whatsoever
mcpherson
June 9, 2024 at 10:17 pm
everyone has the right to self defence THE LAZEY COPS ARE ALWAYS A DAY LATE ALWAYS GET THERE AFTER THE EVENT NEVER BEFORE THEY ARE THE CLEANUP CREW AND ALWAYS GET THE FACTS WRONG THEY ARE FAMOUS FOR GIVING THEIR OWN PERSONAL SET OF THE FACTS USUALLY WRONG PS Never trust a cop they lie cheat and steal and get away with most of their personnel crimes and will lie 110% of the time to protect all of the wide blue line against the public who they hate.
Jim
June 10, 2024 at 12:53 am
It seems to me if the intruder did not try to enter the home police should have been called. Deadly force did not seem necessary from the information supplied.
Michael
June 10, 2024 at 7:01 am
First the police being there in time to protect you is very , very unlikely. Second as ruled by the Supreme Court the police are Not legally obligated to protect you . It may be part of police department policy but it is not a law . And they can NOT be prosecuted by any court for failure to do so . It’s been tried and failed . 99.9999% of the time the only people guaranteed to be at the location of an attack is the attacker/s and the victim/s . The only person that can protect you from an attack is you. Do the math.