So, what could have been done differently?
Here is what has been reported so far. Mr. Pelosi was alone in his home and asleep when he was awakened by someone breaking in. At some point during the event, he told the attacker that he needed to use the restroom and was allowed to do so. While in the restroom, he called 911 and requested assistance. It’s unclear exactly what he said but a “wellness check” was dispatched to local police. Pelosi did not end the 911 call and then left the restroom. The 911 dispatcher was able to hear enough that they increased the call priority and shortly after, police arrived on the scene. They found Pelosi and his attacker struggling over control of a hammer. They directed them both to stop, at which time the attacker gained control of the hammer and used it to assault Pelosi. The police officers immediately intervened, disarmed the attacker and summoned emergency medical assistance.
Awaking at 2 a.m. to the sound of breaking glass is something no one wants to experience. The results of such an experience will be significantly impacted by your prior planning and preparedness. Now is the time to develop a plan of what you would do in a scenario like this. You don’t want to count on making the right decisions in the spur of the moment.
So, what could have been done differently?
First, you must communicate that you have a problem to the authorities. Your cell phone should be charging on your nightstand. Use it and call 911 immediately. Tell them you believe that someone has broken into your home and you require assistance immediately. Response times vary considerably based on where you live. In this case, it’s reasonable to expect that police were on scene within five minutes of being called. If you live in rural Coconino County, that response time could be much longer. Don’t delay getting help on the way.
Second, do not go investigate the situation on your own. Searching a home for a potentially armed intruder (or, worse yet, several armed intruders) is a complicated and dangerous process. The police are trained to perform this task and will almost never attempt it alone. You shouldn’t either. You should take up a defensive position that provides you as much protection and distance from an intruder as possible. Stay on the phone with the dispatcher and keep them informed of where you are and what is going on.
It should come as no surprise that when Pelosi, an 82-year-old man, was attacked by a person 40 years his junior, he was at a major disadvantage. You should consider how you can eliminate the advantage a younger, more aggressive attacker would have over yourself. Non-lethal options like pepper spray, stun guns and Tasers are available, but all of them have a major weakness. To employ them, you must be close to your attacker. Firearms are sometimes referred to as the ”great equalizer.” A trained person with a firearm is no longer at a physical disadvantage to their attacker. Simply displaying a firearm can often times be a sufficient deterrent to prevent an attack. If the aggressor is not deterred by the display, you will be best prepared to defend yourself.
To summarize: have a plan, communicate your needs immediately, take up a defensive position and arm yourself with something that will negate your attacker’s advantage. We will never know for sure, but had Pelosi followed this plan, the results may well have been significantly different. We wish Mr. Pelosi well in his recovery. FBN
By Rob Wilson
Rob Wilson is the owner (with his wife, Elise) of Timberline Firearms & Training in Flagstaff. They offer a full line of firearms, accessories, safes and ammunition along with Liberty Safes. For more information, visit timberlinefirearms.us.
