Just spoke to my father
My aunt who is a nurse was home alone getting ready for 2nd shift work mid afternoon
Basically wearing a towel, heard a distubance, saw 3 black males at hear rear door which is 2 glass french doors leading out to a deck.  They kicked the door in, not sure if they saw her or not but non-the-less she ran back to her room and grabbed her piece, uncle is a shooter and has recently bought a safe so his stuff is probably locked up.  She fired, they had already grabbed her purse from the counter where they entered, they ran, she fired again and my dad says she hurt herself falling and the second shot may have been accidental.  Neighbor had already witness this crew pull up in his driveway where he emerged from his open garage...they left and went to the next house...he was suspicious and heard the shot and reported them driving a late model new car with no tags...Dad says my aunt is pretty tramatized.  This is an aunt and uncle that I am close to and have shot/hunted with my uncle many times.  This news was pretty shocking since you mostly read about this stuff in American Rifleman.

For times when we are either away from home, leaving our spouses and or children behind, or for the times when we are home, I have been trying to think how to be prepared without compromising safety (guns reachable rather than locked away inaccessible.)

Sounds like she may need more training before you unlock the safe

two large unsocialized dogs would've prevented this.

What was your aunt firing? Pistol? Details man. BTW, glad she is ok, auntie is a trooper!

Training, training, training.

....I have been trying to think how to be prepared without compromising safety (guns reachable rather than locked away inaccessible.)

That's easy...Carry at home.  

 I've heard countless times on here that home invasions never happen, and are only the product of paranoid minds.

Never would have happened if the windows were barred either...

Quoted: What was your aunt firing? Pistol? Details man. BTW, glad she is ok, auntie is a trooper!

+1
tagging for details

Quoted: Sounds like she may need more training before you unlock the safe

How often do you stand on the firing line dressed only in a towel?

Quoted: Quoted: Sounds like she may need more training before you unlock the safe How often do you stand on the firing line dressed only in a towel?

Not much since they served the restraining order.  

Dude, you got me freaked! My wife is alone right now!

How do we counter the Home Invasion Threat?

Security doors with deadbolts and knob locks. I think the truck they would need to pull them off would be VERY noticable in the HOA courtyard!!

The back door is an OPEN out door, cant kick it in, but first they have to get by the GATE OF DEAD(Very noisey and you have to know the TRICK to get it open).

If they do all that, they face my very pissed wife and 17 rnds of 9mm, 10 rnds of 7.62 X39mm, 2 unsocialized housecats and a big hungry dog.

Then there is also the alarm system that is on at all times, we carry clickers on us to use when we want to go outside.

I'm confident. I also just installed a peephole in the front door.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Sounds like she may need more training before you unlock the safe How often do you stand on the firing line dressed only in a towel? Not much since they served the restraining order.

They only did that to you  because you insisted on wearing the towel on your head .

Sad part is, is that i kep hearing about this type of stuff more and more.

first they have to get by the GATE OF DEAD(Very noisey and you have to know the TRICK to get it open).

What if they use the HAMMER OF DEAD on the gate?