First, kudos to George Roof for his wise DSN letter of April 9. (“Gun bill turns lawful citizens into criminals”) Now, I’ll set the stage for my diatribe. I am a senior/senior living alone in a single home on acreage in a rural area of Kent County.
At 1:15 a.m., April 8 I was awakened by knocking on my door. As I responded, the knocking became loud pounding. When I reached my kitchen I saw an adult male pounding with all his might on the slider glass and shouting obscenities.
I didn’t know him of course and I was startled to say the least. He would not listen to anything I tried to say and kept pounding the glass of the door. I went and got my sizeable, loaded handgun and waved it at him. The pounding continued.
Only when I stepped back and aimed the gun at him did he run away. I did not fire the weapon. I called 911, Delaware State Police. The culprit ran to another house where he was subdued by dogs and an ex-policeman who lives there.
The police arrived 21 minutes after my call. I hope all the Delaware legislators who favor strong gun control in private homes will try and put yourselves in my place. What would you have done? In the past 60-plus years I have not had as much as a parking ticket. But I will defy any law that takes away my right to defend myself.
William B. King
Clayton