Shots in the Night

Friday night, October 16th, we had some friends come over for a "game night" at our house. We ate and played games until 11PM. It was so much fun, as it always is. After everyone headed home, Rick and I cleaned up a little and decided to go to bed and clean up the rest the next day. I had to open at Dressbarn at 9:30AM the next day and I knew I was already going to be exhausted. So off to bed we went, just like any other night. Not a big deal. Doors locked, house alarm set, kids checked and covered up.

The next thing I know, we are being awakened by a loud BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!...BOOM!!! Rick and I sat straight up in bed. I looked at the clock. 4:30AM.

"What was that?!" I asked Rick in a panic. To me it sounded like something had hit our house. But I was still a little groggy from just waking up.

"I don't know!" Rick said hopping out of bed and looking out the bedroom window. I sat there listening...nothing.

"Honey, I think it was gun shots!" I said. He looked at me with a scared look that I have never seen on my husbands face before.

"I think so too." Rick said. He went to check on Caleb and Emma. They were both sleeping away like nothing had happened. So we left them in their rooms.

Rick and I were both looking out the windows of the house trying to see anything happening...movements, cars, etc. Nothing.

"Should we call 911?" I asked holding my chest. I could feel my heart pounding in my body. I have never felt pure terror like that before. I was shaking like a leaf.

"Let's wait. I bet someone already did."

Now, you have to remember that this has all happened in the last 5 minutes. The time is now about 4:35AM. Our minds were racing of all the awful things. Was it a drive by? Is someone being murdered in their home? We sat on the bed...waiting...then we saw the lights flashing outside from the police cars.

"There they are!" Rick said.

"I bet it is the house with those kids. They finally ticked someone off enough and that person is coming back to get revenge!" I said. The kids (teens/young adults) that live in that house are in trouble with the cops a lot. Last spring those boys tried to break into our truck that was parked in our driveway.

Rick jumped up and got on some clothes, turned the house alarm off and went outside. I followed close behind for just a minute. Our neighbors across the street and the neighbors right next to them were up and outside already. The cops were blocking off both ends of our street already.

I went back in to be with the kids in case they woke up. I laid on our bed worried sick about what was happening. Praying that no one was hurt and that this would never ever happen again so close to my kids. I started thinking about how unfair this was! That here I am worrying about where we live and if we are safe. I have never felt like I was unsafe in my house, but for the first time, I did. Do we move? How would buy our house in this economy? And who would want to buy a house with drive bys in the area? Where would we go? Is anywhere really safe anymore? My mind was racing, but I was wearing myself out. I started to doze off, when Rick came back in the house. It was about 6:30AM.

Rick said that it was a drive by/run or walk by. He said that the cops had yellow crime tape up from our tree in our front yard to the fire hydrant on our corner all the way across the street to the opposite corner. A cop car was parked on the outside of the crime tape with its lights flashing. The light was glowing right in our front window and into Emma's bedroom window. The opposite end of our street was blocked off too. Rick told me that he counted about 33 evidence markers between the street, the targeted house and the house next door to us. The house right next door to us had two bullet holes in their garage the size of quarters or a little bigger. One down low and one up high. The one that was higher went through the garage wall into their living room and lodged itself in their ceiling. There was someone sleeping in the living room at that time. Rick said they were really shook up. No doubt! The targeted house's cars got hit up pretty good, but that was about it. The electrical box in their yard got it a couple times too.

After we talked about it for awhile we decided to try and get some sleep before Caleb and Emma decided to get up. By 7AM, Emma decided it was time to rise and shine. Mommy and daddy were totally exhausted, but we got up. Emma could see the lights flashing in her window and she was very interested to see what it was. I brought her out to the living room and sat on the love seat that is near the big window in the front. Rick was sitting them and Emma and I looked out at the cop car and the yellow tape all over our yard.

The view from our front yard; yellow crime tape and cop cars.

Pretty soon Caleb got up and was very interested in the cop car outside. So we looked at it for awhile, then we made breakfast. He kept on saying "a ka"!

We ate breakfast and got ready for the day. I got ready for work but ended up having to wait until about 10:30 AM to leave the house. I had called another lady to fill in for me until I could get there, so that all worked out okay. They took down the crime tape about 10:15 and packed everything up.

We were definitely scared and worried. It was hard to go to sleep that night without wondering what was going to happen. Would we sleep through the night? Would they same guys come back to finish off the job? Are we safe? Do we need to move? So many thoughts.

We ended up sleeping some what like rocks that night. A little too aware of noises around and in the house. But the next days that were to follow, I stopped be so worried and scared. I just started to be very ticked off and angry!!! I don't understand the gang mentality. They don't care about anyone...not even themselves! Shooting into a home, hitting everything in sight, putting so many people in danger! I don't get it. They are willing to die for their gang family, but blood family is put in danger. If you die for the cause then you are a hero and will be known forever.

I will stop ranting about it and inform you that they have caught 5 people involved in the shooting. Three younger men and 2 young women. They are all in jail, waiting trial. And more suspects are being investigated. I have rested better since that has happened. So thank the Lord that for now have our quiet neighborhood back.