Update Shortly after this thread died last time, my wife did a little forensic work, comparing the holes in the screens to the holes in the windows and discovered that all the shots came from a second story apartment in a building across the street. We had also discovered 3 more broken windows in the baby room that were hit the same night my car window was hit but we just hadn't immediately noticed. So, we called the cops and my wife showed him the evidence, but he said he can't do anything with that -- we need to see the guy do it. But, we know he's the resident in that apartment. Several days later, he shoots the window of the house adjacent to his building. Trajectory also confirms it came from his window. We bought a security camera with night vision. We actually bought it soon after the last attack on us, but we were playing with different set-ups, trying to do something wireless but it wasn't working out. So, last night we were installing a wired camera on the front porch and try to fish the wire through the wall to my computer. And, he took a shot at my wife! He didn't hit. He missed her by about a foot and put another hole in a broken window. We looked up to see him withdrawing from his window. I went and stood outside while calling the cops. I saw him peeking out at me from his other window. I know it was him; he knows I know. The cops are useless. Cop takes about an hour to show up -- I don't blame him for that since I know there are people out there getting shot at with real guns. But, he tells me if I can't identify the guy, there's nothing he can do. I know it's a young black male and I know his address, but I wouldn't be able to pick him out of line-up or anything, so I guess I'm out of luck on that front. The cop went and knocked on his door, but the guy didn't answer -- those criminals can be so crafty! The camera (which I finished installing) is probably useless too. It might be a deterrent, since he doesn't know how much we can see, but at night it probably won't be able to get a good enough picture of him to do anything with. A couple of other avenues we're exploring: 1. Have the landlord evict him. We're trying to find the landlord, which hasn't been easy. But, we'll let him know what's going on and try to get the guy booted out. We might threaten suit on the landlord if need be. 2. Figure out the renter's name and then sue him for damages. Any ideas on how to get his name? 3. My mother says there's a taskforce in the police that might be more receptive to complaints. So, advice. What other options might I have? How do I execute any of these ideas - finding the landlord's name (it's not in HCAD) or the resident's name.
Did you tell the cops it was a BB gun when you called? Seems like you could've played ignorant and said it was a real gun. Maybe then they would've had more of a sense of urgency -- both in getting there and arresting the guy (instead of just knocking on his door and giving up when he didn't answer...) Cops treat toy guns the same as real guns on the street. Seems like it would even be more so with BB guns.
Any way to get a big search type of light to illuminate the guy as he leans out for the camera to get a good look at him doing it? This sucks, that it was not some random act but rather a neighbor..... DD
did you give him one of these when looking at his window? Spoiler I would have flipped my ***** if he took a shot at my woman.
Plus he shot into his kids room. I have angry issues this kid might not be walking if I was in his situation.
Buy a rifle with a scope, crack your window, and return fire. Since noone will be able to identify it was you who fired at him, then you have nothing to worry about...based on what the cop said. Seriously, cops are not doing their jobs imo if they are claiming they can do nothing about it. If it was a real gun and then they hit someone in your household with a bullet, then they wouldn't be saying that crap then.
wow, that sux that you can't do anything about that...you'd literally have to take justice into your own hands...
While the camera might not be able to ID him, would it give you a good enough picture to show that *someone* is shooting from that particular window? If so, that might be enough to scare him - or at least enough for cops to question him and make him say if anyone else was in his apartment at the time, etc. Obviously, if no one else was there, then it doesn't matter if you have a specific picture of him because he's the only potential shooter.
Um, obviously the cops won't arrest someone for shooting up a house with a bb gun. Fire right back at him. Start by blowing out his windows. Then his car. In fact, shoot at him when he leaves his apartment
Don't know if it will help, but i'd at least let your neighbors know who it is. Maybe even a couple of flyers saying which apartment and window it is. I'm sure he's done this to a lot of people around there and in his own apartment complex.
Yes -- young guy, but no parents there. Maybe a TSU student? A giant spot light would be a nuisance I'm sure I wouldn't be allowed to keep up for very long. The security camera does something similar, shining a bunch of non-visible light to illuminate the area for the camera. But, his window is probably 60 feet away, which is pretty far for security cameras. I'm mostly glad for the camera because it would discourage him from escalating the confrontation by coming onto my property. The problem with retaliating is that I don't know exactly who he is. I only know where he lives; I haven't gotten a good look at him. I don't know which car is his. That building has about 16 units, and I think there are a couple of guys living in that apartment, so how do I figure out which one is him? And, the last irony is that his building has a good fence around it so that I can't even go up to his door. Also, I'm at a disadvantage in escalating the confrontation. I have a ton of property that can be damaged, and loved ones on the premises to protect. And, I can't just up and move away at the drop of a hat. He's a renter with no family there. He can hurt me much more easily than I can hurt him. And, I'm sure he knows what I look like. I'm trying to figure out what 5-letter cussword makes sense in this sentence.
You sure about that? Sounds like he is targetting the interracial couple to me. What other possible motive would he have?
Call the news. Tell them your situation and how the crappy the authorities have handled it. With the racial undertone I can almost guarantee they'll run with the story.
