Troy man arrested for pulling gun on solicitors

[linux203]

TROY, Mich. -

A 66-year-old Troy man has been arrested and charged with pulling a gun on employees from Detroit Public Broadcasting.

Police were dispatched to Newgate Road near Oakhill Drive around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday. Two solicitors from Detroit Public Broadcasting, who were approved to solicit by the city of Troy, said they knocked on the door and when Donald Paulick answered he pulled a gun on them. They said he told them to get off his property.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/troy-man-arrested-for-pulling-gun-on-solicitors/-/1719418/23622384/-/oe1mp0z/-/index.html

8:30 pm is after dark.  Don't knock on doors after dark.

Unless he is prohibited from possessing a firearm, concealed carry is legal on your property.  Either information is missing or the prosecutor is an idiot.

The assault could be if he said, "Get off my property or I'll shoot you." and pointed the firearm at them. I'm guessing there will be a plea to MCL 750.233 Pointing or aiming firearm at another person.

*If* I answer a stranger at my door, my pistol is unholstered and on the back side of my thigh.  They may see the hilt of the pistol.  I will politely say, "You are not welcome here.  You need to leave the premises." and close the door.

[Glock9mmOldStyle]

Those damn PBS "fockers"can be like meth-heads on crack! Hope they think twice about rousting people in the night, in the future.

This is why one should never open the door for strangers or the police. If they have a legitimate reason to be there, you'll know it, and act accordingly, if not let them pound sand.

[TheQ]

Why was he charged with CCW? He was on his own property, an exemption under MCL 750.227

[Glock9mmOldStyle]

Why was he charged with CCW? He was on his own property, an exemption under MCL 750.227

Spaghetti theory = throw as many BS charges & see what sticks. More LE 101 @ play. Unless he left his property, they are grasping at straws there. 

[TheQ]

Spaghetti theory = throw as many BS charges & see what sticks. More LE 101 @ play. Unless he left his property, they are grasping at straws there.

Of course and it is a mistake to think cops know the law (or the cops or prosecutor read the law before charging someone).

FWIW, I agree with the other two charges.

[SD40VE]

i CC in my home.

i have answered the door with my pistol out of the holster and behind my leg.

i have told neumerous people to leave. i also have a no soliciting sign on my door.

should i call the cops when someone comes up to solicit to my residence since i clearly have a no soliciting sign on my door?

[TheQ]

i CC in my home.

i have answered the door with my pistol out of the holster and behind my leg.

i have told neumerous people to leave. i also have a no soliciting sign on my door.

should i call the cops when someone comes up to solicit to my residence since i clearly have a no soliciting sign on my door?

I've answered the door with my gun drawn and in my hand, which I keep behind the opened door.

[Glock9mmOldStyle]

I've answered the door with my gun drawn and in my hand, which I keep behind the opened door.

Don't miss the trees for the forest here folks. If this elderly gent had just not answered the door there would be no charges. Far better strategy to take a defensive position in ones home and either wait for unwelcome folk to leave or force entry. If you answer the door with a gun for some one in a police uniform, you have made entry a slum dunk for them. Make them get a search warrant as the law provides for. Once you open the door now police (considered experts by courts) can say: we detected [________] fill in the blank - and now have PC to enter as far as the courts are concerned.

Going to your home door & opening it with a gun hidden is akin to: sitting at a red light at 3am in the morning and chatting it up with the dirt bags you suspect maybe thinking about car-jacking you! IMHO - far better not to give them any chance in the first place.

[Jeff]

Cops definitely know it all.  One told my buddy that he can carry a knife ANYWHERE he wants, but if he ever uses it in self defense he will suffer charges equal to the attacker and that is the law.  I told him that most cops don't know much about the law and just make stuff up and say whatever they feel like just to have an answer.

[linux203]

i also have a no soliciting sign on my door.

should i call the cops when someone comes up to solicit to my residence since i clearly have a no soliciting sign on my door?

The no soliciting sign to them applies the same as no gun signs to us.

"911, what is your emergency... I have two trespassers on my property."

[Jeff]

WARNING: NO SOLICITATION.

Property owner has a super soaker 9,000 and isn't afraid to use it.

[gryphon]

You need a civilian version of this sign:



Or maybe something as simple as this:

[Pond Scum]

I'm thinking a properly positioned sprinkler system would work well in the summer.   

We live in a rough section of town and we just plain don't get solicitors.  Well, maybe once a year we get a school kid selling something and I always buy it….. Maybe 3 or 4 times over the past 20 years we get a scammer trying to con money for drugs.  "My baby needs a prescription and I need $20."   "My mom is in the hospital in Detroit and I need $20 for a tank of gas."   One of the best was a cute kid about 10 years old with great story that the church couldn't pay the electric bill and the lights were going to get turned off.  Well dressed, a very polished story and delivery …. you could tell he was a natural salesman.     

[TheQ]

Only solicitors who come to my house is the occasional JW.

[Raggs]

Only solicitors who come to my house is the occasional JW.

My son loves when they drop by, he likes to debate them, I don't see the thrill of it however.

[SteveS]

Why was he charged with CCW? He was on his own property, an exemption under MCL 750.227

I keep hearing that there is more to the story.  I know, it isn't like the media to ever get a story wrong or leave facts out.

We don't get a lot of visitors and certainly not without calling before they show up.  I wouldn't answer the door at that time of the evening.