I have been contemplating whether or not to write about this since Saturday morning when it happened. I decided that I have shared the details of my life here for more than ten years and that this is a detail that maybe others need to hear. However you come down on it it’s word for word exactly what happened.
My friend Melissa Wolfe called me Wednesday night to spend the night with her because she had a break in to her apartment and she was scared. I went and stayed the night. There were no further incidents, I went home.
She called me again Friday night to spend the night for the same reason, she was to leave town on Sunday to visit her boyfriend in texas (yes he knew I was staying and approved.) As always when I can I help my friends even if I don’t think they need to worry, I mean it’s really no skin off my teeth and if it makes her feel better it’s worth it.
As always I took my .45ACP had it by the bed when we went to bed.
Saturday AM at approx 6:15 I woke to a bang and the building shaking…my first thought was why is someone slamming a door that hard. Then I heard it again and realized it was at Melissa’s front door. I woke her and said call 9 1 1 NOW! She was on the phone quickly as I grabbed the .45 and went out the bedroom into the hallway…carefully. I could see the door was almost broken in..he was still trying. the only thing holding it was one of the four hotel type latches she installed top to bottom, and it was broken.
I moved into the hall doorway which is a little to the right of the front door and about 15 feet away. He hit the door again, I thought about shooting through the door but immediately dismissed that because the bullet could easily go through the door, him and into the adjacent apartment. Instead I crouched low in the doorway and waited. I had the hammer back and the gun aimed at where I expected the head to be.
The thing I noticed was that I was dead calm, no nervousness, no shaking no nothing, I announced “If you come through that door I WILL kill you.” A few seconds later he hit the door again for the last time.
I heard a lot of commotion and realized that it was the police. They had caught him. I eased back the hammer and returned the .45 to the bed stand.
In the end the cops were on it, they got there within about 2 minutes of the 9 1 1 Call. had they not things could have been oh so different today.
There is no question that I would have killed him had he breached the door and come in.
I told my friend Frank, a cynical person about it and he laughed. He said “Had you killed that scumbag you and Melissa would be ALL OVER the news for a month. You see Melissa was the “Mansion Madame” here in Atlanta and of course I am a local pornographer. He suggested next time we might hold off on calling 9 1 1 and revive our careers. Now I know he is being humorous about it and I am happy with how it played out, I really don’t ever want to have to kill anyone.
But one split second could have made things so very different.
10 Responses
One Split Second http://t.co/dlCBTroWng
One Split Second http://t.co/WCnFzgXXYG
Glad you wrote it Mike. If you have the facts, may as well give them to everyone cause no one else will #truth @MikeSouth1226
Mike? Can you please describe the perpetrator in as much detail as possible so that the rest of us may stay clear of him/her? Name, age, hair color, build, etc.? I have a bet with a friend and would like to know if I won, so…
you wont run into him in L.A. he is an Atlanta local, dont know his name off the top of my head but Melissa knew him. Oddly he was ndian, as in from India…about 6’2″ 240 lbs short black hair, clean cut but the cops knew him apparently they have had problems with him before…meth was mentioned.
I am sorry you and Melissa had that experience. Even though in the end things turned out OK I don’t wish the experience of having what sounds like a type of stalker hunting her down on anyone except maybe members of ISIS or Al-Quida. I am confident that if the cops hadn’t arrived before this stalker busted into the apartment you would have taken him down with your .45 but it is better for all involved (except maybe the cops) that you did not have to shoot him at all.
As for reviving your careers maybe that comment has some truth to it, maybe it doesn’t but if you had been forced to kill that miscreant that career revival would not have been worth it because your lives would have been turned upside down in multiple ways — a possible murder trial (here in Michigan we have the Castle Doctrine where if someone breaks into your home you have the just about absolute right to shoot to kill that person but very few states have that — IIRC the only other state with that law is Florida, for those unfamiliar Atlanta is well into the state of Georgia which is not in either Michigan or Florida for sure), having to live with the fact that you killed someone (that is a heavy burden no matter what the circumstances) and the aformentioned news coverage which even if you respond “no comment” to every question they hound you for weeks or even months trying to get their news story on you. I am not very familiar with the “Mansion Madame” or the history behind her but if that was anything like the Heidi Fleiss version and it went down any time within the past 20 years or so every news agency within a 500 mile radius of Atlanta would have latched onto it (unfortunately they may anyway).
I hope you and Melissa never have an experience like this one ever again, Mike. Once in a lifetime is more than enough of something like this for anyone. I do know I wish you had a houseboat you and Melissa could go out on for a few days until it can be ascertained that she is not in any more danger. If I were you I would seriously consider stocking up that houseboat and both you and her staying/sleeping in it (along with her boyfriend if possible just in case he is also a target — it isn’t much of a drive between Atlanta and parts of Texas) located well into international waters –with a satellite phone, a couple of pistols and a few boxes of hollow-point ammo just in case until the police call you with the news that any additional perps were caught and the danger has likely passed. If a perp were to somehow find you 50 miles off of shore (unlikely) you would still have two things going for you — no chance of a murder trial, there is no law in international waters unless you are on a flagged cruise or cargo ship and the water along with being on separate boats would make it harder for any perps to get to you.
It sounds like, all said and done, a decent personal experience. It sucks because it’s frightening to your friend, but: 1) the cops came in time, 2) you realized you’re quite useful in a crisis situation, 3) are able to kill, should it come to that, 4) but have the moral center that doesn’t wish to. Definitely worth blogging about, if for no other reason than to document an incredible, albeit unwelcome, life event. Ooh, sorry for the random (glib) brainstorm, but the intruder makes me wonder if anyone has made an “Unwelcome” mat?
FWIW I think your comment sums up what I wanted to express the best. I didn’t even understand how I felt till I read it but you nailed it…Thanks PS I LOVE the idea of an unwelcome mat
Lots to be said for the relief of having the fort held without spending time in the news with folks attributing their spin to intents. hopefully some time and legal hassles will keep the guy busy and discourage future attempts.
Glad it worked out and hope the door damage didn’t delay her plans to be with her boyfriend.
That’s some lifestyle you’re leading there Mike.