What would you have done with a shotgun? Shoot the thieves? But that's immaterial. Let me explain. You didn't listen to the story. The crowd had descended upon the house while the family wasn't there. A shotgun on the back of your pickup would have done no help in this case. Doh my name is Maverick and duh duh a uh duh I want to shoot some uh duh duh duh peeple wid my shotgun uhhhhh. Urrrr. Maverick love Mongo duhhhh.
Ugh, no. You did not listen to the story. He said he came home and told the people to stop and they refused. That is the point where I get my shotgun and start firing shots into the air. I'll bet you the place would have cleared out in 10 seconds flat.
If the homeowner is like 99.999% of shotgun owners then he wouldn't carry the gun with him to work and the gun would of been in the bedroom closet and thus in the hands of the looters/bargin hunters.
Here in SoCal if you "brandish" a shotgun (basically meaning to display the weapon in a confrontational situation) it is considered to be assault. You don't even have to point it at anyone. If you "rack" the shotgun it is considered to be aggravated assault. Shooting into the air in Los Angeles County can get you thrown into jail on all kinds of charges.
I'd say chamber a round, and let it rip right there up through the ceiling in the house. After all, they were being forclosed on. What the hell should they care?
I had a situation with a dog. I called the police and they couldn't be bothered. I said I should resort to my rifle then. The police said I could get in trouble (I lived in the burbs then). I said well, "I'll get my bow and arrow". They sent someone over.
Reminds me of when I first moved into my house .Every day I came home my neighbors husky (that lived 1/8 mile down the rd)would challenge me getting out of my fricken car in my own driveway. The dogs owner was a cop. So I knew the police would be no solution. On the 3rd day of this in a row I chased the damn dog all the way home with a fricken maddox. Next day the dog was waiting for me and took a shit in my yard and ran away when I pulled up. I bagged it up and threw it on the owners door step.