i'm like, "dad, todd's here. and so is don." he goes, "all right. let's get this over with." and i grabbed the nine -- or i didn't grab the nine, i grabbed the m4. >> reporter: katelynn is talking about the guns she had at the ready, a nine millimeter pistol and an m-4 rifle. and james? he had a pistol holstered in the small of his back as he walked out to greet todd and don. >> i had a nine millimeter on me, and i know how to use it >> reporter: here is james' memory of a confrontation so tense it sounds almost surreal. as the two men approached the house, he said, they hid behind todd and rachel's children. >> he had ariel in his arms, using her as a human shield. and don had alex in his arms, hiding on the other side of the car. >> reporter: they were afraid that you were gonna shoot them. >> perhaps. and i can't remember whether or not todd actually went to the door with the kid or i went to the door or whatever. but he was a human shield.