Break in - can you shoot ?

[romans1212]

To start the goal can not be to kill the intruder, it has to be to stop the threat and that may result in his or her death.
2nd that hesitancy may cost you your life. Lastly one should not take someone's life unless that is the only option left. One may get away with it in regard to the law, however at some point one is going to have to answer to their maker. Lies, and bs reasoning isn't going to fly

We are saying the same thing. We agree. I think I use the word hesitate because of all the posts that claim a quick trigger.

 

[300_whisper]

We are saying the same thing. We agree. I think I use the word hesitate because of all the posts that claim a quick trigger.

This is my slow draw on a door to door salesman.

 

[Moose94]

A buddy of mine is studying for the bar and sent this to me.

 

[summer44]

View attachment 3376063 A buddy of mine is studying for the bar and sent this to me.

(2)Does not state anything about a threat. It states unlawfully and forcibly entered your home. Section 2 didn't say anything about him being an imminent threat.

 

[Gunanddoglover]

Even if it's justified in today's f'ed up society a DA with no balls or political ambitions could say otherwise. Just a thought.

 

[flyingfrog509]

I find it interesting that in over 100 posts I didn't see anyone mention "How did you know he had a knife and not a gun?, how do you know it is one person not more?" You can't know what the hypothetical is going to be until it happens and the finding out could cost you your life. Clearing rooms or going to the crime not knowing what is around the corner is one of the best ways to give a criminal the advantage. If the guy had a gun trained on where you were coming from then you simply do not have the cognitive ability to react in time before you can be shot. Like it or not your brain must determine what the threat is before you can start to react and put into play your actions. What if it wasn't a robber but you're wife. The dog was going crazy for some other reason, you walk in predisposed that you are going to shoot whatever is in there ahead of time and don't work thru the decision making process, now you have possibly shot your wife not knowing she got up wo/you. On top of that take some time to talk to people who have had to take a life (bad guys or not) so maybe we can tame the thinking it is a good idea to shoot a person just because they are a criminal. You might think you will not be effected, but you will. Taking the life of a person no matter how bad isn't the same as taking the life of a deer or other animals. Just saying there is more to the discussion than the legal question.

With that said the smart money is on having a plan (or a few) such as if the break in is not confronting you immediately then collect your family bring them to a defendable retreat point, call 911, and wait for the criminal to come to you so you are the one with all the advantages. So you are the one pointing the gun and ready to take the shot with only having to identify the threat and stop it while keeping the family out of harms way. If the dipstick is dumb enough to come thru the door of your safe location then by all means he has played a stupid game and will get stupid results. The good news is that even a George Soros appointed attorney would be hard pressed to put you in jail regardless of where you live as long as your defensive weapon was something "normal" (but I'm not a lawyer, nor giving legal advice)

 

[Radar363]

I find it interesting that in over 100 posts I didn't see anyone mention "How did you know he had a knife and not a gun?, how do you know it is one person not more?" You can't know what the hypothetical is going to be until it happens and the finding out could cost you your life. Clearing rooms or going to the crime not knowing what is around the corner is one of the best ways to give a criminal the advantage. If the guy had a gun trained on where you were coming from then you simply do not have the cognitive ability to react in time before you can be shot. Like it or not your brain must determine what the threat is before you can start to react and put into play your actions. What if it wasn't a robber but you're wife. The dog was going crazy for some other reason, you walk in predisposed that you are going to shoot whatever is in there ahead of time and don't work thru the decision making process, now you have possibly shot your wife not knowing she got up wo/you. On top of that take some time to talk to people who have had to take a life (bad guys or not) so maybe we can tame the thinking it is a good idea to shoot a person just because they are a criminal. You might think you will not be effected, but you will. Taking the life of a person no matter how bad isn't the same as taking the life of a deer or other animals. Just saying there is more to the discussion than the legal question.

With that said the smart money is on having a plan (or a few) such as if the break in is not confronting you immediately then collect your family bring them to a defendable retreat point, call 911, and wait for the criminal to come to you so you are the one with all the advantages. So you are the one pointing the gun and ready to take the shot with only having to identify the threat and stop it while keeping the family out of harms way. If the dipstick is dumb enough to come thru the door of your safe location then by all means he has played a stupid game and will get stupid results. The good news is that even a George Soros appointed attorney would be hard pressed to put you in jail regardless of where you live as long as your defensive weapon was something "normal" (but I'm not a lawyer, nor giving legal advice)

From the OP "Hypothetical situation. You're woken in the middle of the night by your dog barking. You hear sounds of a break in and go downstairs. You find your dog has the intruder by the leg. You are 25' away. The intruder is brandishing a knife."

He gave us the scenario that there was a single intruder with a knife. It wasn't a 'What do I do if multiple intruders enter my home and I can't determine if they are armed with knives or guns?' post.
You're throwing a lot of 'what-ifs' into the mix.

 

[hikingthehills]

I don't care if they have a knife OR a gun. I don't care if they're holding a pom pom. If they are bold enough to break into my house when I'm home my take on it is they intend to do me or my family harm. They'll be dealt with accordingly.

 

[Gun Parts & Accessories]

Dead bodies can't talk, nor should you without a proper defense attorney.

 

[E.Brown]

Hypothetical situation. You're woken in the middle of the night by your dog barking. You hear sounds of a break in and go downstairs. You find your dog has the intruder by the leg. You are 25' away. The intruder is brandishing a knife.

Can you legitimately shoot them as you believe they are about to injure or kill your dog ?

Can you legitimately shoot them if they have injured or killed your dog ?

This situation is text book "stand your ground". The subject made forcible entry into your residence and was observed to be armed. This justifies deadly force.