Question about self defense in your home

[Guest oxfordgt]

I wouldn't be stupid and fire like a mad man. I would only fire as long as the intruder is no longer a threat. But if I see him and he doesn't see me I'm not gonna give him a chance to get the drop on me.

If I kill a criminal in my own home and his family sues me I will turn around and sue them for making him and putting my life in danger, Welcome to America

[Glenn]

I think I have heard enough to make my decision. If the perps are obviously armed with firearms, I'm taking whatever advantage I can get. While I shoot good enough in practice, I have no experiance in such a situation and don't know how I will react. I don't want to trade gunfire, especially in my house. I'm not going to immediatly shoot someone that is armed only with a close range weapon, club, hammer etc. I am giving them a short chance to surrender, and I hope they take it.

Glenn

[daddyo]

Boy,oh boy - You self-proclaimed bad-@sses scare hell outta' me... and not because I'm a criminal!

When it comes to the sanctity of my home and the safety and security of my family, then yeah.... the name's Billy... Billy Bad-@ss.

[Timestepper]

When it comes to the sanctity of my home and the safety and security of my family, then yeah.... the name's Billy... Billy Bad-@ss.

When it comes to the sanctity of my home and the safety and security of my family, I'll take whatever course of action seems appropriate at the time, but I'm not going to go into specifics, i.,e.,

"If any body enters my home with out my consent is getting shot in the head. I don't care if they are armed or not, facing me or not. Criminals deserve to die and if they are in my house they are criminals there trying to harm me or my family."

on a PUBLIC forum.

Besides - and I'm sure that I'll go down in flames for this (like I care) - it's been my experience that those who talk the toughest usually aren't. And PLEASE do not invite me to break into your home and find out for myself because that's just asinine and only shows more of the braggadocio typically exhibited by those who talk a good game, but seldom play one.

IF this particular situation ever arises I may talk about it a little afterwards (though I rather doubt it), but please don't expect me to exhibit my bad@ssery by bragging about how bad I'm gonna' whoop @ss or what I'm going to do to a potential perpetrator beforehand. Rather, suffice it to say, once again, that I'll take whatever course of action seems appropriate at the time.

Edited June 2, 2012 by Timestepper

[DaveS]

I wouldn't be stupid and fire like a mad man.

I would......

I'd be so damned much in fear of my life, so scared, so shook up physically and mentaly....I would not be in control of my senses, and NOT know when to stop shooting the bad guy in my house!

[Spots]

As someone who has been in a bad situation, sending rounds down range, I still have no idea how I would react. The billy badasses are fine and dandy, but I've been stacked on a door, heart thumping, and knowing whats coming, and its still hard to put accurate rounds down range and know when to stop. If I am laying in bed, and get woken up at 3:00 am by my dogs flipping out, sounds of an intruder, there will be no warning, verbal or otherwise. I hope I can focus enough to handle the situation appropriately. I can tell you right now the bravado won't help you and the cool, calculated failure to stop drills, etc are 10 million times harder when faced with an immediate threat. Just my two cents, I truely hope no one on this forum ever has to find out first hand how they would react.

[Timestepper]

Bottom line, you never know how you're going to react in a given situation until that situation actually transpires. Training helps, but only to an extent. It's nice to think, and it sounds really macho to say, "The first thing the perp will hear is the slide racking back as I jack a round into the chamber - and the last thing they'll hear is my gun going off!" but indeed, the reality may very well be that the first thing they'll hear is you sh!tting yourself or tripping over a piece of furniture that panic/nerves suddenly caused you to forget was there, even though you've been stepping around it successfully for years. Shout a warning? Hell no! My knees'll be knocking and my heart hammering so loudly that the bad guy(s) will probably hear me long before my vocal chords loosen up enough to whisper, let alone shout!

You know, we can come on these public forums or sit in a coffee shop or around a campfire and posture and postulate about what bad@sses we are until the cows come home. And we all like to think we'll have no problem protecting our homes and families - and that's a good thing - it helps bolster our fragile egos and adds to our peace of mind. But again, the bottom line is that until one actually finds themselves in a given situation, they really have no idea how they're going to react or what course of action they will take. And to claim otherwise is, quite simply, unmitigated macho bullcrap, because you're gonna' do same thing that I'll do and the only difference is that I'm honest enough to admit that I'll probably step in mine! And if it somehow makes me less of a man to admit that, then fine - I'm not much of a man - but you know what? At the end of the day, I can still look in a mirror... And the reflection looking back is an honest one.

[Guest oxfordgt]

I would......

I'd be so damned much in fear of my life, so scared, so shook up physically and mentaly....I would not be in control of my senses, and NOT know when to stop shooting the bad guy in my house!

Well I am a SSG in the Army and an Infantryman with 5 deployments and plenty of fire fights under my belt so I don't think saying I was scared and couldn't control myself in a break in situation would hold much water in court. 1 well aimed shot to eliminate the threat to me and my family is all I need.

Plus carpet and drywall gets expensive so alot more bullets would make alot more mess. My only hope is to catch the intruder on the tile LOL.

[Timestepper]

[DaveS]

Well....

Edited June 5, 2012 by wd-40

[DaveS]

Bottom line, you never know how you're going to react in a given situation until that situation actually transpires. Training helps, but only to an extent. It's nice to think, and it sounds really macho to say, "The first thing the perp will hear is the slide racking back as I jack a round into the chamber - and the last thing they'll hear is my gun going off!" but indeed, the reality may very well be that the first thing they'll hear is you sh!tting yourself or tripping over a piece of furniture that panic/nerves suddenly caused you to forget was there, even though you've been stepping around it successfully for years. Shout a warning? Hell no! My knees'll be knocking and my heart hammering so loudly that the bad guy(s) will probably hear me long before my vocal chords loosen up enough to whisper, let alone shout!

You know, we can come on these public forums or sit in a coffee shop or around a campfire and posture and postulate about what bad@sses we are until the cows come home. And we all like to think we'll have no problem protecting our homes and families - and that's a good thing - it helps bolster our fragile egos and adds to our peace of mind. But again, the bottom line is that until one actually finds themselves in a given situation, they really have no idea how they're going to react or what course of action they will take. And to claim otherwise is, quite simply, unmitigated macho bullcrap, because you're gonna' do same thing that I'll do and the only difference is that I'm honest enough to admit that I'll probably step in mine! And if it somehow makes me less of a man to admit that, then fine - I'm not much of a man - but you know what? At the end of the day, I can still look in a mirror... And the reflection looking back is an honest one.

WELL PUT MY FRIEND!!!

[Guest ArmaDeFuego]

If there are 2 armed men in my home I am shooting. I dont care if its in the back or what.

I know crap can happen if/when something goes to trial, but I'm sorry, I just cant picture a jury in TN convicted a homeowner for shooting an armed intruder in their own home, no matter if it was in the back or wherever. If someone is armed in my home I am not gonna give them a chance to turn around & shoot me.

The original question above was kind of unclear though. It says that you "sneak out" & see 2 armed intruders. I'm assuming he meant sneak out of your room & that the intruders are actually inside the home. In that case yes, I'm definitely shooting. If he meant sneak outside & you see 2 armed burglars outside, then in that case I would stay in my house & call the police. I wouldnt go outside to confront them.

IANAL but I'm pretty sure Castle Doctrine says if someone breaks into your home then you automatically have the assumption that you are in fear for your life. Again, I just dont see some homeowner getting convicted for shooting an armed intruder thats inside their home.....

[TMF]

Criminals are cowards looking for he easiest score to make a buck. With that said, I doesn't mean they aren't dangerous when cornered. I would assume that anyone who breaks into a home that is likely occupied is prepared to defend themselves from the homeowner if caught, or is planning to assault/kill the homeowner to make he job easier. Either way, if you find yourself confronting multiple intruders in your home its safe to say that deadly force is reasonable. Any DA trying to challenge that in the state of Tennessee is going to have a short career.

[Guest ArmaDeFuego]

Any DA trying to challenge that in the state of Tennessee is going to have a short career.

Agreed.

[wstrnrdr]

Wouldn't take the shot in the back, but would defintely be moving following the big Hey { or whaterver } and the first rounds loosed at BG1. Moving off mark maks BG2 find you as second volley finds him. In my house, doors always locked, big loud dog and alarm system. They would already have made any intentions known getting this far. Still it is safer to hole up and protect self and family if possible, ever tried searching your home and covering your back and covering multiple threat axis's at same time? Take the safest course!

[wjh2657]

First off, I don't "sneak out" to meet an intruder, he will have to enter my "safe room" (My master bedroom) and I don't really see anybody backing into the room! Bedroom door locked and wife on the cellphone to 911. Me aiming Mossberg 500A at doorway. If door is broken open shoot and rack 5 and then reload. Post sounds to me like someone needs to rethink "home defense" and start practicing some drills. The Wyatt Earp approach really sucks in the statistics, you usually get killed too. If I learned anything from Victor Charlie during my six years in RVN it was to make the the enemy come to you. Ambush is the most effective method, believe me. It's your house and you know the lay of the land better than they do. Tactics,tactics, tactics!

Sound tactics and a .22 beats a ,45 ACP in your cold clammy hands because you let the other guy decide the game.

[kwe45919]

^{Sound tactics and a .22 beats a ,45 ACP in your cold clammy hands because you let the other guy decide the game.}

^{.....and the best offense is a good defense....or is it the other way around??}

^{Truthfully, once someone has entered your house unlawfully, not only did they "decide" the "game" but they started the "game".}

^{Each one of us will attempt to end the "game" with our lives intact. How we do it will vary to the situation.}

^{It is my duty as a father to seek the intruder out and end his life if needed, not let him get near the daughter or wait for him to leave. The wife's duty is to call the cops and provide a defensive back up. Plain and simple. It's what the layout of our house dictates.}

Edited June 5, 2012 by kwe45919

[Guest Lowbuster]

well if there is two id have a bead on one, my wife would have the other, if they get in home i would have to assume their intentions of hurting me to escape is there. i would think they would hurt anyone in my home rather than go to jail. can you shoot one in the ass and wait for the other to turn around? I think we can all say we would do this or that but i have been in situations and froze before.

[Guest AmericanWorkMule]

Was the Deputy on the back deck and the Owner fired through a closed door at voices?

Was this in TN?

An off duty Deputy was out with some friends and wanted to show them a house that was for sale. He thought the owner was out of town…. he was wrong. They were on the back deck when the owner fired through the door killing the deputy. The owner had no idea who was out there or what their intent was. He was not brought to trial. Not that I think that would happen in all counties, but it gives you an idea of a real life Tennessee scenario that was called self-defense.

[DaveTN]

Was the Deputy on the back deck and the Owner fired through a closed door at voices?

Was this in TN?

He said he fired through the door when someone tried the door. Yes it was in Tennessee.

It was discussed here in length. Maybe the thread is still around.

[mikegideon]

He said he fired through the door when someone tried the door. Yes it was in Tennessee.

It was discussed here in length. Maybe the thread is still around.

I thought is was the front porch. Maybe i missed something.

[Guest AmericanWorkMule]

Thanks, I found it elsewhere. The original thread here must've gotten lost.

He said he fired through the door when someone tried the door. Yes it was in Tennessee.

It was discussed here in length. Maybe the thread is still around.

http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=1063127

Edited June 8, 2012 by AmericanWorkMule

[Guest TNLC9]

geez, I make sure that I turn the alarm off before entering the house when I get home at night. My wife will be waiting behind a closed bedroom door with loaded gun in hand to dispense of anyone opening said door should the alarm go off.

One night my alarm fob broke ... I called her and asked that she turn off the alarm & not shoot me when I got home.

sent from my sending device

Edited June 8, 2012 by TNLC9

[gjohnsoniv]

I thought is was the front porch. Maybe i missed something.

He was on the back, and to answer any questions shooting through a door, he shoot through the window. He hit the deputy in the back of the head, it wasn't just a shot through a door.

[MikePapa1]

Y'all have more faith in the reasonableness of DAs than I do. I've seen some pretty silly charges filed.

That being said, anyone in my house, regardless of their orientation, would in all likelihood be greeted with lethal force. I'd take my chances on the police, the DA and ultimately a Grand Jury. Here in beautiful Sumner County, I doubt I'd be charged and even if I were, I doubt the Grand Jury would return a true bill. The presumption supporting lethal force is very strong, but, that being said I doubt there would be any charges so long as the intruders were vertical when shot.