Someone broke into my house last night

[WeezyBengal]

(06-11-2015, 08:40 PM)fredtoast Wrote: No way you go to jail for shooting an intruder under these circumstances.

Are you saying "No way you go to jail" or "No way, dont do that, you will go to jail" 

[Hoofhearted]

(06-10-2015, 07:44 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: I honestly didnt know what to do. I was frozen. It was almost like it was a dream. Its kind of crazy that all I had to do was ask him to leave and he did. 

Fight or flight mode.... Unless you train yourself for it, typically you freeze. I rehash it in my head every day if someone broke into my house I would shoot them dead. 

I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6

[Hoofhearted]

Just make sure you get cameras and lock your space up. Do some shooting classes or some self defense classes. it will boost your confidence of knowing what to do next time. It will also ease any of those random "what if" questions that bother you. You're ok now, so that's all that's important. Now learn from this lesson and move on...

[Au165]

This is sad. Just because you can shoot someone doesn't mean you should. It is easy to say you will kill someone for simply coming into your house, but I hope you have thought about the long term effects of killing someone on both you and the other person.

[packerbacker]

I'm glad your OK Weezy. I hope something is done about that wackjob walking into people's houses.

[Westwood Bengal]

(06-12-2015, 11:14 AM)Au165 Wrote: This is sad. Just because you can shoot someone doesn't mean you should. It is easy to say you will kill someone for simply coming into your house, but I hope you have thought about the long term effects of killing someone on both you and the other person.

I couldn't agree more. Yes, I want weezy to remain safe, but I also don't want to turn him into a killer. And it sounds like there are some mental issues with this guy. I'm not sure I can justify the shooting of someone who is not in his right mind. 

And yes, there are instances where there needs to be lethal defense, but I would be willing to risk a lot before killing another human being. 


Now I am going to kick myself for typing this opinion. I can't wait for the canned "wild west" responses. 

[WeezyBengal]

(06-12-2015, 12:31 PM)Westwood Bengal Wrote: I couldn't agree more. Yes, I want weezy to remain safe, but I also don't want to turn him into a killer. And it sounds like there are some mental issues with this guy. I'm not sure I can justify the shooting of someone who is not in his right mind. 

And yes, there are instances where there needs to be lethal defense, but I would be willing to risk a lot before killing another human being. 


Now I am going to kick myself for typing this opinion. I can't wait for the canned "wild west" responses. 

I agree with you. If I had a gun or if I do end up getting one, in no way would I shoot to kill. Pulling a gun on someone should be enough of a scare tactic to get them out of your house. If not, then by all means I would have no problem at least shooting them in the leg and disabling them. Shooting to kill would be a last resort and desperation. 

[Hoofhearted]

(06-12-2015, 11:14 AM)Au165 Wrote: This is sad. Just because you can shoot someone doesn't mean you should. It is easy to say you will kill someone for simply coming into your house, but I hope you have thought about the long term effects of killing someone on both you and the other person.

Simply coming into your house? So breaking into a house is "simply" coming in there house?

I would much rather live and live with the pain of killing someone than having my family come in and see my dead body on the floor. No sane person would WANT to kill someone, but no sane person would also walk into someone house for no reason at all.

There are alot of crazy people out there....

[Hoofhearted]

(06-12-2015, 12:31 PM)Westwood Bengal Wrote: I couldn't agree more. Yes, I want weezy to remain safe, but I also don't want to turn him into a killer. And it sounds like there are some mental issues with this guy. I'm not sure I can justify the shooting of someone who is not in his right mind. 

And yes, there are instances where there needs to be lethal defense, but I would be willing to risk a lot before killing another human being. 


Now I am going to kick myself for typing this opinion. I can't wait for the canned "wild west" responses. 

By the time you realize this situation may be happening, it's almost certainly going to be to late to do anything. They will have the drop on you. An action is faster than an re-action 

[Hoofhearted]

(06-12-2015, 10:39 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Are you saying "No way you go to jail" or "No way, dont do that, you will go to jail" 

There are some fascination stories I have read before of people going to jail for hurting criminals who broke into their home. It's of course best to avoid it, but it only takes one time for the worst possible scenario to happen.... So that is the predicament.

Would you rather be judged by 12 or carried by 6? 

[Beaker]

(06-12-2015, 02:43 PM)Hoofhearted Wrote: There are some fascination stories I have read before of people going to jail for hurting criminals who broke into their home. It's of course best to avoid it, but it only takes one time for the worst possible scenario to happen.... So that is the predicament.

Would you rather be judged by 12 or carried by 6? 

Now you begin to see the predicament many police officers face every day.

[Au165]

Actually there aren't that many crazy people out there (i.e. looking to hurt you). You're much more likely to be hit and killed in a car by someone speeding or texting and driving than by someone breaking into your house and trying to seriously harm you. Of the 3.7 million burglaries between 2003-2007 only 7% had any injuries what so ever (266,000) and of that 266,000 only 9% experience major injuries (about 24k or a little under 5k a year).

Going through life scared of your own shadow is not a way to live. In most areas the likely hood of someone entering your house and causing injury is so miniscule that it is laughable, yet many still believe they need to arm themselves. The reality is far more break ins are only for property and we live in a society where life is (or should be) valued over property, hence why we don't give out death sentences for stealing. People who say shoot first ask questions later believe their right to property supersedes others right to life. While the other person is in the wrong it is the justice system's job to determine a punishment not yours. So like I said just because you can shoot someone doesn't mean you should.

[Beaker]

(06-12-2015, 02:55 PM)Au165 Wrote: APeople who say shoot first ask questions later believe their right to property supersedes others right to life.

Not necessarily, that is a generalization. Many people believe that you do not know an intruder's intentions. You don't know whether they are after your property, or your life. Some people believe you shouldn't have to wait to find out.

[Au165]

(06-12-2015, 03:03 PM)Beaker Wrote: Not necessarily, that is a generalization. Many people believe that you do not know an intruder's intentions. You don't know whether they are after your property, or your life. Some people believe you shouldn't have to wait to find out.

I stand by the statement for those who refuse to take context into account. If someone is in your house, and rather than grabbing your gun retreating to a locked room and making an attempt to audibly dissuade them from staying, you go looking for them and shoot them then you have decided you are judge jury and executioner. My issue isn't with defending your home, my issue is with deciding deadly force is the appropriate response to every situation before the situation.

[Beaker]

(06-12-2015, 03:25 PM)Au165 Wrote: I stand by the statement for those who refuse to take context into account. If someone is in your house, and rather than grabbing your gun retreating to a locked room and making an attempt to audibly dissuade them from staying, you go looking for them and shoot them then you have decided you are judge jury and executioner. My issue isn't with defending your home, my issue is with deciding deadly force is the appropriate response to every situation before the situation.

And I stand by the example given of an intruder in his bedroom, obviously in an altered state. He got lucky. But I dont want to wait to find out their intensions when they are standing at the foot of my bed.

[Au165]

(06-12-2015, 04:43 PM)Beaker Wrote: And I stand by the example given of an intruder in his bedroom, obviously in an altered state. He got lucky. But I dont want to wait to find out their intensions when they are standing at the foot of my bed.

So you got a gun drawn and a guy is standing there with no visible weapon, you shoot?

That must mean in a dark room and you can't see but someone is in your room, you shoot right? If your fire first because you don't wish to find out intentions you must shoot right? That person is a relative/friend coming to surprise you.....you have now just killed your friend/relative. Shooting without evaluating a situation is why people are more likely to shoot family and friends over intruders.

[fredtoast]

(06-12-2015, 02:34 PM)Hoofhearted Wrote:  No sane person would WANT to kill someone,

This is not true.

I have some friends who are very much into guns.  They are actually anxious to shoot someone.  You can tell by the way they talk about it.  They almost fantasize about the chance to kill someone.  

To be honest I don't know what I would do. I'd like to think that I would not shoot unless I was threatened, but I really don't know what I would do. If my girls were in the house I would not shoot unless I knew exactly where they were.

[Bengalzona]

There is a lot of internet jabber about what Weezy could have done or should have done or what other individuals think they would do. But Weezy had the right instinct and reaction in this situation. He told the guy to leave and the guy left. As scary as the situation was, that was all that was needed to relieve it. You can fill your imagination all day about what this guy could have done or what Weezy could have done. In the end, he did all that was necessary and, while shaken a bit, walked away unharmed and a bit wiser.

[WeezyBengal]

Got some updates. The cop that was with me the day it happened just stopped by my house to check on me. He said that before they arrested him, the kid threatened to kill one of the police dogs and had one of them in a choke hold. The cop also said the guy was taken to a mental institute that night for evaluation. While at the mental institute, the guy was handcuffed to a bed and somehow managed to hit one of the officers in the face. He also told the officers he was going to kill them. He is now locked up awaiting for trial and I will have to probably appear in court next week sometime. The officer I chatted with he was unaware if Hamilton county was going to keep him locked up until his trial or not. He also said the kid was NOT on any kinds of drugs, it sounds like this was purely mental.

Guys, I gotta be honest, that mig really screwed me up (name that movie). I live alone and I am just having a hard time understanding why the hell that kid pulled directly up to my house, sought me out, and walked into my house. It was like he had some kind of agenda.

I really don't want him coming back and I honestly dont want to face him in court. Im freaked.

[Beaker]

(06-12-2015, 04:47 PM)Au165 Wrote: So you got a gun drawn and a guy is standing there with no visible weapon, you shoot?

That must mean in a dark room and you can't see but someone is in your room, you shoot right? If your fire first because you don't wish to find out intentions you must shoot right? That person is a relative/friend coming to surprise you.....you have now just killed your friend/relative. Shooting without evaluating a situation is why people are more likely to shoot family and friends over intruders.

No...not using a hypothetical.I am using the real situation he described. You wake up to find an unknown intruder in your room. You ask him who he is, he answers "I am you". At that point, if I own a gun that I have access to, I am drawing my weapon and ordering him to leave. If he leaves, I follow him out with the gun still on him. If he comes towards me, I shoot.