Man arrested after shooting at home intruder

[Scott & Lai 12]

I'm not against having a gun (I've thought of buying one), but the argument that having a gun in your home increases you and your loved one's safety is a fallacy. There are pros and cons to having a gun in your house...period.

If it's a fallacy, then does that mean that if an armed intruder enters your home and starts shooting, you are just as safe if you are unarmed as if you are armed and can return fire?

Well, since we're all talking about crime statistics and ratios...what's are the chances of an armed intruder with the intent to kill breaking into my home and killing me? Compare that to ...what are the chances of someone in my house accidentally being shot by my firearm? Pros and cons...period.

I don't know the crime statistics of your area but I've raised four children and never had a problem with my guns. As someone else stated I also kept my gun unloaded and inaccessable to the children. The clip was always hidden in another area than the gun. For that reason I had a dog that alerted me of someones presence in my yard. I believe anyone who wants to own a gun should be required to take a gun safety course unless they were in the armed forces or law enforcement.

i disagree. we already have enough regulations on gun ownership. taking a course is common sense, yes, yet if such was mandated by the state/federal government we'd have more red tape and i fear a slippery slope afterwards.

Yep.

[Cantankerous 0]

Depending upon the State you reside there are different laws regarding how you may defend yourself. Some States, if you can believe it, actually require you to retreat within your own home before considering it legal to protect your family from an intruder. Newer laws, such as the Castle Doctrine, are designed to protect a law-abiding person from criminal and civil charges for defending themselves against an attacker.

Firearms are used three to five times more often to stop crimes than to commit them.

Source: Firearms: Fables, Myths & Other Tall Tales

Firearms are involved in 0.6% of accidental deaths nationally

• Most accidental deaths involve, or are due to, motor vehicles (39%), poisoning (18%), falls (16%), suffocation (5%), drowning (3%), fires (3%), medical mistakes (2%), environmental factors (1%), and bicycles and tricycles (1%).
  
• Among children: motor vehicles (45%), suffocation (18%), drowning (14%), fires (9%), bicycles and tricycles (2%), poisoning (2%), falls (2%), environmental factors (2%), and medical mistakes (1%).
  

Source: Firearm Safety in America 2007

[Scott & Lai 12]

Depending upon the State you reside there are different laws regarding how you may defend yourself. Some States, if you can believe it, actually require you to retreat within your own home before considering it legal to protect your family from an intruder. Newer laws, such as the Castle Doctrine, are designed to protect a law-abiding person from criminal and civil charges for defending themselves against an attacker.

Firearms are used three to five times more often to stop crimes than to commit them.

Source: Firearms: Fables, Myths & Other Tall Tales

Firearms are involved in 0.6% of accidental deaths nationally

• Most accidental deaths involve, or are due to, motor vehicles (39%), poisoning (18%), falls (16%), suffocation (5%), drowning (3%), fires (3%), medical mistakes (2%), environmental factors (1%), and bicycles and tricycles (1%).
  
• Among children: motor vehicles (45%), suffocation (18%), drowning (14%), fires (9%), bicycles and tricycles (2%), poisoning (2%), falls (2%), environmental factors (2%), and medical mistakes (1%).
  

Source: Firearm Safety in America 2007

Thank you I consider laws like those "retreat" laws to be not only unjust, but actually evil.

[Ban Hammer 13,337]

Depending upon the State you reside there are different laws regarding how you may defend yourself. Some States, if you can believe it, actually require you to retreat within your own home before considering it legal to protect your family from an intruder. Newer laws, such as the Castle Doctrine, are designed to protect a law-abiding person from criminal and civil charges for defending themselves against an attacker.

Firearms are used three to five times more often to stop crimes than to commit them.

Source: Firearms: Fables, Myths & Other Tall Tales

Firearms are involved in 0.6% of accidental deaths nationally

• Most accidental deaths involve, or are due to, motor vehicles (39%), poisoning (18%), falls (16%), suffocation (5%), drowning (3%), fires (3%), medical mistakes (2%), environmental factors (1%), and bicycles and tricycles (1%).
  
• Among children: motor vehicles (45%), suffocation (18%), drowning (14%), fires (9%), bicycles and tricycles (2%), poisoning (2%), falls (2%), environmental factors (2%), and medical mistakes (1%).
  

Source: Firearm Safety in America 2007

Thank you I consider laws like those "retreat" laws to be not only unjust, but actually evil.

far more diplomatic than i'd put it. i'd call retreat laws downright stupid. you have to retreat to the furthest part of your home to avoid confrontation, and the intruder knows such is required of the homeowner. so you go retreat and the rest of the house is theirs to cart off.

[Scott & Lai 12]

Depending upon the State you reside there are different laws regarding how you may defend yourself. Some States, if you can believe it, actually require you to retreat within your own home before considering it legal to protect your family from an intruder. Newer laws, such as the Castle Doctrine, are designed to protect a law-abiding person from criminal and civil charges for defending themselves against an attacker.

Firearms are used three to five times more often to stop crimes than to commit them.

Source: Firearms: Fables, Myths & Other Tall Tales

Firearms are involved in 0.6% of accidental deaths nationally

• Most accidental deaths involve, or are due to, motor vehicles (39%), poisoning (18%), falls (16%), suffocation (5%), drowning (3%), fires (3%), medical mistakes (2%), environmental factors (1%), and bicycles and tricycles (1%).
  
• Among children: motor vehicles (45%), suffocation (18%), drowning (14%), fires (9%), bicycles and tricycles (2%), poisoning (2%), falls (2%), environmental factors (2%), and medical mistakes (1%).
  

Source: Firearm Safety in America 2007

Thank you I consider laws like those "retreat" laws to be not only unjust, but actually evil.

far more diplomatic than i'd put it. i'd call retreat laws downright stupid. you have to retreat to the furthest part of your home to avoid confrontation, and the intruder knows such is required of the homeowner. so you go retreat and the rest of the house is theirs to cart off.

I wasn't intending to be diplomatic. Stupidity might be excused. I think such laws are a moral evil.

[Fandango 1,439]

Depending upon the State you reside there are different laws regarding how you may defend yourself. Some States, if you can believe it, actually require you to retreat within your own home before considering it legal to protect your family from an intruder. Newer laws, such as the Castle Doctrine, are designed to protect a law-abiding person from criminal and civil charges for defending themselves against an attacker.

Firearms are used three to five times more often to stop crimes than to commit them.

Source: Firearms: Fables, Myths & Other Tall Tales

Firearms are involved in 0.6% of accidental deaths nationally

• Most accidental deaths involve, or are due to, motor vehicles (39%), poisoning (18%), falls (16%), suffocation (5%), drowning (3%), fires (3%), medical mistakes (2%), environmental factors (1%), and bicycles and tricycles (1%).
  
• Among children: motor vehicles (45%), suffocation (18%), drowning (14%), fires (9%), bicycles and tricycles (2%), poisoning (2%), falls (2%), environmental factors (2%), and medical mistakes (1%).
  

Source: Firearm Safety in America 2007

Thank you I consider laws like those "retreat" laws to be not only unjust, but actually evil.

far more diplomatic than i'd put it. i'd call retreat laws downright stupid. you have to retreat to the furthest part of your home to avoid confrontation, and the intruder knows such is required of the homeowner. so you go retreat and the rest of the house is theirs to cart off.

I actually don't think they're quite stupid. When I lived alone in a 3000 sqft house, I was initially terrified; my dad had long before taught me how to use a gun. He told me 'If anyone breaks in, you hide and fire if they come to you. Let them steal your sh!t, don't go chasin them like Annie Okley'

[Lizzy 0]

Lisa, could not agree more, If i was in a house alone and there was an intruder, you bet your life i would hide. Come into the closet i am hiding in and ill blow your ### away.

Let them take my things I would rather live than act like a hero.

[Cantankerous 0]

I actually don't think they're quite stupid. When I lived alone in a 3000 sqft house, I was initially terrified; my dad had long before taught me how to use a gun. He told me 'If anyone breaks in, you hide and fire if they come to you. Let them steal your sh!t, don't go chasin them like Annie Okley'

Yes, it can be a good idea to hide in order to protect yourself, however, the laws I was referring to for some States actually say you must retreat to the furthest point within your home before you can defend yourself.

Technically, this means that if you hid in a closet in your bedroom and it was not the furthest point in your home from where the intruder invaded your home you could actually be charged with a crime for defending yourself.

Technically, if you have children and you went into their room to protect them and it was not the furthest point in your home from where the intruder invaded your home you could actually be charged with a crime for defending your family.

I highly recommend understanding the laws of your State before defending yourself or your family – even if you are within your own home and you think you are doing the right thing you may still be charged with a crime.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Depending upon the State you reside there are different laws regarding how you may defend yourself. Some States, if you can believe it, actually require you to retreat within your own home before considering it legal to protect your family from an intruder. Newer laws, such as the Castle Doctrine, are designed to protect a law-abiding person from criminal and civil charges for defending themselves against an attacker.

Firearms are used three to five times more often to stop crimes than to commit them.

Source: Firearms: Fables, Myths & Other Tall Tales

Firearms are involved in 0.6% of accidental deaths nationally

• Most accidental deaths involve, or are due to, motor vehicles (39%), poisoning (18%), falls (16%), suffocation (5%), drowning (3%), fires (3%), medical mistakes (2%), environmental factors (1%), and bicycles and tricycles (1%).
  
• Among children: motor vehicles (45%), suffocation (18%), drowning (14%), fires (9%), bicycles and tricycles (2%), poisoning (2%), falls (2%), environmental factors (2%), and medical mistakes (1%).
  

Source: Firearm Safety in America 2007

Thank you I consider laws like those "retreat" laws to be not only unjust, but actually evil.

far more diplomatic than i'd put it. i'd call retreat laws downright stupid. you have to retreat to the furthest part of your home to avoid confrontation, and the intruder knows such is required of the homeowner. so you go retreat and the rest of the house is theirs to cart off.

I actually don't think they're quite stupid. When I lived alone in a 3000 sqft house, I was initially terrified; my dad had long before taught me how to use a gun. He told me 'If anyone breaks in, you hide and fire if they come to you. Let them steal your sh!t, don't go chasin them like Annie Okley'

Thing is the guy in the OP article doesn't exactly sound like one of the 'good guys', and by extension - the sort of person you would want to own a gun (even for home defence). Having a stash of 170lbs of marijuana in your house is rather more than recreational use. That would make him if not a major dealer, then more than likely connected to someone who is. The possession of the gun in that context I think puts a different flavour on things - as does the attempted burglary.

[Cantankerous 0]

Thing is the guy in the OP article doesn't exactly sound like one of the 'good guys', and by extension - the sort of person you would want to own a gun (even for home defence). Having a stash of 170lbs of marijuana in your house is rather more than recreational use. That would make him if not a major dealer, then more than likely connected to someone who is. The possession of the gun in that context I think puts a different flavour on things - as does the attempted burglary.

Yes the guy in the OP article was a criminal himself, and IMO a complete idiot for shooting out the window in his home. He should be charged for many crimes.

Anyone who fires a weapon needs to identify their target and be fully aware of what is behind their intended target. I would also recommend considering the use of certain types of ammunition specifically designed for self-defense; which are less likely to cause collateral damage.

Personal security and self-defense are topics I am very interested in. Maybe a separate OT thread would be a better place to discuss this (if anyone else is interested).

[Scott & Lai 12]

Depending upon the State you reside there are different laws regarding how you may defend yourself. Some States, if you can believe it, actually require you to retreat within your own home before considering it legal to protect your family from an intruder. Newer laws, such as the Castle Doctrine, are designed to protect a law-abiding person from criminal and civil charges for defending themselves against an attacker.

Firearms are used three to five times more often to stop crimes than to commit them.

Source: Firearms: Fables, Myths & Other Tall Tales

Firearms are involved in 0.6% of accidental deaths nationally

• Most accidental deaths involve, or are due to, motor vehicles (39%), poisoning (18%), falls (16%), suffocation (5%), drowning (3%), fires (3%), medical mistakes (2%), environmental factors (1%), and bicycles and tricycles (1%).
  
• Among children: motor vehicles (45%), suffocation (18%), drowning (14%), fires (9%), bicycles and tricycles (2%), poisoning (2%), falls (2%), environmental factors (2%), and medical mistakes (1%).
  

Source: Firearm Safety in America 2007

Thank you I consider laws like those "retreat" laws to be not only unjust, but actually evil.

far more diplomatic than i'd put it. i'd call retreat laws downright stupid. you have to retreat to the furthest part of your home to avoid confrontation, and the intruder knows such is required of the homeowner. so you go retreat and the rest of the house is theirs to cart off.

I actually don't think they're quite stupid. When I lived alone in a 3000 sqft house, I was initially terrified; my dad had long before taught me how to use a gun. He told me 'If anyone breaks in, you hide and fire if they come to you. Let them steal your sh!t, don't go chasin them like Annie Okley'

If you wish to retreat, that's your choice. But it is wrong for the government to mandate that you must flee as far as possible within your own home before you can legally defend yourself, or face criminal charges. It is actually giving the criminal rights he shouldn't have.

[SteveLaura 0]

Firearms are involved in 0.6% of accidental deaths nationally

• Most accidental deaths involve, or are due to, motor vehicles (39%), poisoning (18%), falls (16%), suffocation (5%), drowning (3%), fires (3%), medical mistakes (2%), environmental factors (1%), and bicycles and tricycles (1%).
  
• Among children: motor vehicles (45%), suffocation (18%), drowning (14%), fires (9%), bicycles and tricycles (2%), poisoning (2%), falls (2%), environmental factors (2%), and medical mistakes (1%).
  

The stats are misleading. Only 0.6% of accidental deaths throughout the country may well involve firearms, but what percentage of the population own guns? A better statistic would be, what percentage of homes with firearms have led to accidental deaths? Obviously, accidental death involving cars, chemicals (poisoning) and everyday accidents are higher as more people own the necessary criteria.

[SteveLaura 0]

My gun stays in its case. If I take it out, unless I'm expecting to use it in a self-defence situation, the first thing I do ensure it is unloaded. Only then will I clean it, or allow someone else to handle it. The chances of being shot by an unloaded firearm (note, I've first demonstrated that it is in fact unloaded) are between zero and none. As for unauthorized handling of my gun, I wouldn't allow anyone in my home who doesn't have the sense not to handle someone else's firearm without their permission. If we are talking about visiting kids, then the gun would be made inaccessible before they came over.

So, you're hoping for one of those polite criminals, then, who willl wait patiently whilst you go to your gun case, perhaps find the key and unlock it, go to another location perhaps and get your ammo, load you gun and then proceed to aim it at them?

[Scott & Lai 12]

My gun stays in its case. If I take it out, unless I'm expecting to use it in a self-defence situation, the first thing I do ensure it is unloaded. Only then will I clean it, or allow someone else to handle it. The chances of being shot by an unloaded firearm (note, I've first demonstrated that it is in fact unloaded) are between zero and none. As for unauthorized handling of my gun, I wouldn't allow anyone in my home who doesn't have the sense not to handle someone else's firearm without their permission. If we are talking about visiting kids, then the gun would be made inaccessible before they came over.

So, you're hoping for one of those polite criminals, then, who willl wait patiently whilst you go to your gun case, perhaps find the key and unlock it, go to another location perhaps and get your ammo, load you gun and then proceed to aim it at them?

My gun is kept loaded.

[almaty 19]

imagine that, defend yourself and get charged

Shooting at a bedroom window is defending oneself? Is it okay to defend oneself at the expense of other's safety?

i agree..he was reckless and irresponsible and almost injured a family nearby..he needed to be arrested...i don't want my neighbor shooting out his window towards my house ..