quote:

Originally posted by mo4040:

Almost three years ago, I was personally involved in a self-defense shooting in my home.

I will not go into details, however, it was a clear case of self defense. In my situation, I was handcuffed and taken in for questioning. Several hours later, I was released, with no charges filed. Furthermore, ALL of my firearms were confiscated until the conclusion of the investigation (about 60 days, or so). Some jurisdictions will look at what happened and make a determination on the spot and no further action will take place. Some places, you will be detained, arrested, and have to go through a legal proceeding before being exonerated. One size does not fit all when it comes to self-defense shootings. Everyone's situation will be different.

My only advice if you ever have to go through what I did this:

1) are you truly are justified in using lethal force? IE: Is it really a righteous shoot?

2) tell the truth when questioned

3) if you have any emotional issues afterward, get counseling

As for the emotional side, yes, you can suffer trauma from such an incident. Taking a life, even in defense of your own, is no small undertaking. Normally adjusted humans do NOT relish the prospect of killing another human being. For more on that, read Dave Grossman's "On Killing" for an in-depth read on that subject.

As far as hearing loss, I barely heard the shots, as I was experiencing 'auditory exclusion' during the incident. I am sure I probably did suffer some hearing damage, but, at the time, I did not notice any.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Did you contact your attorney, when they took you in? Or, you went through it all without one? Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Did you contact your attorney, when they took you in? Or, you went through it all without one? Thanks.

Does everyone have an attorney on retainer? From what I've read it certainly sounds as if they do. I know a couple of lawyers, but I've never engaged one for anything. I'd have to contact NRA for advice on who to call if one were needed for a defensive shooting. Am I the only one who doesn't have lawyers on speed dial?

flashguy

Flashguy I don't have one either and whatever gun I grab is what I fight with.
It is various pistols severl shotguns with oo buck and an a/r or two thrown in the mix,they are all locked and loaded.
I live alone so collateral damage to wall is easily repaired if I live thru the gun fight.

quote:

Am I the only one who doesn't have lawyers on speed dial?

Nope.

And to add, I've often wondered the very same question.

Does everyone have an attorney on retainer? From what I've read it certainly sounds as if they do. I know a couple of lawyers, but I've never engaged one for anything. I'd have to contact NRA for advice on who to call if one were needed for a defensive shooting. Am I the only one who doesn't have lawyers on speed dial?
I don't have one on retainer, but I have used attorneys in the past for various things. They are very helpful in certain situations. They know the law and can offer good advice. A good criminal attorney probably knows the District Attorney and a few judges. You know, the old question of what is the difference between a good attorney and a great attorney? A good attorney knows the law while a great attorney knows the judge. Just my two cents.

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Did you contact your attorney, when they took you in? Or, you went through it all without one? Thanks.

Does everyone have an attorney on retainer? From what I've read it certainly sounds as if they do. I know a couple of lawyers, but I've never engaged one for anything. I'd have to contact NRA for advice on who to call if one were needed for a defensive shooting. Am I the only one who doesn't have lawyers on speed dial?

flashguy

You don't need to spend the money to put one on retainer. Find a good 2A lawyer thru the WWW. Spend the money for an office appointment and tell them why. Keep their card tucked in your wallet, one on the fridge.

quote:

Originally posted by mr kablammo:
So often in these situations the family exhibits the complete lack of moral sensability. Bullwhipping the elders, or decapitating the nihilist fucks, would be excellent.

My grandfather used to say, "The veneer of civilization is only as thick as applied by the previous generation." The dirtbags "parents" are also dirtbags - that is a part of why the dirtbags are dirtbags and all of why said "parents" aren't mortified by their offsprings' actions.

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:
Am I the only one who doesn't have lawyers on speed dial?

I have two attorneys on speed dial.



Neither are MY attorney, I just work with them.

There is no need for a retainer these days, especially if there is no activity other than the possibility of being needed.

The best situation is an attorney with experience in criminal and gun laws you know well enough that when you call, he doesn't have to say, "Who?"

When I lived in Whackyland, and had a permit, I carried a card of a 2A lawyer in Long Beach, Chuck Michel, and had a magnetic sign on my gun safe with pertinent info, his contact details, etc.

Where are the photos of the home invaders in their high school graduation pictures to help paint the guy who defended his home as a raving madman---


Oh, wait, only one was over 18.

The other two never got a chance to have a cap and gown picture! Oh, the agony!!!!

The AR is definately going to be more effective than a pistol any day. The problem I see with it (and most shotguns) is you need 2 hands to keep it secured while walking through your house. This is not the case with most pistols. You can use your free hand to open doors etc. And, still get a shot off single handed with most pistols and not lose control of the pistol if you had to.

Serious question:

What's the point of "walking through your house" and "opening doors, etc" when you know there's a bad guy in your house?
Two hands on the rifle. A pile of mags at your feet. Ass in the corner. Police on the way.

Sounds like the best option, to me.

YMMV,

Bruce

quote:

Originally posted by RNshooter:
Serious question:

What's the point of "walking through your house" and "opening doors, etc" when you know there's a bad guy in your house?
Two hands on the rifle. A pile of mags at your feet. Ass in the corner. Police on the way.

Sounds like the best option, to me.

YMMV,

Bruce

Well, if you have family sleeping in other parts of the house. You don't barricade the door and let them survive on their own. If something makes a noise at night, you're going to go investigate the noise. It's entirely different if you live by yourself, or with a wife who happens to be in bed right next to you.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
Well, if you have family sleeping in other parts of the house. You don't barricade the door and let them survive on their own. If something makes a noise at night, you're going to go investigate the noise. It's entirely different if you live by yourself, or with a wife who happens to be in bed right next to you.

That was my case when the security alarm kicked off at 3:30am. I had an extra mag and flash light next to the safe. Once the safe pop open with finger print scan, I grabbed the Glock and had to move fast to my kids' room. On the way I had to quickly clear the darkened stairwell and cross it to reach the kids. Abruptly woken up from deep sleep, with the crazy alarm blaring, I was highly disoriented in the first few moments. All I wanted to do was reach the kids and didn't even want to run into the closet to shut down the alarm.

This is where I think dogs are better than alarm though I don't know if dog barking would've woken me up as fast. I am also highly alergic to many dogs. However the alarm was bad as far as keeping my hearing saturated with loud noises.

quote:

dogs

Highly effective tool in the shed. Especially big and loud.

quote:

Originally posted by saigonsmuggler:

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
Well, if you have family sleeping in other parts of the house. You don't barricade the door and let them survive on their own. If something makes a noise at night, you're going to go investigate the noise. It's entirely different if you live by yourself, or with a wife who happens to be in bed right next to you.

That was my case when the security alarm kicked off at 3:30am. I had an extra mag and flash light next to the safe. Once the safe pop open with finger print scan, I grabbed the Glock and had to move fast to my kids' room. On the way I had to quickly clear the darkened stairwell and cross it to reach the kids. Abruptly woken up from deep sleep, with the crazy alarm blaring, I was highly disoriented in the first few moments. All I wanted to do was reach the kids and didn't even want to run into the closet to shut down the alarm.

This is where I think dogs are better than alarm though I don't know if dog barking would've woken me up as fast. I am also highly alergic to many dogs. However the alarm was bad as far as keeping my hearing saturated with loud noises.

Dogs would be highly effective as they would alert to someone inside the house or outside the house and they would be located as close as they can get to that threat......that way you'd know which direction in your house the issue is.

quote:

Originally posted by mo4040:
As for the emotional side, yes, you can suffer trauma from such an incident. Taking a life, even in defense of your own, is no small undertaking. Normally adjusted humans do NOT relish the prospect of killing another human being.

True only if one considers crooks/thugs "Human"!

quote:

Originally posted by RNshooter:
What's the point of "walking through your house" and "opening doors, etc" when you know there's a bad guy in your house?

This is exactly my point about anticipating incidents through the view of a narrow filter.

No one has ever invaded my house, but I have heard strange noises while in bed many times. So, what were my options?
“Oh, it’s just the wind,” and go back to sleep, hoping I’m right?
Call the police and have them break into my house and clear it for me? How many times would they be willing to do that, and how many times would I be willing to make the required repairs?
Roll out into my defensive position and stay awake for the rest of the night or fall asleep on the floor?

None of those appeal to me and therefore I clear my house myself. Would I do that if I knew there was a bad guy there? No, but that has never been the situation, and it usually won’t be for most people.

We all know that long guns are more effective defensive weapons than handguns. Handguns were invented for the purpose of convenience of carry, not effectiveness, and that’s because it’s not always possible or even a good idea to try to handle and deploy a long gun in some situations.

Even members of law enforcement tactical teams sometimes switch to handguns despite normally relying on long guns (rifles, if they’re smart). What’s more, LEOs usually have handguns in proper carry holsters; if someone grabs an officer’s rifle, she can let him take it while drawing her pistol and filling him full of bullets—and that assumes her partner(s) don’t do that first with their rifles. To how many private individuals clearing their own homes does that apply?

Edited to correct spelling.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: sigfreund,

quote:

Originally posted by saigonsmuggler:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by jimmy123x:
That was my case when the security alarm kicked off at 3:30am. I had an extra mag and flash light next to the safe. Once the safe pop open with finger print scan, I grabbed the Glock and had to move fast to my kids' room. On the way I had to quickly clear the darkened stairwell and cross it to reach the kids. Abruptly woken up from deep sleep, with the crazy alarm blaring, I was highly disoriented in the first few moments. All I wanted to do was reach the kids and didn't even want to run into the closet to shut down the alarm.

This is where I think dogs are better than alarm though I don't know if dog barking would've woken me up as fast. I am also highly alergic to many dogs. However the alarm was bad as far as keeping my hearing saturated with loud noises.

What tripped your alarm?

Why do you assume it is a guy taking her rifle? Can't it be a woman taking a woman's rifle?

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:

quote:

Originally posted by RNshooter:
What's the point of "walking through your house" and "opening doors, etc" when you know there's a bad guy in your house?

This is exactly my point about anticipating incidents through the view of a narrow filter.

No one has ever invaded my house, but I have heard strange noises while in bed many times. So, what were my options?
“Oh, it’s just the wind,” and go back to sleep, hoping I’m right?
Call the police and have them break into my house and clear it for me? How many times would they be willing to do that, and how many times would I be willing to make the required repairs?
Roll out into my defensive position and stay awake for the rest of the night or fall asleep on the floor?

None of those appeal to me and therefore I clear my house myself. Would I do that if I knew there was a bad guy there? No, but that has never been the situation, and it usually won’t be for most people.

We all know that long guns are more effective defensive weapons that handguns. Handguns were invented for the purpose of convenience of carry, not effectiveness, and that’s because it’s not always possible or even a good idea to try to handle and deploy a long gun in some situations.

Even members of law enforcement tactical teams sometimes switch to handguns despite normally relying on long guns (rifles, if they’re smart). What’s more, LEOs usually have handguns in proper carry holsters; if someone grabs an officer’s rifle, she can let him take it while drawing her pistol and filling him full of bullets—and that assumes her partner(s) don’t do that first with their rifles. To how many private individuals clearing their own homes does that apply?