An intruder has broken into my house...

[SomeKid]

The only part of the situation you should assess is if there are any moving intruders.

First one you catch should get the entire mag, step back, reload, check for a second fool.

 

[Trebor]

Dude, you need some realistic training on the use of deadly force before you wind up in prison.

I suggest the NRA Personal Protection in the Home course. The legal section should answer any questions you have and explain why the scenario you described in your post would send you to prison. You should be able to find a course in your area.

If you have the cash, I HIGHLY reccomend Massad Ayoob's LFI 1: The Judicious Use of Deadly Force. I can't think of a better class for a new gun owner.

 

[azredhawk44]

Cut out the middleman and double tap him to start with.

+10.

+30 for shooting to slide stop before he drops his weapon or falls to the ground.

 

[StrikeFire83]

Thanks to everyone for your responses. I can tell now that I was out of line, and taking the aforementioned action would be murder. However, when you are the victim of violence like I have been, you tend to be jumpy and protective of your home and the people who matter to you.

I bought my first handgun on my 21st birthday because less than a year previous somebody tried to car-jack me with a knife, I was slashed, and the person who essentially SAVED my life had a GUN. The guy who came to my aid did NOT shoot the felon, however, and he will be will be up for parole in less than a decade. Here is a picture of my arm, almost 3 years later:



Do I need proper training? Probably. But right now I've just graduated from college and cannot afford the time/money for that right now. Hopefully I'll get my concealed carry license soon and so that class will further educate me.

Thanks again for all the responses. And because it was underlying in many of your posts, no I’m not a maniac who WANTS to kill. I’m just a normal person who experienced real bodily violence which could have killed me, and so I am very protective of me and mine.

 

[Kurt_M]

I can sympathize with your jumpiness, and am glad that you chose to think this through before a real situation occurs. With no intention of judgement, it sounds as if you have a lot of unresolved issues from your earlier attack, especially if you would consider actions like those you suggested in your first post because of it. It may be beneficial to work those out before they cause you even more trouble. If you can't afford training, then at least read some of the better books on self defense and especially the legal ramifications of it, I'm sure many here can make reccomendations.

 

[StrikeFire83]

I can sympathize with your jumpiness, and am glad that you chose to think this through before a real situation occurs. With no intention of judgement, it sounds as if you have a lot of unresolved issues from your earlier attack, especially if you would consider actions like those you suggested in your first post because of it. It may be beneficial to work those out before they cause you even more trouble. If you can't afford training, then at least read some of the better books on self defense and especially the legal ramifications of it, I'm sure many here can make reccomendations.

Well, if anybody can give me any titles/recs I'd buy a book if it had useful information.

 

[Mark in California]

You will be found guilty of Murder. It will get you a enhancement on your sentence. Possibly the Death Sentence, maybe just Life with out chance of parole. Either way a terrible price for being stupid. Get the firearms training before you get a CCW.

 

[ka50]

Well, if anybody can give me any titles/recs I'd buy a book if it had useful information.

Massad Ayoob's: in the gravest extreme
Massad Ayoob's Combat hungunnery 5th edition

I've seen violence, I've been attacked and intimidated many times. Control of yourself is the first thing you have to learn. Know when you can and can't use the firearm, this way if you HAVE to use it and justified by law to use it, you will be able to use it swiftly and without hesitation. I know how you feel, thus I recommend that you get a pepper spray to handle apparently unarmed individuals on the street, instead of pulling your gun at slightest fear of an assault.

 

[StrikeFire83]

Massad Ayoob's: in the gravest extreme
Massad Ayoob's Combat hungunnery 5th edition

I've seen violence, I've been attacked and intimidated many times. Control of yourself is the first thing you have to learn. Know when you can and can't use the firearm, this way if you HAVE to use it and justified by law to use it, you will be able to use it swiftly and without hesitation. I know how you feel, thus I recommend that you get a pepper spray to handle apparently unarmed individuals on the street, instead of pulling your gun at slightest fear of an assault.

Thank you for the titles, I just Amazon.com-ed them and have ordered "In the Gravest Extreme". Also, I have to state that I do not live my life in fear, constantly itching for the opportunity to somehow "make up" for an attack on my person. The guy who cut me was trying to steal my truck, with me in it. I knew that if I let him get in, I would be dead. I fought him, got sliced, and lost almost a pint of blood in the process. The truck stalled out and I got out during the struggle, and that's when the auto parts store owner literally saved my ass by pointing the shotgun at the perp. He didn't shoot the guy, and that was indeed the right decision.

If I had a CCW I would not blindly "draw" on people as others have done/suggested elsewhere in this forum. I did not post this message to say "this is what I would/will do" in a home invasion situation, but rather to find out if my thinking was as out of line as my friend had suggested. I'm a big enough man to admit when I'm wrong. You are right, though, I would take the class of course to get the CCW and get any other training I possibly could before carrying a firearm outside my house. It is a huge responsibility, and I am aware of this.

 

[StrikeFire83]

You will be found guilty of Murder. It will get you a enhancement on your sentence. Possibly the Death Sentence, maybe just Life with out chance of parole.

If you’d been following this thread you’d know that a lot of what you said does not apply. I have to re-state that this is not “what I would do.” One of the reasons for this board is to run hypotheticals past people with much more knowledge and experience than yourself, and that was what I was doing.

I would ask you, sir, if you have ever been the victim of violence, violence which was quite possibly intended to kill you. Until then, stow your flip sarcasm.

Either way a terrible price for being stupid. Get the firearms training before you get a CCW.

The last part of your post holds true, however.

 

[Strings]

I've "gamed" the home-invasion scenario a few times. Best answer I've come up with:

Shoot to stop attacker, while wife calls 911
retreat to safer location, preferably where attacker is still visible
turn on any light I can that will illuminate where attacker is
shoot again only if attacker still has weapon and ability to use it
wait for police

 

[UWstudent]

for those interested about this topic in the state of WA...

while at the gun range today shooting off my kimber i got into a 1-hr conversation with a tacoma police officer.

he made it clear and blunt..

if somebody is in your house, they are tresspassing. inform them to leave.. if they do not, shoot first. call 911 later. tell them the basics but get your lawyer before making releasing any information that could come back at you.

this is for the state of WA. i dont know about the other 49
the issue is very complicated but how are you supposed to know that the guy who's in your house doesn't have a weopon.. and if they plan on staying there after you told them to leave, they're apparently gonna come get you..


honestly, if i heard the door bust open, people running around with ski masks, trashing everything up, i would tell them to leave and take a description of the vehicle they left in (make, liscense #)..
IF they don't leave... then i'll put a few rounds in them

 

[Mark in California]

As A Matter of Fact...

I was on the computer a few years ago when a bullet came through the wall and impacted into my desk. Yelled a warning to my wife and hit the ground and crawled into the frontroom to see if my wife was ok. Called the police and waited. They were there within 3 min., but it seemed like hours. After being shot at, there was no way I was going outside until the police arrived.

Two drunken idiots were driving around town and shooting at everything they could think of. Shot at least 13 houses. We were number three on the hit list.

I got in a argument with the DA about the lack of charges. We did not count as a assualt. Now I have a unhappy DA to contend with, and I learned just how much power a DA has. My advice, do not get on the bad side of a DA.

Yes I have been there to a extent. No, I was not being smart. I was trying to stop somone from making a terrible mistake.

 

[Hardware]

If during the initial encounter the bad guy is shot multiple times, that's just self defense. (DA: "Why did you shoot him five times?" HOMEOWNER: "He was still on his feet and a threat after four.")

The most correct answer would be "my gun only held 5 rounds." j/k