JW,
When I said
ideally some responsibilty [rests] on the shooter, if not technically blame, fault, liability, etc.
I was thinking of the correct and normal but awsome responsibility we gunners take on when we draw a gun on someone or pull the trigger. I was NOT referring to some sort of legal responsibility of the attacked peson for the actions of the attacker. But we have been posting enough stuff close to that that your reaction is understandable.
No, I was just thinking of the normal responsibilies we all take when we arm ourselves. (Mind you, I have recently completed my CCW/CHP training and my application is going through "the system" even now, so my head is full of this stuff.)
But before I shoot someone, even in my own house, I WILL TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY, EVEN IF NOT REQUIRED TO BY LAW, not to shoot one of my own children. Not to shoot one of their friends, who might be sleeping over without my knowledge (there
IS fault in that situation, anyway). Not to shoot such a high-power round that it will penetrate the walls of my house and go into/through the walls of neighboring houses thus endangering innocent people. Responsibility to keep my finger out of the trigger guard until I begin aiming. Responsibility to dial "911", if I have time, and leave the mic open during the shooting, or have someone else I trust talk to the operator. Etc., etc.
These are the kinds of responsibilities I was speaking of when I mentioned "shooter's responsibilities".
If I am doing everything I am supposed to be doing (i.e., fulfilling my responsibilities), I have no problem shooting first and asking questions later if I get in a jam and have to make a snap decision.
If I am seriously delinquent in fulfilling any of my normal, practical, safe-arms-bearing responsibilities, then I am leaving myself open to a world of legal hurt, maybe criminal, maybe civil, even if the need for self-defense and discharge of firearms were, themselves, real and justified. Least-wise, so I have been taught to think....