Who here would give a warning shot?

[cbsdd00]

Yes, I'm going to post online on a public forum if I will fire a warning shot or kill someone. Great idea.

[Swampcrip]

Warning shots will get you into trouble however if you fired in self defense and "missed" you might have better luck.

[97F1504RAD]

Here is how I look at this, if you give an intruder a warning that you have a gun and then do not use it at any point immediately after that you have given intruder the upper hand and he now knows you may not have what it takes to save yourself or your family.

Nobody knows what they will do in that moment but possibly giving the intruder the upper hand does not work in my book.

And from some of your other posts within this thread you do seem to have some doubts and maybe some serious soul searching is needed.

Scobun seems to nail it pretty well in post # 40

[Mayor McRifle]

A warning shot means that you didn't need to use deadly force to stop a threat of imminent death or great bodily injury. Because of that, the use of your gun could create some problems for you. You'd be better off shaking your fist at the intruder. At least that way, you probably won't get arrested like this lady did: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fla-mom-...warning-shots/

I recommend reading this, and giving it some serious thought: http://www.secondcalldefense.org/bra...-warning-shots

[Snerk]

So many people keep falling back on if someone breaks into my house, they deserve to die and I have the right to kill them. It's like the castle doctrine and 'stand your ground' laws. You're under no 'legal' obligation to walk away from a violent encounter. I support the right, but It's almost like so many of you are waiting to kill, once given legal authority. And that's a scary side of human nature of those who are supposed to be the good guys.

I feel some of you are akin to the people in my neighborhood who drive 35 in the 35mph zone, even when they see a bunch of 4 year olds chasing balls between parked cars. Hey, I'm abiding by the law and if their dumb parents are stupid enough to let their kids chase balls into streets, it's not my problem...there's a game coming on at 5pm and I don't want to miss kickoff. I'm not slowing down.

I've traveled to lots of places in the world and I know everyone doesn't feel like you guys. Americans feel this way though. Probably why we're so dominant.

We are given the legal right because people who break in to our homes rarely, if ever, do so for legitimate reasons. I'm sure few, if any people here are actually sitting at home with their AR trained on the door waiting to pull the trigger.

I said it before and I'll say it again.

I pray to god I never have to point my firearm at another human being, ever. I also pray that I'll never have to pull the trigger. But If I have to, I will.

Speed limits are a terrible example. It's an upper limit, nothing is keeping you from driving more slowly if there are hazards in the road. As a matter of fact, you can get in trouble for hey, even following the speed limit if there are kids in the street. So nice strawman there.

Again, it feels like you came here just to argue. You asked a question and got a lot of answers that are different from yours. Don't demonize people just because they think and would behave differently than you.

[American Samurai]

I worked for a short period of time as an armed Messenger for Brinks shortly after I got out of the Marines, and back then I decided that it would really suck to take a life, but I would rather see my family again after my shift was over.

I picked up cash from the crappiest parts of town like West Oakland and also Fruitvale district in Oakland. I made sure every day I had my game face "do not F with me" look when loading and unloading cash. No one ever messed with me thank God.

[babe]

Okay, here's the deal. I've been in one (1) gunfight. I shot him and I kept shooting him until he dropped the rifle that he used to shoot at me.

It sucked. And yes it messed with my head, but in the long run, after awhile, I came to terms with it and decided that *he* decided to put himself into the situation and I just wanted to live through it and go home.

But I did what had to be done to save my life and two others. He lived, it was iffy but he did. I'm neither happy nor sad that he did. He's in prison for another 32 years, so... I'm cool.

That's amazing! Was it all adrenaline? Do you think if he had died, it would have been more difficult for you to get over? I've never taken a life. I assume I would hesitate before doing so, but I just don't know. Maybe instinct just takes over and you look back like a spectator?

[diveRN]

Ok, what if the 'bad guy' is a 13 year old kid. Maybe he's on a dare. Maybe he thinks it's BS the white lady in this house has a gun. Is there nothing in your conscience that makes you want to do everything possible to avoid taking a life?

Age is irrelevant. If someone was in my house uninvited, especially in the dark of night, they would get put down. I don't know what they're doing in my home, I don't know what their intentions are. If they were 13 and entered on a dare, especially here in Texas, then I'll chalk it up to bad parenting... and it suffices to say that I wouldn't know they were 13 until after the fact. I'll deal with the legalities later.

Would I feel bad? Sure, for a while. I'm sure I would have issues to work through, but I'd work through them. I work in an emergency room, spent 10+ years working in an ICU, and drove a fire engine for just shy of 10 years. I've lost count of the number of people whom I've watched take their last breath. In the beginning, everyone I saw die gave me pause. Today, not so much.

Granted, I wasn't responsible any of them, but witnessing traumatic death doesn't have the same impact on me now that it once did. I've trained enough, read enough, and seen enough to know that if a SHTF situation came down to me (or my family) or them who's gonna buy it ... it's gonna be them.

You can play "what if" scenarios all day, in the end, you have to do what you need to do to protect yourself and your family. A 13yo can kill just as effectively as a 40 year old.

[meno377]

So many people keep falling back on if someone breaks into my house, they deserve to die and I have the right to kill them. It's like the castle doctrine and 'stand your ground' laws. You're under no 'legal' obligation to walk away from a violent encounter. I support the right, but It's almost like so many of you are waiting to kill, once given legal authority. And that's a scary side of human nature of those who are supposed to be the good guys.

I feel some of you are akin to the people in my neighborhood who drive 35 in the 35mph zone, even when they see a bunch of 4 year olds chasing balls between parked cars. Hey, I'm abiding by the law and if their dumb parents are stupid enough to let their kids chase balls into streets, it's not my problem...there's a game coming on at 5pm and I don't want to miss kickoff. I'm not slowing down.

I've traveled to lots of places in the world and I know everyone doesn't feel like you guys. Americans feel this way though. Probably why we're so dominant.

Who has said this or even implied? You have a right to defend yourself and if that means stopping the threat, so be it. That doesn't always equate to killing them.

[babe]

I worked for a short period of time as an armed Messenger for Brinks shortly after I got out of the Marines, and back then I decided that it would really suck to take a life, but I would rather see my family again after my shift was over.

I picked up cash from the crappiest parts of town like West Oakland and also Fruitvale district in Oakland. I made sure every day I had my game face "do not F with me" look when loading and unloading cash. No one ever messed with me.

If a crackhead across the street started charging at you with a knife while you were loading. If you thought...I could outrun this out of shape tweaker or probanly easily make it to jump in the van, lock the doors and call the cops, would you shoot? It would probably be justified and the safest, most certain course of action.

[babe]

Who has said this or even implied? You have a right to defend yourself and it that means stopping the threat, so be it. That doesn't always equate to killing them.

Youre completely right. I should have said that. Just shooting someone and stopping their advance doesn't mean killing them

[Snerk]

If a crackhead across the street started charging at you with a knife while you were loading. If you thought...I could outrun this out of shape tweaker or probanly easily make it to jump in the van, lock the doors and call the cops, would you shoot? It would probably be justified and the safest, most certain course of action.

The course of action you take in public will be entirely different than that of your own home.

In public -- I'm going to get the **** out of there as best I can.

At home -- I'm shooting.

[calif 15-22]

When you ask a genuine question about the serious consequences of taking a human life in self defense and you get answers that are flippant, you start to think the anti-gunners might just have something on us.

First off OP, i commend you for opening up you concern to a group like this. We came be supportive and down right condesending all at the same time.

No one here can say for certain what they would or would not do in every situation like you've described. We can say for certain what we think we "will" do based on our training or our own thought process, but until the event has occued and is over, we will not truly know what we "Would do".

Like you I've often gone through scenerios in my head. Warning Shots, lights, retreat, confront, firing to kill, 13yr kids, or even an armed estranged family member. I believe I am as prepared as I can be, but i cant say for certain I know exaclty what I will do in that situation. Only after it is over will I know what I did and I pray I make the right decision if the time ever comes.

Good Luck and be safe out there.

[mossy]

So many people keep falling back on if someone breaks into my house, they deserve to die and I have the right to kill them. It's like the castle doctrine and 'stand your ground' laws. You're under no 'legal' obligation to walk away from a violent encounter. I support the right, but It's almost like so many of you are waiting to kill, once given legal authority. And that's a scary side of human nature of those who are supposed to be the good guys.

I feel some of you are akin to the people in my neighborhood who drive 35 in the 35mph zone, even when they see a bunch of 4 year olds chasing balls between parked cars. Hey, I'm abiding by the law and if their dumb parents are stupid enough to let their kids chase balls into streets, it's not my problem...there's a game coming on at 5pm and I don't want to miss kickoff. I'm not slowing down.

I've traveled to lots of places in the world and I know everyone doesn't feel like you guys. Americans feel this way though. Probably why we're so dominant.

no, if someone is an imminent threat to me or my family i have the right to defend myself to stop the threat. if the person dies as a result, sorry. if the person lives, cool. either way the threat is stopped. DON'T EVER SAY YOU SHOT AT SOMEONE TO KILL THEM! you alwase shoot to stop a threat. and definitely don't say much without a lawyer.

you want to go live somewhere else? then go.

its clear you did not come here to ask a question. you came here to push your agenda. i'm out, time to stop feeding a troll.

[babe]

Age is irrelevant. If someone was in my house uninvited, especially in the dark of night, they would get put down. I don't know what they're doing in my home, I don't know what their intentions are. If they were 13 and entered on a dare, especially here in Texas, then I'll chalk it up to bad parenting... and it suffices to say that I wouldn't know they were 13 until after the fact. I'll deal with the legalities later.

Would I feel bad? Sure, for a while. I'm sure I would have issues to work through, but I'd work through them. I work in an emergency room, spent 10+ years working in an ICU, and drove a fire engine for just shy of 10 years. I've lost count of the number of people whom I've watched take their last breath. In the beginning, everyone I saw die gave me pause. Today, not so much.

Granted, I wasn't responsible any of them, but witnessing traumatic death doesn't have the same impact on me now that it once did. I've trained enough, read enough, and seen enough to know that if a SHTF situation came down to me (or my family) or them who's gonna buy it ... it's gonna be them.

You can play "what if" scenarios all day, in the end, you have to do what you need to do to protect yourself and your family. A 13yo can kill just as effectively as a 40 year old.

Wow. Great insight. Do you think that after all those years in ER and fire, your views about human life have changed? I know surgeons who lose people and then go out for drinks. They did their best...tomorrow's another day. But that first one must have been tough for them. I guess if my house were being ransacked weekly by a different thug, my views would change over time. Is that getting hardened or jaded? Is it a good thing?