??? You live in NJ. If you have followed the law, you likely will NOT be arrested in OH. Same goes for supposedly liberal WA state where I previously lived.

A man was attacked in downtown Seattle, knocked to the ground and being beaten by a drugged up nut job. He took out his handgun and shot the guy dead, right in front of the main downtown department store. Police took the report and sent him on his way.

NJ isn't reflective of the rest of America. Thank god.

Yoiu are right - thankfully, NJ isn't reflective of the rest of America -- and here in NJ - when it comes to firearrm laws, you are essentially guilty until proven innocent. So much for the constitution and all that democrating stuff here.... :rolleyes:

That said, one needs to be careful about how they deal with defending themselves in a home burglary, no matter what state they live in. "There is a lawyer attached to every bullet" the saying goes. There are many, many cases where a perp was shot in a home invasion, and the home owner was charged with a crime. Example: if you leave a defensive position, and shoot a perp, a lib lawyer defending the scumbag could claim that you were "hunting down" his client. They may state, "Sure, my client was stealing your TV, but did the punishment fit the crime? The punishment for theft is not death or taking a bullet..." and so on...

That's why it is best to have a plan in case your home is invaded. I've state this before, but my plan is this:
1. Grab my handgun, take up defensive position.
2. If possible, grab cell phone, call 911. State address first, and state it a second time. Then state, "Someoine is in my house, I am fearing for my life. I have a weapon." Keep phoneline open so everything can be recorded.
3. State in a loud voice, "WHO ARE YOU? GET OUT! THE POLICE ARE COMING! I HAVE A GUN!" Note: this is more for your defense in a court case, and not to scare off the perp. This indicates that you gave the intruder fair warning.
4. If your defensive position is compromised. defend yourself.
5. After you have secured the perp, call police, or get back to cell phone. State the following, "There was an intruder in my house. I feared for my life. I defended myself." Describe what you are wearing. Example: "I am wearing a red silk pajama with Sponge Bob fuzzy slippers."
6. When police arrive, if feasible, toss keys to police, if you can confirm over the phone they have arrived. If that is not possible, advise them to break down the door, and describe where you and the perp are in your home.
7. When the police are enter, place firearm down, and raise hands to ear level.
8. At this point, you will probably be read your miranda rights.
9. After they have read you your rights, you can state again, "This person broke into my house. I feared for my life and defended myself. I am not feeling well and I have chest pains. I need to go to the hospital."

Note the phrase: "I feared for my life and I defended myself." Better choice of words than "He broke in and was stealing my stuff so I shot him.'

My plan may or may not apply in all situations, but at least I have a plan, which is better than 'winging it.'

BTW: I received this training and instruction from a police officer.

-Z-man

Z man, I agree with 99% of what you have written.

If people choose to arm themselves, and choose to use a firearm, they had better have carefully thought through both the appropriate use of force, and how they will speak with first responders if an event occurs. You offer very solid advice.

I too agree. But call your lawyer before you speak to the police after the incident.

Bill - I forgot to add something in the last step -- after simply stating that you defended your life, you should then state "I would fully cooperate with this investigation, but without my lawyer present, I cannot say anymore." I believe it is ok to state that you feared for your life and defended yourself - but anything more is not necessary and can incriminate you.

-Z

Z,
9 steps is way too many for that kind of situation.

Should I have a cue card to remember all those steps, or should I add a step to remember the cue card.

I suggest keeping a punch list next to your gun safe.;)

I find it's much simpler to just live somewhere that has laws that make sense. Castle doctrine laws in KS say that if someone is in my home they are assumed to be a threat, and can be dealt with accordingly.

Keep it inside your safe with a 24 digit combination that changes daily

I have three steps....the first two are really an over simplification of a single step and the third is optional.

Defend
Assess
Communicate

Assess is really important and should be going on constantly. Is the BG down? If so, find his accomplice.....there's always one more guy...

The P22 demands good amo. I feed it nothing but CCI Mini-Mag 22 LR HP and have never had a stopage. A little research on your weapon goes a long way.

get a flame thrower, carry under shirt, make bad guys into snowflakes.

So what is your home defense plan? Tap - Rack - Bang? That will not work if someone else in your house has a better plan...

Castle doctrine does not give you card blanc to shoot anyone in your house. NJ also has Castle laws BTW. And NJ isn't the only state that has sleazy lawyers who will defend perps and get law abiding citizens defending their home thrown in jail! (Every bullet has a lawyer attached to it.) You can't hide behind the notion that if someone invades your home, you can immediately use your weapon to kill him. The use of deadly force should be the last resort.

Calling the police from the get-go doesn't just help me in the court of law -- it also may provide me the backup I need in case I am unable to control the situation and defend myself. I may not be able to defend my life against 5 armed intruders with 30 rounds - but I may be able to keep them at bay until the police arrive. The sooner they arrive, the better chance of survival.

That's pretty much what I have in my plan - I just have it broken down into more sub-steps. And BTW: this isn't just my plan -- I derived my plan from the teachings of multiple well established people in the home defense industry. (Farnham, Ayoob, Colandro, Evan Nappen, and others...).

Having a plan is one thing - executing it is another -- it is very important to practice your plan - even if that means running around your house with a toy gun in the dark. You can put 10,000 rounds through a firearm at the range - but that doesn't train you on how to retrieve your firearm, ready it, and acquire a target from a defensive position (behind a wall or cabinet...) and effectively take aim and fire. How many of you have fired your weapon without ear protection? Using your non-dominant hand? While kneeling or on the ground? With a bloody / injured hand? These may be the variables you will face in a home defense situation, and picking a gun off a table and firing at a piece of paper doesn't prepare you much for them...

The point is: gun ownership and use comes with a great responsibility. It needs to be taken seriously. Training is essential, as are situational awareness and having a plan.

Don't put a puchcard list in your safe. Commit your plan to memory, and practice it until it becomes second nature.

-Z

I eat garlic instead.

Just get one of these for home defense
http://www.tacticalimports.ca/images/large/GM6_LRG.jpg


Z, how many of those fancy names have actually been the victim of a home invasion or actively been in a firefight? Now, how many of them are trying to sell you something?
Steps, sub steps, sub sub steps......too much.

From start to finish: grab cell phone, dial 911, relay pertinent data, scream your CYA statement for all to hear.....we're at what, 7-8 seconds on the short side? 7-8 seconds of making noise......that's just about the same amount of time it would take for a properly motivated individual to traverse from a front door to wherever you're hiding and kick that door in....all while you're not paying attention to his movements.

Card measures 2"x3.5".
I carry it next to my drivers license and CCW.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1423082168.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1423082196.jpg

HHI944:

That big gun won't do you much good if you need to fire around the corner... :)

My elaborate plan is only good if I assume the perp is looking for valuables to steal, and does not want to engage with the owner of the premise. IF he thinks I have more valuables where I have taken up a defensive stance, he can enter at his own risk - but he is aware of what to expect.

If the intent of the intruder is to kill me, then all my plans are moot, since the perp will likely already be a step ahead of me. By the time I am aware of what's going on, the invader/invaders are probably already upon me, and attacking me. If I can reach my firearm, then there is no plan, there are no steps and sub-steps, no tap-rack-bang --- just bang-bang-bang.

Since most home invasions are of the theft-type, my plan is focused on that.

In adrenaline dump situations, like home invasions, fine motor skills and quick decision making processes are one of the first things to go, which is why your three-step plan may not be effective. Your first step is 'Defend yourself.' Ok - HOW? Think you will be able to figure that out when someone's in your home and you have adrenaline pumping through you? Is your defense simply "Grab gun and shoot?" Any thought about putting yourself into a defensive position where you can acquire the target, but the target would have a hard time firing at you? Any thought on what lies behind the target area? A child's bedroom? The wall to another apartment? A window? How are you going to 'communicate' after the event? (Don't assume anyone will be calling for flashy lights) What are you going to say and do when the police arrive? If you don't think these things through prior to the incident, you think you will be able to keep these considerations in mind during an incident?

To add a bit to my post above.

Keep it simple as HHI944 states.
Call 911 if possible. Address and intruder in the house.
Put phone down and protect your family, yourself. Hopefully from a pre-arranged spot.

All other stuff to say on phone is nice but, there are more pressing concerns that require 100% attention.

Protect your family and yourself, not your stuff. Lawful in PA to protect stuff, but IMO, not my priority. Also don't need to warn intruder(gives away position) or to let them know you're armed.
Certainly no warning shot!

If you must shoot, shoot center mass.
Shoot until empty, reload. Keep your eyes on the intruder, even if he appears to not be moving.
Approach defensively to remove his weapon from reach.
Not a smart idea to shoot to wound like the reporters always think anyone should do.

Wait for police.
Scream as soon as you hear them, describe where you are and what you are wearing. Tell them you put gun down and your hands are up.

Hopefully the phone is still on.

matt that card is likely the best thing an attorney for the deceased's family could wish for when it comes to the civil suit.

'Members of-ah the ah-joooorey mmmmm......This citizen..mmmmm....has-ah duhreamed of murdering-ah a black man so intensively (sic) that he puhlannned-ah his...mmmm......ex-a-cuse-a prior to the deed!'

That's a risky assumption. Maybe it's valid if done in broad daylight when the perp thinks you're at work. But in most states, a night time home invasion is like playing Russian Roulette for the perp. They have to assume they're gambling with their life and are likely to get shot. Being the homeowner, I'd assume anyone breaking into my house at night is prepared for a fight, plans on doing bad things to me or Mrs. Lee or thinks nothing of killing me to steal my valuables. Any one of those is grounds for using deadly force.

You need to stop reading articles and get some training.