Do You Think It's OK to Shoot a Burglar to Stop a Break-In?

when seconds count, the police are minutes away.

Yes! And again, YES! If you break into my house, at night, you have one intent! That is either to Rob, kill, or rape you're a dead man!

if he has a gun too

it's the middle of the night, it's dark, you hear someone inside your house, are you going to go and question said person to find out if they are armed or not?

Wretha

depends, if you shot him or her and they did not have a gun, that might be murder

Depends on what? I am NOT going to poll an intruder to discover if they are armed or not, I'm NOT going to poll an intruder to discover WHY they have broken into my home, I am NOT going to put myself or my family at risk, I WILL shoot first and let the police and coroner straighten everything else up later, bottom line, don't break into homes and you will not get shot by the homeowner, how difficult is that to understand?

If someone breaks into my home, then they ARE a criminal committing a criminal act, defending myself and my property does not make me the criminal.

BTW, I am speaking from experience here, fortunately things never went far enough to where I had to shoot, the first CRIMINAL who broke into my home left before I could get into the room to shoot, the second time, I was waiting for the CRIMINAL to finish breaking down my back door and enter, that one gave up and left before he/she got in, both times I was armed, both times I was 100% willing to pull the trigger, I don't want to have to do this, but I am willing and able to do it, that does NOT make me the criminal under any circumstance.

Wretha

i had a neighbor who was a cop in california and we had this discussion, it all depends on the circumstances and i think what i was thinking was about him telling me if the crook is fleeing out the door and you shoot him, it could be murder if he was unarmed

so it all depends on the circumstances and each case or hypothetical theory is different....but i see your point....glad that you did not have to go there...it sucks when for example...a burglar breaks into a school, gets hurt and sues...but that is a different story

there are three intents, general, specific and transferable which make up the corpus delecti or body of the crime + each state is different...in texas a repo man was shot on the property of the owner of the car and his attorney cited a case back in 1899 and they won....a owner has his right to defend his property or in a owner has the right to defend her property :-)

I would not shoot someone in the back while leaving or fleeing, unless they were carrying off my child, dog or perhaps something else of major value, but if they were empty handed and fleeing, no I wouldn't shoot, now if they are breaking in, entering, ransacking my stuff, or threatening me in any way, I'm real likely to shoot, if it's daytime and I can clearly see the person, their age, whether or not they clearly have a weapon, I MIGHT consider challenging them verbally, if it's dark, I'm half asleep, and I'm absolutely sure it's not someone I know, then yeah, I'm probably going to shoot. The two times I was faced with that situation, I was 100% willing to shoot, there is no point in having a gun for self protection if you aren't 100% willing to pull the trigger, at that point your gun becomes your worst enemy if you can't bluff well enough.

This isn't something I want to do, I'd happily live the rest of my life without having to do that, but I am completely willing and capable of doing it.

Wretha

i recall a thief who would pull a gun on drivers in california at stop lights, he was found dead in the street with 2 holes...he got what he deserved and someone had a weapon, the cops closed the case

When seconds count, the police are minutes away.

How does it make you any better if you kill someone? That just makes you the criminal,aswell!

In my home I am the LAW

lol man I should use that quote more!

That is wrong, if I am DEFENDING myself against someone who is breaking into MY home, how does that make ME a criminal?

How about this, don't break into my home and I'll not shoot you.

Wretha

yes it's ok and a right to defend yourself with whatever is yours as long as its used to defend your liberty and property

but when it comes to whether i would use a gun to defend myself and my property I would say no just because it goes against my belief of honor

Yup ... unless you are a LIB then call your conservative neighbor cuz you probably don't own a weapon.

Not only is it OK, but it's preferable. Society is better off without them. I have little interest as a tax payer of footing the bill for the legal defense of such people.

RIGHT ON

To bad in Canada you will have your guns taken away.

Of course! Anyone who breaks in my house will be dead. I may not own a gun, but I will do everything it takes to kill that person even for breaking into my house without a weapon. I will defend the peopel I love.

i think its stupid someone can be charged for defending their house,belongings & themselves...
if the person/s breaking in weren't actually breaking the law you wouldn't need to in the first place have to defend yourself...

i don't think people should kill the intruder thou but if their using force to kill then i say match that force....

I would use a firearm defend life and limb. I'm not shooting someone to defend my t.v.

Of course it is okay.

We have no castle law in Australia, most people aren't allowed to own a gun and self defense of one's home and property is frowned upon by the courts. I'm one of the few legal firearm owners as I live on a rural property and I can expect a lengthy jail term if I ever have to use it for defense in my home no matter what the circumstances. Seriously, even my local cop told me that you're better to roll over and take a beating than suffer the consequences of fighting back.
This article is the UK but similar laws apply.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ne...

TBH that the goverments are idiots thinking it is better for you or your family to be injured or killed and if it was one mugger it wouldn't be so bad.

Yeah I agree!

Even that aload of Solvaks around my area in Chatham, UK carry knifes so why can't I be protected?

Yes for sure. Gangs in my area carry knives too and some in the cities still have guns yet the rest of us aren't able to protect ourselves. Don't know that I'd like the idea of everyone carrying weapons in public but certainly in your own home you should have a choice.

I agree :)

I carry a 9m at all times

I am happy I don't live there I WOULD HAVE A GUN +

Anyone breaking in while you are home is likely to do you grievous bodily harm.

They may come in but someone will carry them OUT

When seconds count, the cops are only minutes away.

lol on the last pic I have to say you have weapons all around you in which you don't need a gun to shield yourself, I myself keep a sword by my bed(and collect them) lol but thats because I don't like fighting with long rang weapons and never will for no matter the reason

in aust. we dont have guns so cannot do so. but i can understand the need to shoot an intruder if you have to. would still prefer no guns policy.

tell that to the armed burglar who enters your home down under.

I think that it's gonna take a few tragic and preventable deaths before Australian law changes. Of course, it would be nice if no tragedies occur.

luckily most of our burgs okay more as a chance as people are walking by and see you leave, or an open window = not that many are planned or well executed. i guess i suspect my reactions would be nerviously affected - so its best not to have a weapon like that in hand

I am sorry for you'll

have you convinced the criminals to go along with your preference ?