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Excalibur,

Very thoughtful, but here is where knowing all the details makes all the difference. The side door in question is a practically useless entry/exit due to the recliner situated in front of it so his coming through there is not likely...we have other exits. While he is concentrating on that door he is blind to the other potals and illuminated by area lights. The wife also armed and maintained control of the interior while on the phone with police advising them where I was with description and advising the dispatcher that I would disarm once I saw that he had us both covered.

I know every nook and cranny of my wooded lot and also understand that rinky dink house would not stand a whole lot of assault. Tactics and SA have also been part of my entire adult life (I won't bore you with details) and there IS an advantage to concealment and cover open air rather than hunkering down in some circumstances. The layout of the house would place the BG between me and the kids in two of the three entries. No, I'm not going to wait for the fight to come inside...especially if there is more than one.

Added in Edit: By the time the police had arrived he was seated, cross legged with fingers interlocked at the back of his head.

Look, there is legal, justified and necessary. I used to keep a BUG in the vehicles in case I forgot and left my primary at the house. I struggled with the idea that if someone broke in or was stealing my vehicle I would have to shoot to prevent them becoming armed. I struggled with it until I decided it was simpler to always remember arming when leaving the house. I would not shoot over loss of a vehicle, lawn mower or whatever...that is MY decision based on what I think is morally justifiable. I have enough problems with my conscience without dropping someone for stealing.

As to going outside we had someone trying to bang in the side door to our house one Sunday morning. I armed and went out and apprehended him until the police came (the cop told him he was lucky he wasn't shot because he would've). I got a good sight picture on him before the challenge and though he was initially froggy once he turned and saw his imminent destruction he became exceptionally cooperative. He was drunk and stoned as well.

My points are these:

• It is NECESSARY to shoot to defend yourself, your family.
• It is justifiable to defend a third party .
• It is legal to shoot someone stealing at night but I have to ask myself if it is necessary or even justifiable from a conscientious POV.
• If someone is outside banging on one of my doors, breaking into the house, garage or car, you can bet I'm going out and either run them off, apprehend or defend myself. My reasoning being I don't know what their ultimate goal is and the last thing I want is to bring the fight inside with my family.
• If I am looking at someone's back and diminishing aspect in my sight picture, the fight's over.

There are risks with what the OP did but his actions, self control and outcome demonstrate good execution if not particularly great planning IMHO. Again, if someone is going through my stuff I don't know what their up to, I'm going to mitigate the situation. If someone is in an altered state of mind, there is no predicting what and where their next move will be. Waiting and watching could very well allow the fight to come to the house, or a better tactical advantage for the BG and I am not prepared to let that happen.