car break in

[shootthesheet]

No way I would shoot.

I will shoot a person in the back and thank God I had that advantage when I was forced to defend my life or the life of another innocent. If I am going to have to pull on someone I want any and every advantage I can get.

[Dragonfighter]

No way I would shoot.

I will shoot a person in the back and thank God I had that advantage when I was forced to defend my life or the life of another innocent. If I am going to have to pull on someone I want any and every advantage I can get.

What's the saying? "If you find yourself in a fair fight you've screwed up."

[Westfield]

Shooting car thieves in the back from your second story location and this last one just shooting people in the back...I think this board has some serious issues.

[jmra]

AR 15 with laser sites and the words "If you want to see the sun rise, lay on the ground and put your hands behind your head".

Just kidding. I do think that I would be tempted to move to a better area.

[Purplehood]

Shooting car thieves in the back from your second story location and this last one just shooting people in the back...I think this board has some serious issues.

I agree with your general sentiment, but I am not in the least worried about the general attitude of the board membership. There are always exceptions but this forum is much more reserved, courteous and moderate than many 2A-related boards that are simply scary.

[jamisjockey]

Shooting car thieves in the back from your second story location and this last one just shooting people in the back...I think this board has some serious issues.

Let me guess....you've got this image in your mind of some kind of old west showdown as to how a shooting encounter should go, right?

Draw, Pilgrim!

[shootthesheet]

No way I would shoot.

I will shoot a person in the back and thank God I had that advantage when I was forced to defend my life or the life of another innocent. If I am going to have to pull on someone I want any and every advantage I can get.

What's the saying? "If you find yourself in a fair fight you've screwed up."

[Cobra Medic]

Shooting car thieves in the back from your second story location and this last one just shooting people in the back...I think this board has some serious issues.

The people who think criminals deserve to get away with it should invite criminals to rob and rape them. That way the criminals get what they want, the bleeding hearts get what they want, and the good guys get to keep their lives and property and safety. Pareto optimum solution FTW!

[SlowDave]

Police? Insurance? Taking photos/video of the people committing the crime so they can be found later?

I respect your opinion, however you are walking a very, very thin line. If I was on your jury and you tried to tell me that you shot and killed three teenagers for breaking into your car to steal your stereo, I would vote to send you to prison.

A human life is worth more than a $50 CD player.

I get what you're saying, and I am NOT saying I would commence fire for someone stealing a car stereo, but there are two completely separate questions here: 1. Is it legal? and 2. Is it a good idea (i.e. wise)?

As to #1, I think it's obvious that it is legal per statute. And I take it from your response that if you were on a jury, you would decide to ignore the rights provided by the law and vote to send the person to prison for lawful behavior because you don't agree with his actions, regardless of the law? If so... YIKES!

[SlowDave]

Shooting car thieves in the back from your second story location and this last one just shooting people in the back...I think this board has some serious issues.

If it ever came to it, my preferred method of shooting a bad guy with a gun who is threatening mine or others' lives is definitely to shoot him/her in the back. I don't have the data in front of me, but I'd put good money down that my risk of getting shot is significantly lower when the other person has their back to me. I don't owe a criminal a fair fight and will do everything I can to make sure it's not a fair fight!!!

Don't worry, I have an out. If you don't want to get shot in the back, simply don't be a criminal and try to kill innocent people. See... easy.

[zero4o3]

Shooting car thieves in the back from your second story location and this last one just shooting people in the back...I think this board has some serious issues.

from your statement, I am lead to believe that if you walked out into your living room, and saw a man with a gun pointed at one of your loved ones, you would ask him to please turn around.

facing me or not if deadly force is required, it will be used.

[Ameer]

If you don't want to get shot in the back, simply don't be a criminal

[baldeagle]

No sir. The phrase "reasonably believes" is the catch all here.

(3) he reasonably believes that:

Does anyone here reasonably believe that stolen property will ever be recovered? Most of it is never recovered.

Police? Insurance? Taking photos/video of the people committing the crime so they can be found later?

I respect your opinion, however you are walking a very, very thin line. If I was on your jury and you tried to tell me that you shot and killed three teenagers for breaking into your car to steal your stereo, I would vote to send you to prison.

A human life is worth more than a $50 CD player.

Your responsibility as a juror is to rule on the facts of the case based upon the applicable laws as described and explained by the judge, not to substitute your judgment or feelings in your decision making. If the law says it's legal, it shouldn't matter what you think or feel. The law refers to the actor's reasonable beliefs, not yours. So how does the fact that you believe a human life is worth more than a $50 CD player enter into the equation at all?

[baldeagle]

Shooting car thieves in the back from your second story location and this last one just shooting people in the back...I think this board has some serious issues.

No, the board doesn't have serious issues. You misunderstand the nature of the board and the purpose of these types of discussions.

You're being far too simplistic. For example, you're in your home and a bad guy breaks down the door. As you grab your gun and run in his direction, he turns, gun in hand, and points it at your loved one. Do you shoot him in the back? You'd better, or your loved one could be dead. Another example. You're at the bank, filling out a deposit slip when a bad guy rushes in, demands the money, and when the teller fumbles because she's nervous, he shoots her in the head. Then he says to the next teller, "You're next! Now give me the money!" Do you shoot him in the back? You'd better. Or you will be forever known as a coward and have to live with the knowledge that someone died because you failed to act.

We don't carry guns because we want to use them. We carry guns because we may have to use them. You'd darn sure better have figured out when you will and when you won't before the moment of truth arrives, or you will almost certainly make the wrong choice and either be dead or in jail.

That's why we have these discussions, and that's why you should respect the free exchange of ideas and thoughts on this forum without a single shot ever being fired.

Most of us will never use deadly force in our lifetimes. For those that are forced to, I pray that these discussions have plumbed the depths of the law and tactics and strategy and wisdom to the point that they suffer no harm for the rightful exercise of deadly force. After all, that's precisely what the purpose of this forum is.

And for the record, under the right circumstances I would not hesitate to shoot a bad guy in the back and keep shooting until he went down. I have absolutely no requirement to warn him or to confirm that he's facing me (putting my life in danger) before shooting him.

[GeekwithaGun]

Well said BaldEagle