If someone broke into your house...

[CliffnDallas]

The more I think about it, I might go for a crotch or colon shot instead of trying to kill someone.

Then (depending on the laws of your state) The scum and or his family will sue you in to ruin. We don't have to worry about that in Texas.

 

[Hostile]

Which brings up an interesting question. Would you give them the chance to get out? In such a situation can anyone afford to hesitate and say 'put 'em up; now leave or I shoot'?

I might even give them a chance to lie face down on the floor with their hands out wide. 9 times out of 10 they are probably going to be staring at my 12 gauge. It's still my rules and I can respect someone's desire to live. Do it my way, or you've chosen to die.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

Then (depending on the laws of your state) The scum and or his family will sue you in to ruin. We don't have to worry about that in Texas.

Yeah, you're probably right. I watched "Fight Club" again last night and it always makes me a little more spiteful than normal.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Then (depending on the laws of your state) The scum and or his family will sue you in to ruin. We don't have to worry about that in Texas.

Not if you live in a rural area where nobody hears the shot...and you don't report the problem. Just have to find a place to dispose of the body.

A week later you might see an article in the newspaper saying so and so has been missing.:laugh1:

 

[bbgun]

If they immediately surrendered, or if they hightailed it out of there upon seeing the gun, I probably wouldn't shoot them in the back as they fled. If they got aggressive in any way or didn't follow orders until the police arrived, then yes, that's what guns are for.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

If they immediately surrendered, or if they hightailed it out of there upon seeing the gun, I probably wouldn't shoot them in the back as they fled. If they got aggressive in any way or didn't follow orders until the police arrived, then yes, that's what guns are for.

Just remember that.

When WG shoots you for breaking into her house and you complain...she will just say...Hey I am just doing what you said you would do if it happened to you.

So...You might want to go back and edit your post. :

 

[Eric_Boyer]

No. Then they know you are armed, they will come back and kill you. Aim for center mass and keep pulling the trigger till the threat is destroyed.

home intruders are usually like bullies, they go for low hanging fruit and wont risk taking on someone willing to fight back

 

[bbgun]

Just remember that.

When WG shoots you for breaking into her house and you complain...she will just say...Hey I am just doing what you said you would do if it happened to you.

So...You might want to go back and edit your post. :

She just shoots me down with rejections. Then again, the idea of her as Pistol Packin' Mama does intrigue me.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

home intruders are usually like bullies, they go for low hanging fruit and wont risk taking on someone willing to fight back

Most of them hope nobody is home or if they are home they are asleep and will never know they are in there to begin with.

Talking burglars of course.

Sometimes just hearing a sound from someone in the house, hearing a dog in the house or yard or seeing a light come on will keep them out of the house to start with.

Rapists, nutbags or some whacked out on drugs are a different story of course. In some cases You might have a gun right at them and they don't care.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

She just shoots me down with rejections. Then again, the idea of her as Pistol Packin' Mama does intrigue me.

I don't know if it is the pistol you have to worry about. I think it is the baseball bat with nails through it that she wrote Man Hater on the side of that you should worry about. :

 

[YosemiteSam]

Most of them hope nobody is home or if they are home they are asleep and will never know they are in there to begin with.

There is a difference between breaking into a house where nobody is home and then WHEN someone is home. If I remember correctly, (unless it's changed since the early 90s) if someone is home when the person breaks in, it becomes a 1st degree felony and is punishable with 5-99 years in prison. (In Texas anyway)

Otherwise, I believe it's a 2nd degree felony.

 

[vta]

Personally I favor having a good watch dog to let you know what's happening. A deep barking German Shepard will do wonders toward making sure you're alert if someone is jerking around trying to get into your house.

Growing up we had one and while I didn't live in a crime area, we still knew when someone was on our property. He heard everything, even from in the house and generally anyone hearing that bark was pretty well scared.

It beats being woken up by the confrontation and being disoriented.

 

[DallasDomination]

I need to check on these laws because Home invasions are increasing at a staggering rate.

 

[casmith07]

Yes, I could shoot them.

I don't think I could bring myself to stab someone without it being a life/death situation though.

Also for those wondering - even if it isn't sanctioned legally like in Texas (castle statute) you would still have access to the duress or necessity defenses to defend yourself against charges of murder in court.

 

[bbgun]

Yes, I could shoot them.

I don't think I could bring myself to stab someone without it being a life/death situation though.

Also for those wondering - even if it isn't sanctioned legally like in Texas (castle statute) you would still have access to the duress or necessity defenses to defend yourself against charges of murder in court.

Just for breaking and entering, or would they first have to physically threaten you in some way?

 

[Maikeru-sama]

It is my understanding that if someone enters your property in Texas, you do have the right to use deadly force.

I forget the name of the reality tv show on A&E that featured the Repo Men based out in Houston. They did repos all over the U.S. but they said doing them in their backyard in Texas was the most dangerous because of this very reason.

Also, you guys do remember the old man in Pasadena, TX that saw his neighbors house being robbed and went out and shot the criminals (even when the 911 operator told him to stay in his house) as they crossed his lawn? He got off.

I would try to avoid deadly force but I know for a fact that no jury in my home state of Texas is going to convict anyone for killing a person for breaking into their home.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I shoot people as they walk by my house just in case they might want to break-in in the future.

 

[CliffnDallas]

I shoot people as they walk by my house just in case they might want to break-in in the future.

That's being proactive!

 

[Chief]

If they fled immediately upon seeing me, then I wouldn't shoot.

But if they're coming toward me or anyone in my house, I wouldn't have any trouble pulling the trigger.

 

[Doomsday101]

I hope I'm never put in that situation but I will do everything in my power to protect myself and my property and in the State of Texas that is your right to defend both.