TexasCHLforum.com

Oldgringo wrote:

Excaliber wrote:

Going outside where intruders are believed to be is akin to stepping into a dark 360 degree shooting gallery with you as the target in the middle. Having a gun in your hand might make you feel better, but it doesn't negate the danger if the BG can see you, but you don't see him. It's a bad idea to place yourself in this situation unless whatever you're defending can't be protected any other way, and it's worth dying for if necessary. Remember that just may become the case, and there are no do overs.

Not only that but, the BG knows where he is and you don't.

Yup, and he's got it easy - he just has to watch the house, and probably only the doors when you think about it.

You have to watch everything else!

bronco78 wrote:

Excaliber wrote:
This is another needless death that could have been prevented if the citizen had been aware of the reasoning behind my oft repeated advice to stay inside and call police to handle anything outside.

This is great advice for those who choose to live in congested, or otherwise close in city living.

And for many, a pretty good idea no matter where you live..Stay inside, move to your strong point and await the police.. Most days, it should not take more then an hour or so.

For those that do not live in cities, the land that surrounds your home is also your responsibility and you may want to know it well enough to protect and defend.

To the specifics of this topic and thread.. The more I read, the more I'm not sure what happened or why (beyond the obvious)

Your point here is well taken. The longer the police response time to an incident, the more you're on your own and may have to take action that would have been unnecessary with a faster response. This can occur for many reasons, including other competing emergencies that happen to overlap your own, even in a city. However, in most urban and suburban areas, there's nothing outside that I would consider worth giving or taking a life for. The potential loss is what you buy insurance to cover.

In rural areas, the general principle of remaining inside and forcing any intruder into the role of searcher in unfamiliar terrain still holds true as the safest option for the defender. The issue gets complex when there are things that are critical to one's livelihood exposed outside (farm equipment, livestock, etc.) that may be lost if one simply stays inside and waits for the police.

These are situations that should be considered in detail ahead of time, and plans to manage them should be formulated, critiqued, exercised, critiqued, and refined again so if they ever have to be used they won't make one look to the bad guys like a really tempting, vulnerable and easily neutralized target.

Going outside where intruders are believed to be is akin to stepping into a dark 360 degree shooting gallery with you as the target in the middle. Having a gun in your hand might make you feel better, but it doesn't negate the danger if the BG can see you, but you don't see him. It's a bad idea to place yourself in this situation unless whatever you're defending can't be protected any other way, and it's worth dying for if necessary. Remember that just may become the case, and there are no do overs.

That being said, if you're good with all that and there's no other way, there are circumstances where you just have to do what you have to do and accept the results.

This one is getting increasingly complex with statements that conflict with forensic evidence, questionable circumstances in the history on both individuals involved, and an apparent stubbornness on the part of the victim to accept prior police cautions about the dangers involved in his practice of confronting people outside at night while armed.

I see a tragedy for all involved.

Citizen hears suspicious noises and goes outside with gun to investigate. Sees strange car parked outside. Approaches car to confront suspicious person or persons, and is shot by occupant of car.

Officer in unmarked car assigned to enhanced patrol duties requested by community parks vehicle to observe neighborhood activity at night. Sees clearly armed man approaching his vehicle. Perceives immediate threat to his life. Fires weapon to end threat.

Result: dead citizen.

This is another needless death that could have been prevented if the citizen had been aware of the reasoning behind my oft repeated advice to stay inside and call police to handle anything outside.