self defense

Armed Home Owner Shot by Cops

Runcible — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 02:22:34 +0000

Keep in mind that if police don't know you're the homeowner and acting in a lawful fashion, you might get shot. So if you're going to hold a home invader at gunpoint while waiting for the police it's best to make sure they know who's who.

This happened in Phoenix:

In their complaint in Maricopa County Court, Anthony and Lesley Arambula say an armed intruder "crashed through the front window" of their home on Sept. 17, 2008 and ran into one of their son's bedrooms.

Anthony, worried about his son who was still in his bedroom, says he "held the intruder calmly at gunpoint" and called 911.

Phoenix Police officers already in the neighborhood heard the crash of the Arambulas' window. When they approached the house, Lesley says, she told Sgt. Sean Coutts that her husband was inside holding the intruder at gunpoint. Lesley says Coutts failed to pass on that information to the two other officers.

Inside the house, the Arambulas say, Officer Brian Lilly shot Anthony six times in the back while he was still on the phone with the 911 operator - twice when he was on the ground.

Police officers get scared, too.

[Family Says 911 Tape Caught Cops Planning Cover-Up After Shooting - Courthouse News Service]

Awareness and Initiative

Runcible — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:02:30 +0000

I just read a semi-humorous but also quite scary story of a man fending off a mugging by hurling a cup of coffee while fumbling for a Beretta Jetfire .25 in his pocket. In the blog post - linked below - Caleb writes about staying alert but also using whatever means are available to seize the initiative back from the attacker.

I try to be prepared for the second goal by carrying a small tactical flashlight. When I'm out at night I carry the light in my left hand. Were someone to approach me in a suspicious fashion, the plan would be to shine the light in his face while I reach for my concealed handgun. From what I've read it seems like a generally workable plan, though it would have failed in Caleb's daylight mugging.

What other initiative-seizing tactics are worth thinking about?

[Don’t bring a knife to a coffee fight - Gun Nuts Media]

Criminals for Gun Control

Runcible — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 01:58:31 +0000

Great video that explains quite nicely why an armed citizenry deters crime.

In Defense of Wheelguns

Runcible — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:46:22 +0000

I have only recently begun carrying a revolver some of the time, and this article at American Rifleman echoes a lot of my thinking on the subject:

If my travels had me passing through more dangerous areas, a powerful semi-auto would be my hands-down choice. Were I a shopkeeper in an area where robberies by multiple assailants were not uncommon, a slab-sided autoloader with spare magazines would be my constant companion. However, for a day in shorts where a belt holster would be uncomfortable, my choice would be an ultra-light wheelgun in a windbreaker pocket.

Perhaps most importantly, the article also mentions that "For most civilians involved in a deadlyforce encounter, the event is over in three shots or less." If somebody tries to mug me walking along Franklin Street, my first hope is that my assailant will flee as soon as I pull the gun. If I do have to shoot, I'm certainly not sticking around for any longer than necessary: fire and retreat.

When is Deadly Force Permissible?

Runcible — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 13:19:39 +0000

Richmond-based criminal defense attorney Shane Jimison has penned a brief primer on when a person is justified in using deadly, or potentially-deadly, force on another human being.

In defense of personal property is a no-no. If someone is stealing your car in your driveway you can’t shoot at him. Sorry, but the law says your sweet ride isn’t worth someone’s life no mater how many Vanilla Ice CDs you left in the console.

(It's a little bit sarcastic.)

[When Can I Use Deadly Force in Virginia? - The Amazing Adventures* of RVALawyer]