What do you do if someone breaks in and you have your gun on them?

[Chrushev]

This has been on my mind for a few days... I cant seem to find a good solution.

So lets say here are the events:

- Someone breaks in to my house.
- I pull out my gun, go downstairs and tell him to stop or I will shoot.
- He (or she) is just standing there with hands up.
- You are in your underwear.
- Phone is in another room.
- You have nothing to restrain them with.

What do you do?

Step 1 - Restraining and calling police

Solution 1)
The easiest solution is ofcourse to shoot them. Under law you have the right to shoot someone if you feel your life is threatened. This however is not an optimal solution because they are unarmed (at least you cant tell). And if they arent it will be hard to argue in court that you felt threatened.

Solution 2)
Tell them to get on the ground, face down hands behind their back. Ok great.. you are out of danger.. now what? Phone is in another room.. you cant restrain them to go get it.. what do you do?

Step 2 - Police arrives

Problem is that when police arrives they may have a hard time telling the difference between the person that lives there and the intruder.. so what do you do?

[Jeff in Colorado]

one option.
Tell them to walk slowly in front of you (at a safe distance naturally) to the room with a phone. Then tell them to go face down and spread eagle, call the po-po, explain the whole situation to them and wait.

[Chrushev]

Originally Posted by Jeff in Colorado

one option.
Tell them to walk slowly in front of you (at a safe distance naturally) to the room with a phone. Then tell them to go face down and spread eagle, call the po-po, explain the whole situation to them and wait.

What id they start running? Shooting in the back in the worst thing you can do.. not only is it cowardice but also basically guarantees jail time. Do you just let them go? Call the cops and build a photorobot?

[NETim]

1) Assume they're armed and intend you harm. (If they break into an occupied residence, it's safe to assume.)

2) Demand to see their hands.

3) Order them to leave.

4) If they don't leave, get ready to shoot.

[M4finny]

Originally Posted by Chrushev

What id they start running? Shooting in the back in the worst thing you can do.. not only is it cowardice but also basically guarantees jail time. Do you just let them go? Call the cops and build a photorobot?

If they are running away from you, then you are no longer in danger now are you? Are they running away from you and toward another innocent person? Or, are they running toward you?

You have many "shoot - don't shoot" scenarios here. Pick one and decide what you want to game-play here.

Fin

[Herbert Cannon]

Originally Posted by Chrushev

What id they start running? Shooting in the back in the worst thing you can do.. not only is it cowardice but also basically guarantees jail time. Do you just let them go? Call the cops and build a photorobot?

Let them go.

[UNBROKEN]

Originally Posted by Chrushev

What id they start running? Shooting in the back in the worst thing you can do.. not only is it cowardice but also basically guarantees jail time. Do you just let them go? Call the cops and build a photorobot?

A very close friend of mine was staying at his girlfriends house years ago, heard noises and found a naked man in his GF's little sisters room. The naked guy got out the bedroom door and was headed to the front door and freedom when my buddy put 2 from a 9mm in his back. He died in the front yard before the police even got there.
No charges filed...
The guy was intent on raping a 12 year old child....he deserved to die and the local authorities felt the same way I guess.

So no, it does not guarantee jail time.

[MoCop]

Originally Posted by Jeff in Colorado

one option.
Tell them to walk slowly in front of you (at a safe distance naturally) to the room with a phone. Then tell them to go face down and spread eagle, call the po-po, explain the whole situation to them and wait.

This is a good option.

[Seven Ring]

Again, you can "What if..?" till the end of the day. I'm going by facts: It's my house, you're not a guest, my family is in here, I don't know if you're alone. I'm ventilating you.

[TMyers]

Once someone has broken in, all of the thinking is done. Shoot to kill. Period.

[Ankeny]

Once someone has broken in, all of the thinking is done. Shoot to kill. Period.

Here we go again.

[DeltaShooter]

It's a toss up. You could either steal their wallet and make them leave or make them call with their cell phone on speaker and apologize to you and the police

Seriously, keep your cell in your bedroom or have a few wireless phones plugged in around the house. Don't just shoot without knowing there's a real threat. If possible, get a dog. Beats an alarm any day, no matter what size.

[STUB48]

Originally Posted by TMyers

Once someone has broken in, all of the thinking is done. Shoot to kill. Period.

Yep, remember trigger control and squeeze smoothly!

[Southlake]

Exodus 22 clearly states the following:

**If you happen to kill a burglar who breaks into your home after dark, you are not guilty. But if you kill someone who breaks in during the day, you are guilty of murder.

[WalterGC]

Originally Posted by Southlake

Exodus 22 clearly states the following:

**If you happen to kill a burglar who breaks into your home after dark, you are not guilty. But if you kill someone who breaks in during the day, you are guilty of murder.

Hardehardeharharhar! Hopefully, that's a joke, as time of day is irrelevant in s.d.

[dragonzfury050]

Originally Posted by WalterGC

Hardehardeharharhar! Hopefully, that's a joke, as time of day is irrelevant in s.d.

What I believe is a more accurate interpretation is that during that day you need to be more discerning, and judge the situation with more scrutiny. At night it is dark, you just woke up, adrenaline is pumping, all of which make assessing any situation more difficult. During the day you still may be hopped up on adrenaline, but you should be able to more quickly/easily get a grasp on what is happening.

Now, having said all that, I sure as heck would shoot someone that posed a threat to me in my home, night or day. At night, I am assuming that you are a threat since you broke in as I lay in bed; that threat threshold has already been exceeded.

[Red Dirt Dave]

Originally Posted by Southlake

Exodus 22 clearly states the following:

**If you happen to kill a burglar who breaks into your home after dark, you are not guilty. But if you kill someone who breaks in during the day, you are guilty of murder.

I don't know what paraphrase that quote is from, but it is not an accurate translation. In context, verse 2 is talking about stealing animals. Not breaking into a house. It protects the owner from being prosecuted for the death. The next verse Speaks to a theif caught stealing during the day, saying that blood shall be shed for/by him.(repayment and a sacrifice)

One can prove almost anything by taking Scriptures out of their context;

Matthew 27:5 "and he cast down the pieces of silver and departed and hanged himself..."

Ephesians 6:9 "...ye masters, do the same...

[Jeff in Colorado]

I guess if they run, I would let them, and then call the authorities, give a description etcc. That's just my thoughts

[Chrushev]

My biggest concern from this whole thing is inability to call for help.

Here is another question...

If I hear someone breaking in downstairs.. I go down (sneakily) with a gun... peek around the corner.. I see them with a gun... they dont see me. Do I have the right to open fire? Or do I have to announce myself first?

Problem with announcing is that in warmer states walls and everything in the house is made of plywood that even a 22LR will go through easily.. if I say FREEZE! and he opens fire... chances are he will hit me through whatever I hide behind.

What if its same situation and he has a weapon but its not a gun. A knife for example or crowbar?

[Tenringx2]

What do you do if someone breaks in and you have your gun on them?

To answer this question I would pull the trigger. As has been mentioned you have too many what ifs to reply too.

[Riverpigusmc]

Originally Posted by Chrushev

My biggest concern from this whole thing is inability to call for help.

Here is another question...

If I hear someone breaking in downstairs.. I go down (sneakily) with a gun... peek around the corner.. I see them with a gun... they dont see me. Do I have the right to open fire? Or do I have to announce myself first?

Problem with announcing is that in warmer states walls and everything in the house is made of plywood that even a 22LR will go through easily.. if I say FREEZE! and he opens fire... chances are he will hit me through whatever I hide behind.

What if its same situation and he has a weapon but its not a gun. A knife for example or crowbar?

Might as well yell "shoot me"

[Toocool]

Originally Posted by Chrushev

My biggest concern from this whole thing is inability to call for help.

Here is another question...

If I hear someone breaking in downstairs.. I go down (sneakily) with a gun... peek around the corner.. I see them with a gun... they dont see me. Do I have the right to open fire? Or do I have to announce myself first?

Problem with announcing is that in warmer states walls and everything in the house is made of plywood that even a 22LR will go through easily.. if I say FREEZE! and he opens fire... chances are he will hit me through whatever I hide behind.

What if its same situation and he has a weapon but its not a gun. A knife for example or crowbar?

My solution is to call 911 from the comparative safety of my bedroom upstairs (with Personal Protection Device close by or in hand), and LOUDLY announce to the intruder that I am armed and have the police on the phone. If I don't hear him beating feet away from the house, I will remain where I am and keep the police on the phone until responding officers arrive. I'd assume that I don't have just a "bump in the night" when my alarm system starts barking/growling. If I get no warning from him, I assume one of two things: either it's nothing, or he's been incapacitated somehow. In that case, I MIGHT investigate on my own, but my personal feeling is that if I can make enough noise to let an intruder know that I'm up, awake, and armed, he will either flee on his own, or I will be forced to defend myself, and he will leave with an ambulance assist...

[Lovemea1911]

Originally Posted by Chrushev

I cant seem to find a good solution.

There may not be one. Adrenaline tends to mess up your "thwarting the robber's plans" if you do not train for the scenario. You would want the intruder to cooperate with you once you have ruined his evening so that he can have a long vacation at the expense of the State or Fed. Gov. I'd focus on staying calm as poss. and at the same time, remaining in control of the sit. There's no telling what a perpetrator will do if a home owner throws down on him. If you can get him to go to the room with the phone, it would be good. I don't think he should get off scott free, but at the same time, do you want to shoot someone that isn't trying to hurt you if he decides to bail? If he cooperates with you, explain the sit. to the 911 operator and follow the instructions they give.

[RickB]

I'd tell them to get the h*ll out, the same way they came in, then call the cops. I'd want no part of having to "keep my gun on them" one second longer than necessary. Let the cops catch him.

[Chrushev]

Originally Posted by RickB

I'd tell them to get the h*ll out, the same way they came in, then call the cops. I'd want no part of having to "keep my gun on them" one second longer than necessary. Let the cops catch him.

And what if he comes back a few day (weeks or months) later with his own gun or a molotov through the window to show you who is boss?