Armed Defense- Defenders Save Lives at Home and at Work

We have more news stories this week. Each of these armed defenders were in danger, and the situation changed from moment to moment. We might be in jeopardy even though our actions were justified a few seconds ago. We might win a case in criminal court, but lose in civil court.

The longer discussion of what we should consider, and what we should avoid, is on the Self Defense Gun Stories webpage. There are also bonus discussion points we didn’t get to on the podcast. For now, here are the stories and the links to the original news sources.

How should you protect the people you love?

The Self Defense Gun Stories Podcast

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Houston, Texas- Are you armed in the early evening?

Your husband works at a small grocery convenience store. You are bringing him dinner. You park your car at the store and a stranger gets out of his car when you walk by. That man is carrying a modern rifle. The passenger gets out of the car too, and he asks you if you want to die today. The man with the AR gets into another car and drives away. Your husband comes out of the store. The stranger threatens him and then hits him with a handgun.

You are carrying a concealed firearm. You present your gun and shoot the attacker who is hitting your husband. Your husband is also armed. He presents his gun and shoots the attacker too. You both stop shooting when the attacker falls down and drops his gun. You hold the attacker at gunpoint while your husband calls 911 for help.

You put your gun away as the police arrive. You and your husband give statements to the police. You show them security video from the attack. EMS transports your attacker to the hospital.

Later, you found out that the man who attacked your husband is a criminal and a gang member. He is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful carrying of a weapon by a convicted felon. You notice that there are three different mugshot photographs of the attacker in the news story.

Neither you nor your husband are charged by the authorities. You are nine months pregnant and your baby is due in two weeks.

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Cudahy, Wisconsin- Are you armed as you arrive home?

You and your wife get home from work late at night. You notice that there is fiberglass insulation on your kitchen floor and the kitchen ceiling is damaged. The back door is broken. You wonder if an animal broke in. You go up stairs and you hear a man’s voice. You present your concealed firearm and grab the stranger. You drag him down stairs and tell him not to move. Your wife calls the police. The intruder says he’ll pay you 300 dollars if you let him go.

You put your gun away when the police arrive. Your intruder is high on ecstasy and was shooting at police earlier that evening. Police find the intruder’s handgun in your backyard. He was jumping from roof to roof and broke his leg when he fell.

The intruder is charged with first-degree recklessly endangering safety, use of a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon and with armed burglary. He has a previous conviction for involuntary manslaughter when he shot someone.

Your intruder is held on a $30,000 cash bond. You are not charged with a crime.

Tag- No Shots Fired

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Las Vegas, Nevada- Are you armed at work?

You work at a large apartment complex that is a few minutes off the strip in Las Vegas. These are upscale condominium apartments and you make deliveries and also park cars for the guests. It is the middle of the afternoon when you see a man wearing a motorcycle helmet walk into the apartment lobby. The temperature is almost 100 degrees outside, so no one wears a helmet any longer than they have to. The stranger is carrying a rifle and he shoots at one of the clerks at the front desk. The intruder tries to shoot again, but can’t get his gun to fire.

You have your carry permit. You are carrying concealed. You present your handgun and shoot the attacker until he falls down. You stop shooting. You check to see if any of the employees, residents, or any of the guests were hurt. One of the clerks at the front desk calls 911.

You put your firearm away before the police arrive. You give a statement to the police and show them your ID. Police get copies of the security video. The management says that they don’t pay you to carry a gun. You tell the police you carry for your own protection.

Later, you find out that the attacker used to stay with his uncle who lived at the complex, but the uncle may have moved away.

You are not charged with a crime.

Long Beach, California- Do you have a gun nearby at night?

It is after midnight when you hear screams from the front yard of your house. You get out of bed and grab your gun. You look outside and see your female neighbor being beaten next to her car. You run outside and shout for the attacker to stop. Now the female attacker runs at you with a heavy stick or a bat in her hand. You shoot her one time until she stops.

You put your gun away and call 911 for help. You identify yourself to the police. EMS declares your attacker dead at the scene.

The strange woman was going from door to door demanding money at midnight. Some of the neighbors had already called the police. Your neighbor was pulled from her car and beaten to the ground when she drove up to her home. You are not charged. It isn’t clear from the news stories if your neighbor had to go to the hospital for treatment.

The attacker was a stranger to the area and her family says she had mental health problems. Her family says they will sue you.

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The laws governing the legal use of lethal force tell us when we may, and may not, present our firearm. Please consider those legal principles in each story you read. RM