When Security Video Can Keep Us Out of Jail

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You probably didn’t see these stories covered by the mainstream news media, but again last week, responsible gun owners defended themselves and the people they love IMG Jim Grant

U.S.A. -(AmmoLand.com)- You probably didn’t see these stories covered by the mainstream news media, but again last week, responsible gun owners defended themselves and the people they love. Self-defense instructor David Cole joins the Self Defense Gun Stories Podcast to look at four new examples. Were these gun owners lucky, or did they have a plan?

First story- Are you armed at home?

It is after 10 pm when you hear someone banging on your front door. You are not expecting company, particularly at this hour. The stranger continues to bang on your door. Your husband moves toward the door in case they break in. Eventually, the intruder kicks down your door. Your husband fights with him to push him back outside. You run to the bedroom to grab your gun. You run back and shoot your attacker. He stops fighting your husband, so you stop shooting. Your attacker goes back outside.

You stay inside. Your husband is hurt, but not badly. You speak Mandarin, but your English is poor. You call a neighbor who speaks Mandarin, but her English is better. She calls the police for you. You put your gun away when the police arrive. They ask you to come outside. You and your husband leave your home and give a statement to the police. Emergency medical services declare your attacker dead at the scene.

Police look at security videos taken outside your home and inside your home. You are not charged with a crime.

Neighbors said the attacker had a habit of becoming drunk and then banging on doors in the area, looking for his friends who used to live nearby.

Second Story- Do you have a gun nearby at night?

You are at home on a weekday night. Two strangers knock on your door. You don’t open it. You look at your security cameras. The two men are armed with handguns, so you get your gun. The strangers start beating on your door.

The story isn’t clear if you opened the door or if the intruders broke through the door or through an adjacent window. Maybe you shot through the window. We simply don’t know.

We know you shoot at your attackers. They stop beating on your door and run. You stay inside and call the police. The police find one of your attackers on your front porch. You put your gun away and go outside to talk to the police. You tell them what happened. They call Emergency Medical Services. EMS declares your attacker dead at the scene. You show the police your security video. They put out a call for a man driving a dark-colored sedan.

You are not charged with a crime.

Third story- Are you armed at work?

You’re working behind the counter at a convenience store. It is pretty slow. You notice the security video when a customer drives up. He grabs a shotgun from the back seat of his car. You run to the back room and grab your gun. You stay in the back room of the store. The customer enters your store and looks around. He shouts if anyone is there. You answer. You slowly come out of the back room with your gun up and on target. The stranger has his shotgun on the far side of his body and the barrel is down. He starts saying stupid stuff and walks out of the store. You call 911.

You put your gun away and show the police the security video. It isn’t clear if the outside security video got the robber’s license plate number. Your attacker is arrested a few days later and the Benelli shotgun he carried with him is confiscated by the police.

You are not charged with a crime.

Tag- No Shots Fired

Fourth story- Do you have a firearm at home?

You hear someone outside. It is about 4 in the morning and you hear the sounds of an ATV or a motorcycle coming from your backyard. That is unusual since your family is inside your home at that hour. You get up to investigate. You also grab your rifle. Another member of your family joins you. Both of you walk towards two ATVs that are parked near your storage buildings. You see two men come out of the buildings towards the ATVs. You shout for them to stop. One man runs into the brush behind your house. The other man rushes toward you with his hand out. You shoot him. Now he stops.

You call 911 and ask for help. You give a statement to the police when they arrive. Police arrest your wounded attacker. EMS takes him to a nearby hospital to treat his wounded arm. The police also arrest the second intruder.

The extended discussion of each story is at the Self Defense Gun Stories podcast webpage.

 

Rob Morse
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Sisu

Surrender. Get cameras. If you can see the night sky (let alone one star, or even the moon) you need more night lights. Alarms – must be redundant. Door bells must have separate cameras and recording systems. Don’t forget you need a data(video) storage and rotation plan. Retirement savings will be of no use if you are dead; spend it all on more security. … Ask yourself: “Why do I live in a house above ground, exposed on all sides ?” … Abandon the legal principles of “innocent until proven guilty” and “mens rea”. Keep paying your real estate taxes… Read more »

Bubba

I think he’s saying even in the dark so long as you feel threatened.
Unlike Commiefornia where they have to have a gun to your head before you can even show yours. Then maybe you won’t go to jail. Maybe. 70-30 you’re still going to jail in Los Angeles or San Francisco.

Last edited 1 year ago by Bubba
Xaun Loc

If you are in Texas and you believe “In Texas you can protect your belongings whether its day or night.” I would strongly suggest that you unload and lock up any guns you might own until you find someone who knows Texas law and have them read the Texas Penal Code § 9.42 to you. In fact have them read it to you several times until the words “during the nighttime” begin to sink in. It seems that you have been listening to some fool who read just 9.41 which allows you to use force to protect property without bothering… Read more »

Wild Bill

Now everybody read this comment all the way through before getting mad at me, please. Unfortunately X is correct as far as he goes, but he does not explain that the situation can go from a strictly an exclusively TPC 9.42 (1)(2A, B, and C) and 3 situation to a 9.32 (a) and (b) situation in the smallest part of a moment. To say it another way: it takes the smallest part of a moment to go from deadly force defense of property to deadly force defense of self. Deadly force defense of self is the one that you want… Read more »

Wild Bill

X, One can defend his property day or night … just don’t use deadly force to do it. Wait that extra half second till the thread turns from the property to the person, and rely on 9.32

Wild Bill

Yes, if you are going to hold him and he turns violent. Absolutely.

Wild Bill

Partly.