Would you get arrested if a looter was trying to break
into your house and you shoot him?
2007-10-31 15:14:45 · 21 answers · asked by SamX 1 in Sports ➔ Outdoor Recreation ➔ Hunting
You need to check your local laws.
Arkansas has recently have given it's citizens more rights. I am not totally sure about them. From what I understand if your life threatened outdoors you no longer try to get away to defend your self. It was nick named "Stand Your Ground Law".
If someone in Arkansas breaks into your home and is inside you have the right to defend yourself without knowing if they are carrying a weapon.
I am not a lawyer. Don't hold me to this. Check in the Law and Ethics section. Better yet call your local district attorney. As some have said in some states there are different laws.
P.S. Many years ago I caught a man coming into my home through a back window. I held him at gun point till the police got there.
They told the intruder right there in front of me that I had every right to shoot him. The officer turned to me and said "You should have shot him."
I didn't feel my life was in immediate danger or I would have had to do what ever I had to do. I thank God for keeping me and my family safe.
2007-11-01 01:53:10 · answer #1 · answered by Old Hickory 6 · 5⤊ 1⤋
If I shot one here I wouldn't get arrested. The cops would come look, call an ambulance, take the looter away, and if he lived they would put the looter in jail. Odds are he would be dead...
2007-11-02 21:56:38 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Depends if he threatened you in any way you can shoot him. But it also depends on the state. Like other answers wrote, in California you would get arrested if you threw a napkin at a burglar. You have to find out what is the law in your state/county but in general you can only shoot them if the threaten you or your family/pets.
And for all you people who put "You cannot teach what you have not experienced.*"
You idiots if he had had this experience he wouldn't be asking. And I doubt that you have had the same experience.
2007-11-01 09:38:43 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
This depends very much on where you live.
First. Are you able to legally possess the weapon you are using?
Second. Does your State have a "Stand Your Ground" law or a "Castle Doctrine" law. Or does it impose a "Duty to Retreat"?
The first two type laws do allow a home owner to assume the intruder, breaking into your home, poses a deadly threat and allows you to use deadly force to stop or repel him. The "Duty to Retreat" laws require you to flee the home if you can. Only if the intruder actually attacks you can you use deadly force.
I would advice you to take a self defense course before opting to shoot someone. The training will help you make the correct decision.
Killing someone, no matter what the circumstances, is not something to take lightly.
2007-11-01 00:09:42 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 2⤋
Shooting an unarmed "Looter" that's attempting to break into your home with no threat of bodily harm to you immanently , will get you arrested and charged with attempted murder,and felony assault in most ANY state in the U.S.. Unless you are being directly assaulted and in actual fear for your life, then and only then do you have the right to use "deadly force". You do have the right to defend your property to a degree and of course you have the right to hold the criminal at gun point until the Police or Sheriff arrive but nothing more. Not only would you face criminal charges but in addition, if the criminal lived thru you shooting him, he/she could sue you in civil court and take away everything you own......You need serious proof or evidence of serious bodily harm, to get yourself out of a legal jamb like thisand you better have a LOT more evidence than your word against theirs......Don't be foolish enough to think you can get away with using DEADLY FORCE by doing it any way other than the RIGHT way..REAL Weapons and REAL threats of bodily harm against you or a member of your family.....That is the ONLY legal justification for the use of deadly force in defending yourself and your family....
C_F_45..Nice quote, but Massad Ayoob never shot and killed anyone...Personal experience has taught me we live in an imperfect world and the things we should be able to count on..turns out we can't...Like a just and fair jury,a fair trial, and a legal system that works each and every time....There's another term used by the Police..."CYA" (Cover your A**)
Michael B....That doesn't refer to a drop gun or putting a steak knife in a dead intruders hand.....
2007-11-01 00:43:31 · answer #5 · answered by JD 7 · 5⤊ 2⤋
The answer really depends on the state. "castle laws" are becoming more common and basically say that if you belong where you are and you have a reasonable fear of life an limb you can legally pull the trigger.
Killing someone does not prevent a lawsuit. Family members can and do sue. I am not a lawyer but a few things:
1.always use an unaltered weapons for defense
2. always use factory ammo not reloads
3. call 911 as soon as possible and try to act concerned for the criminals welfare.
2007-11-01 00:00:01 · answer #6 · answered by uncle frosty 4 · 3⤊ 3⤋
It would be great if a looter broke into my home..... I wouldnt be able to contain myself on picking out which high powered rifle I was going to stuff down his throat!! But like the others have said..... laws vary from state to state, but you can hold them there with your weapon until the police come..... you wont get into any trouble that way.
2007-11-01 12:23:39 · answer #7 · answered by Stampy Skunk 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Personally, I would worry about the law AFTER a threat to me or my family was removed. If I find someone breaking into my house for any reason, they will be carried out in a body bag and I'll take my chances in court and live with the consequences.
2007-11-01 11:13:27 · answer #8 · answered by smf_hi 4 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Most places, you're justified in protecting yourself
and others from harm. Just property may not be
enough to justify the shot.
Ethically, you should try to warn him off before shooting.
If he keeps coming after being warned, it's a
pretty reliable indication he intended harm and
therefore justifies the shot.
2007-11-01 22:23:02 · answer #9 · answered by Irv S 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The sad part is that we don't have the right to protect our families anymore, for some reason this country has become a bunch of pansy asses, and bow down -vs- taking responsibilty 4 there actions.......I was allways told a dead man don't talk, some one breaks in your house with a gun or a knife, don't shoot to mame, becouse in this country they can sew you 4 shooting them in YOUR house, that they broke in too........Yes you may go to prison or jail, In my case I am willing to go to jail or prison if I have to to protect my family......In my eyes there is a right and a wrong........You do not threatin me or my family with deadly force, with out fatal reprocussions........So I guess what I am saying is are you willing to take the hand that you are delt 4 doing what is right?.....I know if something happened to my kids, wife, mom, exc.. and I could have stopped it and I didn't, I couldn't live with myself anyway , so I would rather take care of the situation than have to deal with the pain of not doing what I should have done..............Even if it means giving up my own life physically or by going to prison..........
2007-11-01 06:19:39 · answer #10 · answered by Tlanuwa 3 · 3⤊ 2⤋