After You Defend Yourself

[BillCA]

This is probably not a good plan by any means, but I was wondering what would happen in this situation. You are walking home at night, a BG attacks you/threatens you with a deadly weapon, thus giving you the legal right to defend your self and shoot him. You shoot, he dies, no one else sees it. You could easily go home and leave the BG on the street, and no one would know besides you. Would this be a bad idea? You shot legally, and had every right to defend yourself. There is no need to do anything else is there? Do you have to call 911 and say, "hello, i just shot a guy who tried to kill me."? Whats the deal here?

Yes. You do.
The fact is that you were involved in a homicide, a possible felony. A homicide is the death of a human being at the hands of another. While your scenario paints a relatively clear cut case there are a number of reasons why you should not just "walk away".

• Flight = Guilt - The legal presumption is that leaving the scene implies you had something to hide.
• Disregard of the law - here you're painted as thinking of yourself above the law, with no need to answer for YOUR actions.
• Possibly leaving a live person to die - use your imagination how that looks to a jury.
• Potential witnesses who you overlooked.
• Forensic evidence you may be unaware of that points to you (footprints, fingerprints, loose hairs, etc.)

So what's the right response? There are several answers, but these will depend on circumstances and the area you're in. You can try yelling help-police (though some recommend yelling "help! Fire!" as more likely to summon aid). You can calmly walk to the nearest phone to call police. Use a cellphone if you have one.

Personally, I'd rather remain at the scene to ensure that the BG's weapon does not "disappear" or others tamper with the scene. I want the cops to arrive at MY request to find me being the good citizen, shaking but also concerned that the right things be done.

 

[Al Norris]

Preparedness is the key. Granted no one knows what they will actually do before something like this happens, still, you must prepare yourself.

Thinking and discussing these things helps you to prepare, not only for the encounter, but the aftermath.

So far, there have been some good suggestions as to your actions after the encounter. +1 for BillCA

Some cretin has entered your house and you felt enough fear for yourself and/or your loved ones, so you shot them. Hopefully, you shot them dead. Else, as stated, don't go near the idjut. If he bleeds out, he bleeds out. Call 911, report the shooting and have them respond an ambulance. You are not a doctor or an ME. You Don;t Know If He Is Dead Or Alive. Assume alive. Assume alive and still a threat, no matter how minor. Bill? would any one mind if I threw him the towel from the cat box? I sure as heck ain't gonna bloody a good one!

During the time that this encounter happened, your body will be dumping gallons of adrenaline into your system. You will not remember every detail. What happened probably took but a few moments, but to you, it may have seemed like hours... Or you may remember seeing the guy and next finding yourself standing over the body. It's called a Mental Fugue. Time dilation or contraction. Tunnel vision. Visual and/or auditory exclusion. Call it what you will. Most people experience some form of this during adrenaline dumps.

Post trauma let down. After it's all over and your subconscience mind realizes you are safe, it will quite dumping adrenaline. Which wears off almost at once. You've just expended a huge amount of energy. Some sort of shock is usual. The less experienced you are with these kinds of events the more prone to shock you will be. You may be disoriented, enough not to hear the police arrive. You may have trembles/shakes. You may not be able to stand. You might be standing but unable to move beyond that point without help. You may be feeling nausea. You may not be able to talk in a rational manner. You may experience a case of the blithering idiots (uncontrollable talking).

Or you may not experience any of these things right away. The reaction may be delayed (PTSS anyone?). And all of this is just generalization. Each person will react differently.

How you feel will be how you feel. No one can predict with any reliability how you will react or feel afterwards.

Did I leave anything out asmall?

Full Disclosure: I have killed as a combat Marine. Never in what we would call self defense. And yes, you react there also. Almost always delayed.

 

[Gary H]

Am I prepared to use it to defend myself and my wife in a life-or-death situation? I'm pretty sure I can do it.

Now lets see. You and your family face death and you are only "pretty sure"?

I would suggest that you best learn the law and practice a lot, because that indecision will get all of you killed.

 

[asmall]

Gary H-

I can't be any more sure than I am without actually being in the situation. As a scientist my habit is to put disclaimers and error bars on statements. Until I'm actually there and make the decision I can't know for sure how I'll respond. I hope I never have to find out. But I'm reluctant to talk big about things that I don't know from experience.

To me, anybody who talks about what he'll do in the most stressful situation imaginable, without any actual experience, is a person who lacks perspective. To the extent that I can have any confidence about this, it's because I've been in other crises and I've kept my cool and acted quickly. For instance, when a co-worker had a seizure, everybody ran up to him and wondered what to do, while I pulled out a phone, called for help, told my co-workers to pull away furniture with sharp objects, and ran outside to meet the ambulance and guide them to our location. Or, when my car broke down on the interstate during a cross-country move, my wife and brother (who were driving it) panicked and demanded to know what to do, while I turned the UHaul around, got back to them, and made them explain the events step-by-step (my brother was rambling and trying to assure me that he didn't break it). When there's a problem to trouble-shoot, I get the nervous person to calm down and answer simple questions instead of rambling.

So I think I have a track record of focusing under pressure. But I have never had to use a weapon in self-defense, so I am careful not to make any assumptions and boast that I know I'll keep cool. I think I will, but I simply cannot say for sure unless I find out by experience.

That "pretty sure" qualifier was caution, not nervousness.

 

[Zekewolf]

Bill,

I live in the largest town in my county, city population under 2000. I agree that, more-than-likely, the larger the city, the more invasive the investigation. However, comparing your Kalifornia situation to us U.S. residents isn't a fair comparison.

The chances of my ever having to use a firearm in self-defense are pretty much infinitesimal. I agree that the most important ingredient is mindset. I feel pretty strong in my mindset; don't worry for a second about legal implications. Would just do what I felt was necessary at the time. The courts and l.e.o.'s are very familiar to me, and I have no fear of either.

 

[Gary H]

I can't be any more sure than I am without actually being in the situation.

OK, I'm not trying to judge you.

To me, anybody who talks about what he'll do in the most stressful situation imaginable, without any actual experience, is a person who lacks perspective.

So much for discussion boards.

I simply cannot say for sure unless I find out by experience.

Death and taxes..right\\ You can take classes that put you into stressful situation and require action. You can practice for such events and compete in disciplines such as IDPA. Thinking is useful, but training is also of value.

 

[jsp98m3]

You tried to kill them then you want to try to save them? Who are you, Sybil?

Call 911 and tell them you shot someone, send an ambulance and cops.

I'd get the lawyer. E-V-E-R-Y S-I-N-G-L-E T-I-M-E

Another sure thing, once the BG is down, stop shooting. Well maybe one more.

But don't hit them standing up 2-3 times and then put another 10 into them while they are down. There IS a case for murder if you keep shooting into a non-threat. Ballistics will absolutely tell the story.

Jim