Good stuff... really.
I live in one of the 17 states that have a “Stand your ground” law. So, inside or outside of your home, or off your property (with a CCL), one has but to feel they are being put in jepordy of injury or loss of life and deadly force can be used to dispel whatever perceived danger
I’d submit unless the intruder is a skilled professional criminal, and perhaps even then, anyone breaking into a house has their nerves on edge already, pulse pounding, blood pressure soaring, and definitely on edge. Surprising someone with a light but not firing at them immediately is taking a chance I’d as soon allow someone else to take.
Usually, they’re there to take things outside of the home, tools, boats, or your car. Ordinarily, seeing a car tips ‘em off someone might be inside. Seeing that someone very well is inside and still desiring to enter should be enough info to indicate perhaps, they’re there for something considerably graver.
Too many things could happen and there’s absolutely no way of knowing what some junkie, crack head, or plain ol’ B&E fella will do once they know they are discovered!
Therefore I'd submit another perspective. IF you have instituted a monitored alarm system, or merely one which alarms you, or not. If you choose to figure you can just unveil a burglar with an off hand held light by flashing it briefly in the general direction of the invader and in that instance decidedly tell they are armed, or not with no further course of action in mind but to contain or hold for the police? Good luck with that.
Now that you’ve shone your light, well, now what?
But then, that’s taking a really big chance, isn’t it?
I’d say it is a dicey proposition at best to attempt to overcome or yikes! detain a threat that is now inside your home in the middle of the night.
If you can see a person without a light being cast into a suspect’s direction, there’s no need to display your light at all, except to acquire and dispatch them with it. No need to reveal your locale by yelling commands at them either.
If you do shine one even very briefly, it seems then too the opponent has an area or point of aim. Out of sheer surprise they could fire in your genral direction. Probably quite wildly and often! I’d as soon not be shot at generally or directly.
They may even shoot at your orders to drop to the ground…. Don’t move! Freeze! You’re covered! Or the sorts we’ve all heard one way or another.
Shine your light to discover only? Then, who's got who covered?
I'd submit using which ever tactic of displaying a bright light to 'identify' only, is sheer folly.
Be a light stuck onto my pistol and held away from my body entirely ready to fire, or one operated by my off hand makes no diff if you have no intention to fire in that moment.
I’d much rather have my light bearing weapon under control and when I light up the now aptly discovered ‘position discovered’ bad guy, pull the trigger almost immediately.
Nope. In a home or personal defense situation, lights or lasers are for acquiring and immediately disposing of your threat! I’m not Roy Rodgers, The Lone Ranger, or Batman.
No actions I or anyone should take with an intruder inside of their home should involve giving the ‘bad guy’ another chance… nope. They rolled the dice when they decided to enter your abode unlawfully, stealthily and perhaps violently.
As for me or someone else shooting a first responder, LEO, neighbor, or friend, doesn’t it seem logical that any of these people will be avidly, vociferously, and very likely enthusiastically announcing themselves so as to both alarm you and identify themselves as no threat??
If your home is in jepordy from flood or on fire, it should be first responders duty to assume they are at risk in such a scenario…. And should do everything they can to both alarm the home owner and protect themselves. So demonstrably identifying themselves seems a no brainer!
Bad guys, last time I checked don’t make a habit of doing that. The really really bad guys won’t be announcing themselves. Only the good guys will.
In such cases, law enforcement is not always going to be the ‘first responder’, most likely you will be it.
Naturally, my comments depend on prior knowledge of the whereabouts of your family, room mate (s), or guests. Under conditions where you know full well the current spots of those listed above when a home invasion takes place, following the above prescribed actions appear as a matter of course for insuring one’s safety and maintaining the integrity of your property.
True, there’s a time and place for brandishing blinding lights into faces of people without taking measures including the use of deadly force… just not in admittedly desperate situations.