I wasnt implying that he was on a drug, just protecting his crop.

What the guy was was ignorant. There are many in the US that think they can use deadly force to protect their property. They are wrong. You may only use deadly force when your life is in immediate danger. Even if the you had walked in his front door he would not be allowed to shoot you. You may only use the same amount of force that is used against you. That means if your attacker has a loaf of bread in his hands you cannot hit him in the head with a hammer.
I look at this guy when ever I pass by his stand. He looks like he has very few customers if any. I would think that there may be loneliness issue here. He was just trying to make friends. He probably has a thing for the cops.

Capt. Dan you must be from England. If a guy is coming at you with a knife you would ask him to please stop so you can put down your gun and go get a knife from the kitchen? You have got to be kidding.

A guy walks in to my house in the middle of the night, in the dark and is walking toward me or my family, he is going to get laid out by what ever force I have at my disposal.

I agree you cannot shoot someone who is bashing in your mailbox but if he is in your house and you feel your life or those of your family you have every right to shoot!

" I would think that there may be loneliness issue here. He was just trying to make friends. He probably has a thing for the cops"

LOL..That is a great way to meet people, open fire!! Cops really like it too...I can tell you I have met many people because they wanted to get my attention by gunfire !!

You prove my point quite well.

Three weeks ago a man in Bellingham shot and killed a person comming through his window in the middle of the night. The police charged him with murder.

You need to ask a lawyer what the law is. I did!

First off if a guy came in my window in the middle of the night he wouldn't ever do that again.
Now on to the heart of the matter.
Can someone give me this guys phone number so I can say hello?
Shooting at someone who is hunting or fishing is not ok period (even if trespassing though you say and I believe you were not).
I hunt and I fish a lot. I own a **** load of guns but I have never pulled one on anybody let alone taken any shots at someone.
This makes me think of the Hmong deal in Wisconsin.

I am truely very very sorry to hear you were shot at for no good reason. I'm even more sorry that you will be learning that the the criminal justice system is going to do so very little for you. Once you learn this maybe you should consider not getting the police involved should something like this happen again. Maybe you could handle these matters personally when you or your loved ones are wronged. Maybe if you send someone to the hospital and you only (if at all) go to jail you might be satified in these matters. Maybe by not going to the police to begin with you have kept options open. Maybe if he can get away with this with witnesses around in broad daylight, maybe you should think about what you might be able to do at the right place and the right time with a cool calculated head. It's just an idea and a little food for thought. Good luck and I wish you the best problem free hunting in the future.


Hoglander

thats crazy Jim, glad to hear both of you aren't to shook up

What a fricken idiot...do we have more than our fair share in this state? Take the sob to court and sue him for all he's worth and have him be the biatch for some dude in prison...

Capt. Dan
That is why I live in the great state of Alaska where we have laws that make sense. Every situation is different and I would be willing to bet the charge won't stick unless he gets a liberal jury. I have asked lawyers and am trained in carrying a concealed firearm. If you feel you life is being threatend, especially in your own home you have the right to shoot that individual.
I don't know who your lawyer is but whoever gave you the advice that you can't bring a gun to a knife fight is entirely wrong. If that was the standard, picture a 120 lb woman being attacked by a 220 lb man, does she have the right to shoot him even though he has no gun?

BTW, What would you do if a guy was climbing through your window a 2:00am?

If I'm going to break into a house I'm going to break into Capt Dan's house because it sounds like I can get away with it. Nothing more than a bump from a flying loaf of bread.

If someone breaks into your house, they are obviously a threat to you and your family's lives. You have every right to use deadly force to protect what is yours. This is America remember, not Canada, France, or England. If you read the "Armed Citizen" column in the NRA's National Rifleman there are many instances of citizen's using deadly force on intruders and none of the defenders have been charged with anything, let alone murder.

According to state law if you feel you or another's life is in danger you have the legal right to use deadly force.

The cops in Bellingham charged this guy with murder?? Last I checked all the cops did was gather evidence and turn it over to the prosecutors office.


This happened here in the south sound recently. Someone woke up to someone in their house. Blew him away. The prosecutors looked at the evidence and rules he acted in self defense.

I never said anything about "obvious threat" I did say reasonable force.

Capt. Dan,

What would you do if someone was breaking in at 2:00am?

If you are married, What would you want your wife or daughter to do if you weren't there?

A good friend of mine's a cop and according to them if you shoot someone in your house and they are not armed you will be charged if the intruder lives. Her advice? If your going to shoot someone, make sure you kill them.

Since you completely miss characterize my statements, and obviously want to make this about me, I would suggest that you don't worry about me. I got things covered on my end. And my wife can handle herself. Nuff said?

"You may only use the same amount of force that is used against you. That means if your attacker has a loaf of bread in his hands you cannot hit him in the head with a hammer."


I think we would both do the same thing if someone was breaking in, but the above quote is completely wrong.

I agree with you when you said "You may only use deadly force when your life is in immediate danger"
The idea that you can only use the same amount of force that is being used against you really set me off because it is way off base. (if you live in the United States)

As I recall, there is something in the law about deadly force being justified only if you are fearful for your life. I think any sensible person would be fearful for their life if somebody broke into the house. I sure would be. Just like I would be fearful for my life if I was out on the river and somebody threatened me with a firearm, threatened bodily harm, or started shooting at or around me.
SS

A classmate when I was in high school snuck back into her house at night and her father shot her thinking she was an intruder. She was paralyzed from the neck down. I bet that one wasn't in the NRA field manual. You'd better really have your stuff together if you are going to pull the trigger.

Agreed, one of the main things they stess in training is pulling the trigger is the last resort. There are a lot of issues that happen after an event and after learning about it, it really makes you not want to pull the trigger. On the flip side, I won't hesitate if I know my family is in danger.