Self-Defense Shooting - One Year Later

imported post

Well, I have come up on the anniversary of that horrible evening in New Castle. It has been one year since those two punks surprised me in my own driveway and jammed a gun into my ribs and demanded my money, and I returned the favor of surprise by shooting one of them point-blank in the chest, making them both flee back to their home....

It all still seems so unreal when I think about it, and I remember that night. I can still recall seeing them both walking down the street as I drove past them. I can still recall putting my work bag on my shoulder and zipping up my backpack. I can recall the feeling of a hard cold object being shoved into my ribs on my left side. I can still recall the "conversation" we had during the incident, and his cold voice. I can still remember all the thoughts I had going through my head as the events unfolded. I can still remember all the emotions and feelings I felt during and after it all happened. I can still remember... everything.

The incident from a year ago changed my life forever. Mostly in good, positive ways... but in a few negative ways as well. I won't get into details or explanations right now, but I want to list a few things I did learn a year ago. I hope you all remember and carry these points with you, always:

- crime can happen to anyone, anywhere, at anytime.
- carry your firearm at all times, and protect yourself at all times.
- carry your firearm with a round IN the chamber, ready to fire.
- practice drawing from your carry holster. Practice this a lot.
- make the conscious decision that you'll pull the trigger ahead of time, not when your life is in danger.
- the events will happen very quickly, but they'll feel like time is standing still.
- only shoot until the threat to your life is over.
- you'll be asked to explain what happened countless times. Write stuff down if you have a chance.
- the adrenaline will eventually go away. Be prepared to shake and get chilly.
- have a good lawyer lined up before any incident occurs.
- you have many brothers and sisters in the gun community ready to help you.


I had written a lot of things down since the incident, including thoughts, feelings, procedures I went through, people I spoke with, etc. I'll have to compile it all into a booklet or something, some day. Someone even suggested that I should be a guest speaker at particular events. I guess things happened the way they did for a reason. And maybe it's my time to get more "public" with what happened instead of keeping it to myself. I don't know...

What I do know is that everyone has to be alert, and be ready, for anything, anywhere, and at any time. We all hear/read the news everyday. Evil is all around us, preying on the weak. Be aware. Be strong. Be swift and decisive. Carry at all times. And we'll triumph over evil when it comes knocking on our door.



(Cross-posted from Delaware Open Carry)

imported post

Good advice. And good to have you still with us.

I hope you won't consider this indelicate, but did both perps survive? Were they apprehended and prosecuted (one was not shot and could have escaped)? I'm interested in how the justice system in Delaware reacted to this incident.

I've had several unfortunate incidents myself, but have never fired a round, usually because the incident happened before I purchased a handgun, or was in a jurisdiction that prevented carrying of said firearm. (see http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum60/8581.html - about the 4th reply on the first page). Of about a dozen incidents I've been involved in personally, only one resulted in a prosecution (bad guy pointed a gun at a bunch of police - bad career move).

Again, good to have you still with us.

imported post

dave_in_delaware wrote:

Well, I have come up on the anniversary of that horrible evening in New Castle. It has been one year since those two punks surprised me in my own driveway and jammed a gun into my ribs and demanded my money, and I returned the favor of surprise by shooting one of them point-blank in the chest, making them both flee back to their home....

It all still seems so unreal when I think about it, and I remember that night. I can still recall seeing them both walking down the street as I drove past them. I can still recall putting my work bag on my shoulder and zipping up my backpack. I can recall the feeling of a hard cold object being shoved into my ribs on my left side. I can still recall the "conversation" we had during the incident, and his cold voice. I can still remember all the thoughts I had going through my head as the events unfolded. I can still remember all the emotions and feelings I felt during and after it all happened. I can still remember... everything.

The incident from a year ago changed my life forever. Mostly in good, positive ways... but in a few negative ways as well. I won't get into details or explanations right now, but I want to list a few things I did learn a year ago. I hope you all remember and carry these points with you, always:

- crime can happen to anyone, anywhere, at anytime.
- carry your firearm at all times, and protect yourself at all times.
- carry your firearm with a round IN the chamber, ready to fire.
- practice drawing from your carry holster. Practice this a lot.
- make the conscious decision that you'll pull the trigger ahead of time, not when your life is in danger.
- the events will happen very quickly, but they'll feel like time is standing still.
- only shoot until the threat to your life is over.
- you'll be asked to explain what happened countless times. Write stuff down if you have a chance.
- the adrenaline will eventually go away. Be prepared to shake and get chilly.
- have a good lawyer lined up before any incident occurs.
- you have many brothers and sisters in the gun community ready to help you.


I had written a lot of things down since the incident, including thoughts, feelings, procedures I went through, people I spoke with, etc. I'll have to compile it all into a booklet or something, some day. Someone even suggested that I should be a guest speaker at particular events. I guess things happened the way they did for a reason. And maybe it's my time to get more "public" with what happened instead of keeping it to myself. I don't know...

What I do know is that everyone has to be alert, and be ready, for anything, anywhere, and at any time. We all hear/read the news everyday. Evil is all around us, preying on the weak. Be aware. Be strong. Be swift and decisive. Carry at all times. And we'll triumph over evil when it comes knocking on our door.



(Cross-posted from Delaware Open Carry)

Click to expand...

Don't do this. Tell the cops a basic outline of what happened . Then, when they ask you to repeat yourself in detail/write it down/answer questions about it, POLITELY apologize and tell them you've said too much already and you know your lawyer is going to be mad at you for talking, but you just wanted to help out.

Don't write anything down (except a copy of the 'statement' your lawyer will print up with you) anywhere public until long after the event has blown over !!! THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT

Be careful when talking to the cops because your brain was going through a period
when it was not processing normally. This causes odd gaps in visual, audio, or tactile
memory. YOUR WILL FIND IT NATURAL TO MAKE ASSUMPTIONS BASED ON THE REMAINING SENSATIONS TO FILL IN THE MISSING ONES... DON'T !!
Your brain may do this automatically and you'll need to catch yourself and stop.
Be honest if you can't remember. Cops are experienced with victims of crime and will understand.

and finally, most important: You are a victim.
Just because you came out on top doesn't change that!
You will be eligible for free victim counseling services.
Use them.

The rest is from what I did wrong:

because you will get shaky and chilly, leave the area immediately because if you stay around until this happens and you aren't in a secure place, and a threat renews itself, you could be unable to handle your weapon.


Leaving the scene of an accident is illegal.. leaving the scene of a crime, where you were the victim, and you aren't in a secure environment IS AN EXCELLENT IDEA AND LEGAL. DO THIS. If you have to leave in order to get to a secure place, PICK UP ANY FIREARMS BY THE BARREL AND PUT THEM ON THE FLOOR OF YOUR CAR. DO NOT 'secure' THEM. Just make sure the safety is on if applicable. DO NOT LEAVE THEM BEHIND.

imported post

Personally, I wouldn't say a damn thing to the cops other than the fact that I wont say anything or answer any questions until I speak with an attorney.

imported post

Yes. You still might wanna try something very basic in order to make it known that YOU are the victim complainant. It could avoid an arrest. Even if the charges are dropped later an arrest is a shitty thing. It stigmatizes you, and is a pain to get expunged. You can do it in one sentence.


'Officer, I am the victim complainant and this man attacked me with a (insert weapon here), I was afraid he was going to kill me so I shot him.'

When you are asked for more information then you lawyer up. don't worry this wont be immediate because the primary investigators on the case are the ones who will question you, and they won't do so until they gather a little info so they can fact check.

If there are witnesses who actually saw what happened and are impartial you could get away without saying a single word other than to ID yourself and not get arrested, but don't rely on that.

imported post

I would say simmonsjoe is correct on this one. You do want to tell them that you were the victim but dont stretch the story out because cops tell you this "Anything you say or do can be held against you in a court of law" It can never be used for your good that is why they dont say anything like that. Lawyers will tell you that also. If it comes down to it then they would have to prove you are guilty and that is harder to do with a short brief statement oral not written The lawyer will write one for you. This way they cant say you lied about anything that happened. When your brain is running on adrenaline it does not think the same Its not as clear until later when you calm down some. Cops will try to make you out to be a liar even over stuff that they know could be from the adrenaline. It is good that you were able to defend yourself. God bless you

imported post

Thanks, Dave, for reminding us of your experience.

I second your suggestion of practicing drawing and firing your holstered gun. About half of my drill rounds have been fired from the holster as it were. Draw, present, aim, DA, SA, decock, holster. Again and again.

It is much more effective logically and emotionally to remember that "EVERYTHING you say will be used against you..." instead of "Anything..." The media's meme is never to our benefit.

Either we are equal or we are not. Good people ought to be armed where they will, with wits and guns and the truth. NRA KMA$$

imported post

Allow me to make a slight change to a prior mentioned statement to Police --

Officer, I am the victim complainant and this man attacked me with a (insert weapon here), I was afraid he was going to kill me so I was forced to defend myself

Click to expand...