Last night's dream involving HGs

I dreamed I was standing across the street and saw a woman waving a gun around to my left, threatening people and trying to herd them into a building through a doorway.

Alarmed, I drew my HG and shot at the woman and (gasp) shot the gun out of her hand. I went over and another fellow and I further subdued the woman and I advised him to remove the magazine from her gun and empty the magazine.

At that time I said 'since nobody really knows what happened and no one was shot, I'm going to take off'. I was thinking 'oh, it will now be a problem, even though I was a good Samaritan, I'll likely be arrested for discharging a HG in city limits, and probably have my HG seized as evidence'.

It just goes to show that even if you are doing something right, saving lives, you end up with the crappy end of the stick. I seriously doubt that LEOs have their HGs seized when they shoot a BG, by the way.

Though it was a dream it illustrates, for me, the big downside of getting involved, wherein my rights are violated (no one was actually wounded) and my safety compromised (i.e. disarmed until the trial is over) should I do anything besides save my own life or a loved one's life by discharging my HG. It further convinces me not to ever do something like that in real life.

As long as you are in the right,and did the right thing, it should'nt be an issue.
There's lots of cases each year of lawfuly-armed citizens intervening in other situations.
The greater concern is knowing who's friend or foe- if a situation isnt clear from the beginning (not observed from start,not obvious,etc. )
Say, if you observe a gun fight break out by 2 persons-but didnt see what caused or lead up to it,for example. How would you know who to engage? One could be a UC police, or even the "good guy" citizen.

I agree with what you are saying but it brought home the thought that no matter if what I did was a good act, a good shoot even in the most unlikely and most innocuous situation (no one being shot and the crime abated), that I could be charged with shooting in city limits and my HG -would- be seized and maybe not ever returned. My liberty (if arrested) would not be in my own hands and would be up to the capricious and often arbitrary whim of the DA if I was jailed and/or if my HG would ever be returned.

I do not want that to happen. You can never predict what "they" will do in the aftermath. My thought is avoid getting into the 'system' at all costs.

Charged, maybe in Seattle...convicted, I doubt it.

There are exceptions to all rules when you are protecting yourself from grave bodily harm, and in some cases also, when you are protecting someone else.

Many years ago (60's) I was a teen and we were living in North Hollywood, CA. (Watts riots time period) We lived next to a large church. One night a bunch of motorcycles rode into the church parking lot and some indiividuals started to try to break into the church.

I took out my hunting rifle and shot 1 round into the base of a tree next to the church and all of those motorcycles left in a hurry. The sound of that cannon was enough for them to understand that continuing to do what they were doing could be unhealthy.

Anyway, I was only asked why I discharged that rifle, and after I explained what had happened, that was the end of it. No charges filed, no official problems. They thaught I did fine.

How did they know it was you?

This is interesting but not really relevant. I'm saying I'm not willing to take the risk, to lose my CHL or to have my HG seized, is all, for other than my own life or a loved one's.

The dream, feeling 'real' as dreams sometimes do, convinced me of the reality of trying to help a stranger and I just don't consider it worth it. I'll be a good witness and leave it at that.

I might add that IF the law was more fairly applied, and good Samaritan principles were uniformly applied, I'd feel differently. If they don't confiscate a LEO's HG for a good shoot, why confiscate a citizen's? (for example)

My dad was the pastor of the church and we lived on the property...which was quite large, as in "many acres" don't remember exactly how many, but several not just one or two. If the streets were normal probably a whole block. We were competely surrounded by houses.

The LAPD just stopped by and asked if it was me, and I said yes and why. They were more interested in what I used for a backstop then anything else. After all, we were completely surrounded by houses. looked it up, this would have been 1965, which fits, because I was in college in Canada in 1966.