a Tennessee perspective

more from the thread....

Perhaps. Fortunately, most thugs don't know how the law works for honest & law abiding people. But the few that do know, or have had some "jailhouse training" can be dangerous to good citizens. Three recent cases, one of them here in the SF area, showed that thieves caught in the act, raised their hands, apologized and then simply walking out/away. One (in Oregon) walked off with a $400 impact hammer set while saying "it's illegal to shoot me in the back for just taking property". Frightening.

In this case, the thief revealed that another thief told him not to threaten anyone, but just walk off or tell the guy he can't shoot over mere property. And it had worked for him four times so far! This speaks well of our citizens in that they don't seem to go overboard using force. The thief also risks getting killed or shot by someone ignorant of the way the laws work.

When I first read the original thread I got MAD because it reminded me of when it kind of happened like that to me when I was young, unarmed, and just a weak 16 y/o kid as dudes took my stuff.

If you slam that car door hard enough, something will go crunch and they won't be able to walk away.

In Texas however, seems they got a different set of rules ... one can protect property.

What if you went outside and the thief's buddy, or buddies came out of the shadows to help him out?

Then you are in fear for your life, shoot them all.

Originally Posted by Hero Gear

Good point.

The info presented was the guy was in the car, it seems the stereo is either being stolen, or you had just won a free surprise install of a premium system from Crutchfield.com.

At this point, you want the guy out of your car, but is he really a lethal threat to you?

Is the next step beyond yelling at him and calling the cops to clear leather?

The reason I am really stressing that people think about this is I have a good friend who was in a similar situation (actually it was 3 on 1) and that person cleared leather.
Guess what guys? The LE, DA, and Court system is pretty unpredictable!
One would assume that 3 on 1 is a no-brainer for pulling your gun, right?
Wrong.
That person was not only charged, but ended up with a guilty conviction!

So, my point is; better be 105% sure that you were 2 seconds away from bodily injury or death, because you may find your ass sitting in jail for defending your 8 track!

+1

Use a gun, any gun against unarmed men, prepare to be prosecuted. Could be more than 3, and the charges will likely stick. I see that as a certainty, not unpredictable at all. You do some shooting in a middle class neighborhood, the DA will be on you like a dog on a bone.

I think you have 2 legitimate options

1. Do nothing. Stay inside and call the cops.
2. Run outside, either unarmed or with a holstered handgun and yell at the guy, and hopefully he'll run off. You better to be ready to wrastle around for that handgun.

I wouldn't risk my dog unless it was an all or nothing fight. I've lost my best dog to a crook one time. Shot him in the hip with birdshot to run him off to rob the house. Leg swelled up, nerve damage. Had to put him down.

Originally Posted by Mugster

I wouldn't risk my dog unless it was an all or nothing fight. I've lost my best dog to a crook one time. Shot him in the hip with birdshot to run him off to rob the house. Leg swelled up, nerve damage. Had to put him down.

Well, the thing with that is, in this case, if I give my dog the command, the guy would have to already have the weapon out to use it before he was attacked. As I mentioned in an earlier post, he is a Shutzhund trained dog. Shutzhund translated means "protection dog" literally. In that case, there would never be a question. BG shot dead at first sign he had a weapon and intended to use it.

I'm here to tell you that if the sucker is breaking into my truck with a leg hanging out I'm gonna body block that door as hard as I can. I'm not dragin him out for a beat down, forget that crap. I will break his leg if possible with the car door and then sit there with my gun trained on him waiting for the cops. If the cops tell me 30 min. I'm gonna tell them never mind just send the meat wagon. Garantee they will be there in under 5.

Those of you who have met me know I'm a big fella, that being said I can move pretty fast when necessary, however I've never felt that taking on someone bare handed when you know they at least have a electric screwdriver (or worse) in their hands to be a smart thing to do. Me I'm gonna keep the bugger in the truck intill the cops get there if I can, he wanted to be there, let him stay, but that leg hanging out of the door is gonna be messed up.

Originally Posted by AmericanWorkMule

I seen this on another site where members are from all over the world. I wanted to post this here to keep this in a Tennessee perspective and wanted to see what you guys would do.

Take a baseball bat to his knees or better yet, his ankles (or +1 on another poster's idea to slam the door on his dumb ass); that would more than likely chill his efforts in short order. I keep a baseball bat at the ready (nice and light - good for thrust or swings) as well as guns.
A gun is not always needed nor could we make a case of why we used it (if I understand the TN law which I think I do). My two cents.

Originally Posted by dralarms

I'm here to tell you that if the sucker is breaking into my truck with a leg hanging out I'm gonna body block that door as hard as I can. I'm not dragin him out for a beat down, forget that crap. I will break his leg if possible with the car door and then sit there with my gun trained on him waiting for the cops. If the cops tell me 30 min. I'm gonna tell them never mind just send the meat wagon. Garantee they will be there in under 5.

Those of you who have met me know I'm a big fella, that being said I can move pretty fast when necessary, however I've never felt that taking on someone bare handed when you know they at least have a electric screwdriver (or worse) in their hands to be a smart thing to do. Me I'm gonna keep the bugger in the truck intill the cops get there if I can, he wanted to be there, let him stay, but that leg hanging out of the door is gonna be messed up.

I'm with you. But I'd bet if you slam that door in and provide a crushing break (or three), I doubt Carl Carthief would have any fight in him.