The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - 'New Bohemians' member Shot & Killed through door

wayneinFL · September 9, 2007, 04:59 PM

"So you guys dismiss out of hand the possibility that someone might say something to mitigate the horror of what had just happened?"

I don't. There are cases in which the shooter in a totally justified shooting doesn't want to admit to himself and say it was a mistake, because he doesn't want to believe he just took a human life.

this happened one of two ways-

The homeowner didn't want to kill the intruder, but knew the intruder ould not see the gun and be scared off by the deterrant effect, and fired the gun to scare the guy off, shooting him accidently.

Or-

The homeowner still didn't want to shoot the intruder, but felt the man was about to come through the door and shot him. He was so upset that he didn't want to believe he had shot him so he said it was an accident.

Either way he has opened himself up to civil liability for an accident, even though this is a case of an otherwise justifiable shooting.

I feel for the man as he did the best in the circumstances, likely the same thing I might have done. There is a lot of information on what to say after a shooting, and I think it's best to leave out most of the details as to the why and how of the shooting.

September 9, 2007, 04:59 PM	#67
wayneinFL Senior Member Join Date: December 18, 2004 Posts: 1,944	"So you guys dismiss out of hand the possibility that someone might say something to mitigate the horror of what had just happened?" I don't. There are cases in which the shooter in a totally justified shooting doesn't want to admit to himself and say it was a mistake, because he doesn't want to believe he just took a human life. this happened one of two ways- The homeowner didn't want to kill the intruder, but knew the intruder ould not see the gun and be scared off by the deterrant effect, and fired the gun to scare the guy off, shooting him accidently. Or- The homeowner still didn't want to shoot the intruder, but felt the man was about to come through the door and shot him. He was so upset that he didn't want to believe he had shot him so he said it was an accident. Either way he has opened himself up to civil liability for an accident, even though this is a case of an otherwise justifiable shooting. I feel for the man as he did the best in the circumstances, likely the same thing I might have done. There is a lot of information on what to say after a shooting, and I think it's best to leave out most of the details as to the why and how of the shooting.