That's a fact.
I have never been involved in a self-defense shooting, but a friend of mine was. The BG broke in at night downstairs while my friend and his girlfriend were home upstairs. While the BG was trying to pull the wires to the alarm system, which was blaring, my friend locked his girlfriend in the bedroom as she called 9-1-1 and stationed himself on the stairs. BG finally gave up on the alarm system and went to the stairs, where my friend met him with a .357. One shot to the chest, and no more BG.
Local DA ruled it a justified self-defense shoot. No charges and no civil suit.
Keep in mind that it was a pretty clear self-defense situation. BG had just been released from prison something like 48 or 72 hours earlier, and the alarm system was busted up. If your particular situation is not very clear, and/or your state laws are overly strict, a similar scenario might play out differently for you.
NOTE: I did not vote in this poll because I was not personally involved in the shooting. The above is intended for information purposes only.