Do you know how many gun laws there are in the country? Too many to know them all. Which gun laws are you getting wrong?
Warning Shots
Warning shots are the No. 1 thing new or inexperienced gun owners are getting wrong. People might think firing into the air will scare criminals away. What it really will do is get you criminally charged because it’s illegal. Shooting a gun at nothing is reckless endangerment, which can range from a misdemeanor to a felony. The problem with warning shots into the air is that bullet needs to come down somewhere, and you won’t know where.
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Shooting in Your House
Attorney Tom Grieve offers some free legal advice: Don’t just shoot at anyone in your house. In order to use deadly force in self-defense, you have to show that you were in reasonable fear of imminent death or great bodily harm. Castle Doctrine is where a lot of these questions come up. Generally speaking, to trigger Castle Doctrine, someone will have had to break into your dwelling, business, car or wherever it is being applied. It is not applicable if the person was invited, even if that invitation is revoked during the course of events.
Shoot to Kill
You may have heard people say, “If you’re going to shoot, you better shoot to kill.” That is not accurate. You shoot to stop the threat. When you are no longer in danger, you should stop shooting. The sequence should be shoot and assess. You will have to do so very quickly and under extreme stress, but if you don’t, you could be charged with attempted homicide.
You owe it to yourself, your family and everyone around you to know the gun laws in your area, whether you agree with them or not. Factor it in to your training to help you make decisions.
