home defence question

[fatherofthree]

This is a very serious question. With the harsh realities of being a young parent with little to no help i am forced to live in a less than nice area, with it getting nicer out the gangs will be back at it, and there was just a shooting very close to home in which two people were shot including a women and her boyfriend. This leads to my qurstion if a gang or gang members decide to come to.my home, at which point do i have the right to defend myself. These guys obviously do not hesitate. So i feel like i wouldnt have much time and if there are several people involved are they all justifiable targets

[Democrat Gun Owner]

This is a very serious question. With the harsh realities of being a young parent with little to no help i am forced to live in a less than nice area, with it getting nicer out the gangs will be back at it, and there was just a shooting very close to home in which two people were shot including a women and her boyfriend. This leads to my qurstion if a gang or gang members decide to come to.my home, at which point do i have the right to defend myself. These guys obviously do not hesitate. So i feel like i wouldnt have much time and if there are several people involved are they all justifiable targets

Type "Castle Doctrine" in the search terms at the top of this page, hit the search button, and then read away.

Good luck on your journey.

[KungFuBarbeque]

I am not a lawyer but here goes my .02c:
The law in my understanding goes something along the lines of being in danger of death or serious bodily harm, meaning life altering injuries. As far as having multiple assailants there is what's known as 'disparity of force'. The same goes for say a 18 year old 110lb girl against a 220lb man.

There are a load of videos online that give a clearer answer on how to determine these things, just as I'm sure some other members here will be able to elaborate better than I can.

Edited to update 'Dispersion to disparity'

[fatherofthree]

I am not a lawyer but here goes my .02c:
The law in my understanding goes something along the lines of being in danger of death or serious bodily harm, meaning life altering injuries. As far as having multiple assailants there is what's known as 'dispersion of force'. The same goes for say a 18 year old 110lb girl against a 220lb man.

There are a load of videos online that give a clearer answer on how to determine these things, just as I'm sure some other members here will be able to elaborate better than I can.

That is the kind of answer that i needed, thank you i am concerned that if only one target has a weapon that i can see and i eliminate that threat while i sit there sick and my girl calls 911 that another man or even several more will simply attack, so i guess real question is, if five men come into my home only one being visibly armed do i shoot everyone that refuses to retreat or the armed man, i just dont want to go to prison if for some reason i have to protect my family

[BimmerJon]

You fear you or your kids are in danger....

Who cares what the law says?

Search for castle doctrine

Single parent is better than no parent. Dont do anything that will get you locked up either

[TaePo]

That is the kind of answer that i needed, thank you i am concerned that if only one target has a weapon that i can see and i eliminate that threat while i sit there sick and my girl calls 911 that another man or even several more will simply attack, so i guess real question is, if five men come into my home only one being visibly armed do i shoot everyone that refuses to retreat or the armed man, i just dont want to go to prison if for some reason i have to protect my family

I think in his reply, he meant disparity of force. Dispersion means the force is being dispersed or made less dense by some means. Disparity means there is a difference in numbers which can be quite a disadvantage for the minority especially if a minority of one.

On another curious note, you spelled it defence which is a very Brittish way of spelling 'defense'. I am just curious if you are from the UK or one of its former protectorates (aside from the colonies!)?

[Democrat Gun Owner]

That is the kind of answer that i needed, thank you i am concerned that if only one target has a weapon that i can see and i eliminate that threat while i sit there sick and my girl calls 911 that another man or even several more will simply attack, so i guess real question is, if five men come into my home only one being visibly armed do i shoot everyone that refuses to retreat or the armed man, i just dont want to go to prison if for some reason i have to protect my family

If you search, it is "disparity of force" not "dispersion of force".

I meant nothing sarcastic about my original post, but this forum does have loads of information if you search as I mentioned in my first response.

As for a quick answer, here is my 2 cents as to when to decide to shoot or not shoot.

I'd rather my kids visit me in prison than in a graveyard or in a vegatative state laying in a hospital bed. If I truly believe someone is going to put me in that graveyard or that hospital bed, I will risk prison to protect myself and my family.

[Pkspawn]

You are describing different things here..

You REALLY should take some type of self defense class.. NRA Personal Protection In and Out of the Home classes.. Or one of the Law classes that are taught at different facilities and I believe a member on the forums does a seminar a few times a year..

I am not going to give you any legal advice, or say what you can or can't do in any situation you describe. But get a criminal attorney's office and cell number programmed into your phone.

[F16vipers]

That is the kind of answer that i needed, thank you i am concerned that if only one target has a weapon that i can see and i eliminate that threat while i sit there sick and my girl calls 911 that another man or even several more will simply attack, so i guess real question is, if five men come into my home only one being visibly armed do i shoot everyone that refuses to retreat or the armed man, i just dont want to go to prison if for some reason i have to protect my family

In most cases eliminating the armed assailant threat would more than likely cause any unarmed assailants to reassess the situation and likely retreat. If they fail to do so and continue the attack...well...eliminate the threat.

Another thing to keep in mind...if they are members of a legitimate gang or similar organization...you will likely face some type of retaliation. Just a thought.

[ForeverPA]

I know this is a gun forum and we are all gun freaks but if your concern is safety and not validating some legal right I would move. You say you can't move. I say make it happen. This is a free country. Often a few blocks up and down a neighborhood makes all the difference.