Wife just saw the business end of my neighbor's shotgun. LEOs inbound.

[Toorop]

Really? That would have made you fear for your life?


Dang.

So a charging dog would not put you in fear of life and/or limb? Especially when the animal may have just attacked someone? If a pitbull is chasing after your wife/daughter/mother and it just may have attacked someone else, would you feel the desire to put it down to protect them or yourself? Sorry but if someone isn't responsible enough to keep their pets under control and I feel threatened by them then I will take the necessary steps to protect myself. Everyone has a friendly dog in my experience until the dog decides to not be friendly.

If it was me, I might have possibly defended my life and limb from the dog given the circumstances.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[NotMallNinja]

So a charging dog would not put you in fear of life and/or limb? Especially when the animal may have just attacked someone? If a pitbull is chasing after your wife/daughter/mother and it just may have attacked someone else, would you feel the desire to put it down to protect them or yourself? Sorry but if someone isn't responsible enough to keep their pets under control and I feel threatened by them then I will take the necessary steps to protect myself. Everyone has a friendly dog in my experience until the dog decides to not be friendly.

If it was me, I might have possibly defended my life and limb from the dog given the circumstances.

Try reading the circumstances in the thread before you jump to conclusions about what you would do. The issue was not that the guy was threatened by the dog. He was in the safety of his home and under Virginia law he was not justified in pointing the shotgun at the dog or him. In fact, if he was actually threatened by the dog he would have fired as oppose to pointing it at the dog. It's not like the dog knows/understands what the shotgun means.

[Toorop]

So let me get this straight. You're inside your house and a dog running outside with a limping person chasing it would make you fear for you life? Is that what you just posted? Really?

Is there anything else you are afraid of? Toast and jelly? Air? Birds? Chipmunks?

If I come out and investigate what is going on outside on my property and I see a dog that may have attacked someone, I might be inclined to act. I might also do the Christian thing and defend the person from the dangerous animal as well. Are you saying that you are not prepared to use deadly force to protect yourself? If so then would suggest selling your guns and getting a really loud whistle so that when you're in danger you can attract attention and hopefully someone will come to your aid. It sounds as if you are not really ready mentally/spiritually to carry a defensive firearm as you are unwilling to use it to defend yourself. Please for your own sale and ours do some soul searching and really think about it as if you're not ready then a bad guy might just disarm you and do harm to someone else. I pray that this never happens to yourself or anyone else.

[fastk9dad]

So any loose dog to you is a dog that may have attacked someone? Overreact much? You need to assess the situation before you react.

[NotMallNinja]

If I come out and investigate what is going on outside on my property and I see a dog that may have attacked someone, I might be inclined to act. I might also do the Christian thing and defend the person from the dangerous animal as well. Are you saying that you are not prepared to use deadly force to protect yourself? If so then would suggest selling your guns and getting a really loud whistle so that when you're in danger you can attract attention and hopefully someone will come to your aid. It sounds as if you are not really ready mentally/spiritually to carry a defensive firearm as you are unwilling to use it to defend yourself. Please for your own sale and ours do some soul searching and really think about it as if you're not ready then a bad guy might just disarm you and do harm to someone else. I pray that this never happens to yourself or anyone else.

I think you're missing the point. This is a real situation that happened in Virginia. Responses ought to be limited to Virginia law since any incident that is the controlling law. Oh, I didn't realize Christians had a monopoly on defending another person from a dangerous animal (what exactly was the danger here again?). Anyone here who isn't Christian should go ahead and turn in their guns too I guess. Come on Toorop.

[mkh]

If I come out and investigate what is going on outside on my property and I see a dog that may have attacked someone, I might be inclined to act. I might also do the Christian thing and defend the person from the dangerous animal as well. Are you saying that you are not prepared to use deadly force to protect yourself? If so then would suggest selling your guns and getting a really loud whistle so that when you're in danger you can attract attention and hopefully someone will come to your aid. It sounds as if you are not really ready mentally/spiritually to carry a defensive firearm as you are unwilling to use it to defend yourself. Please for your own sale and ours do some soul searching and really think about it as if you're not ready then a bad guy might just disarm you and do harm to someone else. I pray that this never happens to yourself or anyone else.

Again. Really.

Someone disagrees with you or doesn't have the same fear level as you so they should hang up their gun?

P.S. I like your avatar.

[ksholder]

Full moon???

[Eagleks]

More info. He told the LEOs he was leaving, and that he was wrong for what he did. They reinforced that thought to him and cleared up. Animal control will be scheduling a visit to assess our dogs. Oh joy. Wife is debating getting a warrant. Grrr. As you might expect, I'm in the GET A WARRANT camp. She says, "He didn't point the gun at me, it was pointed at the dog, I just happened to be behind the dog. And he was only shaking it when he was yelling at me after Mike took the dog inside." To further inflame the situation, once she got control over the dog and had it heading toward the door, he continued to yell at it, causing it to phase into "protect human" mode and turn around barking, which he took as more proof he needed to shoot it. FWIW, in Virginia, you pretty much have to have maul marks before most Judges will accept a self defense claim; otherwise it is destruction of property. More good news, oldest son (12) witnessed part of the encounter (second brandishing charge?), and both of the boys are all hyped up about it.

As far as potential charges, I think Brandishing and Disorderly Conduct should stick at least.

If I say I have a gun, show a gun , or have one in my hand..... and do it in a threatening manner..... it's brandishing here.
Once you point it at someone and make a threat, it's assault with a deadly weapon (here). He took it to a higher level.

I would push the 'assault' charges , if the police won't do anything talk to the DA's office. Make sure everyone has a record of it at a minimum and was told. Even if he was pointing it 'at the dog' and she was in the line of fire, it was "wreckless endangerment".

A dog on the loose, doesn't justify "anyone" pointing a gun at it.... or threatening to shoot it .... or their owner. Anyone who thinks that's ok, is headed for an education.

[Toorop]

Again. Really.

Someone disagrees with you or doesn't have the same fear level as you so they should hang up their gun?

P.S. I like your avatar.

Not at all. But if they are not ready to use deadly force, then I would wonder if they are ready to carry a firearm. I am using the scenario information and imagining it from the neighbors prospective. A wounded person, a charging animal, and both are on my property. I would draw the gun and be ready to shoot the chargin animal of I felt threatened whether I know the owner or not. I don't want to be mauled or seriously injured by someone who cannot control their pet. I love dogs but if I feel threatened by one, it is just an animal and not a human being so it wouldn't phase me to put it down.

Thanks for the compliment on my avatar. It isn't me but Vin Diesel from a movie called "Babylon A.D." which he played a mercernary in. It's a cheesy Sci-Fi film which the director butchered but I still enjoyed it. I love Sci-Fi films.

[NotMallNinja]

Not at all. But if they are not ready to use deadly force, then I would wonder if they are ready to carry a firearm. I am using the scenario information and imagining it from the neighbors prospective. A wounded person, a charging animal, and both are on my property. I would draw the gun and be ready to shoot the chargin animal of I felt threatened whether I know the owner or not. I don't want to be mauled or seriously injured by someone who cannot control their pet. I love dogs but if I feel threatened by one, it is just an animal and not a human being so it wouldn't phase me to put it down.

Here is the problem. Imagining a problem when there isn't one won't gain you the protection under the law. It does not matter what you think in this situation, believe it or not, it matters what protections the law does or does not afford. Again, if the neighbor had felt threatened then the entire scenario being discussed would be different. The very fact that the neighbor did not shoot demonstrates to most reasonable persons that he did not feel threatened.

Thanks for the compliment on my avatar. It isn't me but Vin Diesel from a movie called "Babylon A.D." which he played a mercernary in. It's a cheesy Sci-Fi film which the director butchered but I still enjoyed it. I love Sci-Fi films.

Hence your Forum Name as Toorop.

[atctimmy]

If I come out and investigate what is going on outside on my property and I see a dog that may have attacked someone, I might be inclined to act. I might also do the Christian thing and defend the person from the dangerous animal as well. Are you saying that you are not prepared to use deadly force to protect yourself? If so then would suggest selling your guns and getting a really loud whistle so that when you're in danger you can attract attention and hopefully someone will come to your aid. It sounds as if you are not really ready mentally/spiritually to carry a defensive firearm as you are unwilling to use it to defend yourself. Please for your own sale and ours do some soul searching and really think about it as if you're not ready then a bad guy might just disarm you and do harm to someone else. I pray that this never happens to yourself or anyone else.

Or it could just be that I'm not afraid of my next door neighbor chasing her dog.

On a serious note Sir, your argument is so far off that I wonder if you've been drinking or if you're on meds. You normally don't sound like a goober to me so I have to ask, are you OK?

[CPanther95]

Really? That would have made you fear for your life?


Dang.

Picture a woman staggering onto your property with her hands out trying to catch a dog with a severe limp trying to protect her recent surgery.

Now picture a zombie.

Maybe that fear will save his life someday.

[NotMallNinja]

Picture a woman staggering onto your property with her hands out trying to catch a dog with a severe limp trying to protect her recent surgery.

Then picture a zombie.

Maybe that fear will save his life someday.

[atctimmy]

Picture a woman staggering onto your property with her hands out trying to catch a dog with a severe limp trying to protect her recent surgery.

Now picture a zombie.

Maybe that fear will save his life someday.

OK, now that was funny.

[OldVet]

So let me get this straight. You're inside your house and a dog running outside with a limping person chasing it would make you fear for you life? Is that what you just posted? Really?

Is there anything else you are afraid of? Toast and jelly? Air? Birds? Chipmunks?

Let's be clear on this . . . killer chipmunks, with big teeth and claws!