Welcome to Aftermath, a portion of our First Line email newsletter where Attorney Anthony L. DeWitt walks you through a real-life self-defense incident and shares his key takeaways.
A young Memphis mother with two children at home was surprised when three people kicked in her front door, entering her home without permission. She retreated to the room with her children and yelled for the intruders to leave as she had her children with her. They refused. When the intruders continued, she fired a single shot that critically wounded one of the home invaders. Police were called, and all three intruders were arrested. After the police investigation concluded, no charges were sought against the defending mother.
What did the defender do right? What would you have done differently? How often do you practice home-defense plans that could involve moving or protecting children?
Do not announce your position, with your voice or, God forbid, a friggin’ flashlight. They already broke into your house, they already know you want them to leave, what are you trying to accomplish by yelling “go away”? Do you actually think they will? What you DID accomplish is they now know your position. The first sound they should hear is the bullet hitting their center of mass.
The defender took her children to a safe place and gave the intruders a warning to leave her house, and called for help. I would have check to see if it was safe to leave out my backdoor if my yard wasn’t fenced in, to remove the children and myself completely to a safer environment. Then call for help. I do not practice often, and I do not have children in my house with me, but I still play it in my mind how I would react to in intruder at times.
