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.
An off-duty Customs and Border Protection officer was visiting a woman in Laredo, Texas, who received multiple text messages and a phone call from her estranged husband. The woman told her husband to leave her alone, but he arrived at her location and kicked in the door. He then attacked the officer and assaulted the woman when she intervened. The husband injured the officerās left hand before throwing the officer to the floor and striking him multiple times in the head. The officer drew his weapon because he feared losing consciousness and having his firearm taken. He ordered the estranged husband back and fired one round only when the man advanced again. The attacker died. The officer was arrested. A grand jury refused to indict.
What did this person do right? What would you do differently?
Given this was a āreal-lifeā incident and not a hypothetical, I donāt know that I would have done anything different other than not allow him to punch on me so much. As for the defense of the woman, he couldnāt have known what was really going on with them, so his concerns were right, as stated.
There are no details about what actually happened at the house other than he attacked the officer and assaulted the woman.
I would be hoping to not got injured, but once it happened and with all the circumstances described, nothing more than using deadly force for self defense could be done.
Fully justified shooing and great example of proper self defense action.
I would have told her to call 911 as I confront the guy coming through the door with gun drawn identify myself that I am armed. Telling him to go to his knees, and not to move. The next step is going to happen fast, and you better be prepared to do what you have to do. If he does not comply with your orders, and advances toward me, I would have shot. If it all possible, you never let the aggressor get to you.
First I wouldnāt get mixed up in someone elseās marriage problems and second, Where or how did the officer meet this woman with the troubled existence?
Iām going to bring some real to this conversation.
Until an individual is in that or any situation I donāt believe that anyone knows what exactly they WILL do.
There are more than a few unknowns in this case such as was the woman an acquantance, a friend or something more which in the eyes of the attacker could make a big difference. It was said the man wouldnāt leave the woman alone which, in and of itself, isnāt enough to dial 911. The question posed to us is what we might have done differently (and not with 20/20 hindsight). In talking with a āfriendā whose husband āwonāt leave them aloneā, Iād ask if she felt threatened, and if so, is there a friend or relative she could stay with until a restraining order could be put in place. Discuss with her the possibility of having a gun for self defense. As this conversation is going on, the door gets kicked in by the soon-to-be-corpse. No one kicks in a door to have a polite conversation, they are already violent, I would have drawn and shot to stop the threat.
Frankly, Iām trying to understand why the officer was arrested in the first place. I suppose the arresting officers were only doing this to ensure that some investigation occurred post incident. The circumstances, Iām sure, appeared obvious at the time. The officer was severely beaten, according to the story. Only one shot was fired. There was obviously history of harassment by the ex-husband. Nothing here points to an actual crime being committed.
I hope I would have her call 911 and had my weapon drawn right after the forced entry ā¦ but until one has been in that situation , itās hard to say how one would react ā¦ but i am speaking for myself ā¦
Off-duty Customs and Border Protection officer was visiting a woman in Laredo, Texas, who received multiple text messages and a phone call from her estranged husband. The woman told her husband to leave her alone, but he arrived at her location and kicked in the door. He then attacked the officer
This was a complete setup by the estranged Wife!! She used the Off-duty Customs and Boarder Protection Officer, as leverage against her Husband. The Wife used her Jezebel talents and played both male parties against each other. This form of extramarital control caused a Husband to engage in a negative manner, and an Officer of the Law to be placed in a disturbance that he should have never been involved in!!! Iām curious to know if the home that the Wife was residing in, is the home both parties reside in? If the Husband, was that big of a threat!! Why didnāt the Wife utilize the 911 state your emergency call!! If thereās past or present concerns within there marriage!! Why wasnāt there a retraining order issued between both parties. I canāt say this loud enough!! If Youāre in a relationship, marriage where thereās a Person seeking additional outside attention!!! Itās not worth damaging your life, dealing with an Attention Deficit Disorder Person!! Get out of the Marriage, Relationship, and build a Greater YOU!!!
