what are the steps to take after you fire and kill?

[JNMAR]

My instructor told us that in the event that you have stopped the threat and LEO's are on the scene, the first thing you should tell them is that you want to press charges against the person you "stopped" (even if you believe the BG to be deceased).

I have read this in Massad Ayoob's articles. I can understand Ayoob's "rational" for saying this - establishing that you are the victim. Personally, I don't think it would matter one way or another. In the event of a shooting, it is going to be the DA bringing charges, not the CHL. I think it just sounds hokey, especially if he is dead. IANAL

Me too WildBill...I would think that the BG's body temperature slowly drifting towards room temperature would be like the ultimate of "pressed charges".

[WildBill]

My instructor told us that in the event that you have stopped the threat and LEO's are on the scene, the first thing you should tell them is that you want to press charges against the person you "stopped" (even if you believe the BG to be deceased).

I have read this in Massad Ayoob's articles. I can understand Ayoob's "rational" for saying this - establishing that you are the victim. Personally, I don't think it would matter one way or another. In the event of a shooting, it is going to be the DA bringing charges, not the CHL. I think it just sounds hokey, especially if he is dead. IANAL

Me too WildBill...I would think that the BG's body temperature slowly drifting towards room temperature would be like the ultimate of "pressed charges".

I believe that Ayoob also suggests that the shooter point out evidence at the crime scene - "here's the BG's gun, there are the shell casings, etc." This sounds to me like a guilty person trying to stage a crime scene. But Ayoob is the expert.

[srothstein]

my instuctor did say and i quote "if you shoot them you better kill them, one story is better than two, dead men can't talk".

This is a really bad way to think, and is wrong besides. Well, maybe not literally wrong, but the basic premise is wrong. Dead men tell tales all the time through forensic examinations. And very rarely do these examinations reveal any falsehoods.

If you shoot, you shoot to stop the threat. If you shoot a man in the back, the dead body will clearly say if he was facing you, if he was turning towards or away from you, even if he had an arm up as in threatening the clerk when shot in some cases. It might be easier to show the lies the living wounded suspect is telling are lies than it would be to argue with the forensics from the autopsy.

Always tell the police the truth about the shooting, after you consult with your attorney.

[Excaliber]

my instuctor did say and i quote "if you shoot them you better kill them, one story is better than two, dead men can't talk".

This is a really bad way to think, and is wrong besides. Well, maybe not literally wrong, but the basic premise is wrong. Dead men tell tales all the time through forensic examinations. And very rarely do these examinations reveal any falsehoods.

If you shoot, you shoot to stop the threat. If you shoot a man in the back, the dead body will clearly say if he was facing you, if he was turning towards or away from you, even if he had an arm up as in threatening the clerk when shot in some cases. It might be easier to show the lies the living wounded suspect is telling are lies than it would be to argue with the forensics from the autopsy.

Always tell the police the truth about the shooting, after you consult with your attorney.

The truth and the unaltered evidence will almost always be consistent, and even if they don't line up perfectly in every detail, there shouldn't be any major contradictions unless something really unusual (like evidence tampering) has gone on.

If you lie, it's done according to what you know at any given point in time. There's always plenty you don't know about the forensic evidence and the statements of others, including evidence analysis that may come to light after you make your untrue statement.

A good investigator will look at all of the statements, all of the evidence, and think of way more ways to test one against the other than you could possibly anticipate when constructing a false story. If he finds that everything you told him is supported by all or most of everything else and there are no important contradictions, you're in pretty good shape to be no billed on a good shoot. However, if he catches you in one flat out lie, the mantle of "good guy" is immediately shredded and your chances of being indicted go up exponentially.

[snorri]

cut out the heart and eat it.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/li ... et_tagged/

[Jumping Frog]

My instructor told us that in the event that you have stopped the threat and LEO's are on the scene, the first thing you should tell them is that you want to press charges against the person you "stopped" (even if you believe the BG to be deceased).

I have read this in Massad Ayoob's articles. I can understand Ayoob's "rational" for saying this - establishing that you are the victim. Personally, I don't think it would matter one way or another. In the event of a shooting, it is going to be the DA bringing charges, not the CHL. I think it just sounds hokey, especially if he is dead. IANAL

Me too WildBill...I would think that the BG's body temperature slowly drifting towards room temperature would be like the ultimate of "pressed charges".

Don't forget that over 90% of gunshot wounds are not fatal. Far more people are shot and kept alive in the ER than are ever found "drifting towards room temperature". Better to mentally prepare for the 90% case.

[boba]

Like Ruark said, "USE ENOUGH GUN."

[KD5NRH]

Always tell the police the truth about the shooting, after you consult with your attorney.

Better yet, tell the police who you are and where all evidence is that you're aware of, and don't say anything else until your attorney is standing there with you.

[Abraham]

I wonder why so many hypothetical shoot scenarios posed by new members keep popping up?

According to the questions, it seems many CHL instructors aren't performing quality instruction or the student isn't paying attention or ...

(I find it hard to believe quality CHL instruction has gone down. If anything, CHL instruction is better than it's ever been.)

[Hoi Polloi]

I wonder why so many hypothetical shoot scenarios posed by new members keep popping up?

According to the questions, it seems many CHL instructors aren't performing quality instruction or the student isn't paying attention or ...

(I find it hard to believe quality CHL instruction has gone down. If anything, CHL instruction is better than it's ever been.)

There are so many more possibilities than calling people who ask questions lazy idiots who didn't pay attention in their wonderful, all-encompassing classes.

Maybe more people are interested in the topic of carrying and are coming here before they go to CHL classes.

Or maybe they see one thing that wasn't covered in their classes or wasn't covered completely or accurately and they start to doubt their entire instruction, so they ask about some particular area that is gray or murky to them to verify what they were taught.

Or maybe there are more people getting CHLs and if each instructor said one thing incorrectly or ambiguously or in a way that wasn't understood that with the greater numbers of people getting their CHLs if they all asked only one clarifying question then there would be a great increase in such posts.

The possibilities are numerous.

[Tamie]

The link to the Pennsylvania forum was interesting. Two great quotes from the members there.

"being justified does not mean your life will not be destroyed by the legal system"

"There are no wrongful convictions in trials that are never held."

[Bob in Big D]

I will try to answer the hypthetical questions about being a store or bank line and you see what you think is a hold up. YOU do nothing but be the best witness you can be! If the robber turns and starts shooting others then you are perfectly legal to stop the threat. If the BG dies or lives, it wont matter, you are protected under the law.

IF you ever shoot someone and the threat has passed, call 911 and then you would be very wise to lay gun on the ground and raise your hands over your head with your CHL card in one hand. Otherwise the LEO's could easily mistake you for a BG.

Just my 2cents.

[Abraham]

"There are so many more possibilities than calling people who ask questions lazy idiots who didn't pay attention in their wonderful, all-encompassing classes. "

Presumably, that statement wasn't directed at me?

If it was - Where in my post did call anyone lazy idiots and what prompts the sarcasm?

[Bart]

If it's worth eating, I like flb_78's suggestion.

Otherwise