So you carry. Now for...

[jeager106]

the truely important things you may or may not know.
I asked earlier why you guys carry.
I got good answers. I'm curious, that's all.
The best reason to carry is 'cause you wanna.
HERE'S THE SCENERIO.
You just had to use your weapon. You actually killed someone.
Now what?
What happens next?
And yes I have answers.
I'm a retired (disabled) professional.
My purpose for posting is to be helpful.
Have any of you considered what happens AFTER you shoot?
Have you been trained what to do AFTER you fire a fatal shot?
Do you have any idea what you're in for?
Talk to your lawyer about this?
The REAL nightmare will start AFTER the shot is fired.
Yeh, I know..." I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6" and all that other macho stupidity. ( though there is good reasoning behind this)
THINK! What do you do?

[AZ223]

Be the first to call it in. A crime has been committed whenever a shot has been fired; it's up to the police to sort out what they can at the scene. I was told to RENDER ASSISTANCE after the shooting, if at all possible.

Secure the scene as best you can. Circumstances may make this quite difficult, such as remaining in a dangerous area. If you have to move to safety, do so, but make certain you inform the 911 operator you need to do so and why.

Cooperate completely. Call the number of the attorney you found when you first got your CCW. You did get one, right? Write down what happened as soon as you can, while it's fresh in your mind.

Expect to be sued. Even if you are determined to be justified in killing the perpetrator, you'll likely be sued for wrongful death by their next of kin. Welcome to America.

You're going to have nightmares. Bad memories. If you're fortunate enough to not be tried for murder/manslaugher, talk to someone -- rabbi, priest, shrink, whatever.

I know it's not complete, so let me know what I left out...

[papajohn428]

I think what's being asked here is what to do once the attack has been stopped.  Rendering assistance/calling PD & paramedics is mandatory, but I'd also suggest that you need to find anyone that saw what happened, get names and numbers, before they disappear.  Or see if they can stick around and give statements.  Secure any evidence, i.e., the knife he pulled on you, before some kid/vagrant finds it and takes it with them.  If there was anyone in a vehicle nearby, write down what you remember about the description/occupants/license, etc.  If you make any statements to the police on their arrival, keep it brief, and make sure you are not looking like the bad guy!  Standing over the perp with a gun in your hand is not good form.  If you have to say anything, keep it succinct, as in, "He came at me with a knife and said he was gonna cut my head off, and I had to shoot him to keep him from killing me."  Leave it at that.  You will likely spend the night in the lockup until things get sorted out, use the phone to call your significant other/friend/whoever to retain an attorney for you, and don't say anything else to detectives until he arrives.  And unless you can post a large bond easily, you're probably gonna be in custody for 20 hours or more.  TALK TO NO ONE!  The prosecutor would love to put the drunk from your cell on the stand, telling how you gloated over killing that worthless scumbag.  You knew if you ever had to use the gun, bad things would happen.  Now they are......keep your wits about you!  Have whoever you called phone your work, your relatives, those that need to know.  Tell them not to lie about what happened, it's gonna be in tomorrow's paper anyway!  Hopefully your boss is understanding, and will cut you some slack until you are arraigned, or released pending Warrant Application.  With smart cops who realize who's the bad guy, you'll be home in a day or so, and once you are alone with your loved ones, then you can celebrate the fact that you survived the Dark Place.
And while society may villify you as a murderer, you alone will know that all you did was what you had to do to survive.  Enjoy your victory, but do it behind closed doors!

Papajohn

[Dand]

Thanks Jeager for jolting me a bit.  Its been a long time since my CCW class and I'd forgotten many of the good points brought out here.  

One other I'd like to add more emphatically - seek counseling ASAP.  I think many LE organizations now get their staff to counselors ASAP after a fatal shooting.  I've known 2 guys who were involved with fatal accidents, one an LEO another a civilian.  The LEO's firearm got grabbed and an innocent bystander was killed - real mess but with the counseling, he learned to handle it well and quickly.  My other friend was in a weird work / vehicle accident (not his fault) and he's still struggling with it years later - wish he could have gotten immediate aid like the LEO.

[jeager106]

dand and papa....
Great points!
Listen up people.
Not everyone out there is pro gun. What happens if you get a prosecutor that wants to BBQ yer arse?
Don't think for one minute it can't happen.
I was party to putting an innocent man in jail for THREE years manditory in a clearly justified shoot!
I did my best for the poor smuck but he drew a lady judge that found him guilty.
Wanna hear the true story? lemme know. Really sad.
Listen up people.
You might be a whole lot better off NOT to make much of a statement at all!!!!!!!!!!
C.Y.A. and C.Y.A. Get it?
Maybe your to shook up to make a statement?
Maybe you need to go to the hospital as your about to puke. Maybe the doc should give you a shot of valium to calm you.
You've been through a terrible ordeal and are lucky to be alive aren't you?
You're scared silly ain't ya?
Make your statement a day or so later after you quit wetting your pants and you have you lawyer WITH you.
Don't be a chump.
Everyone does NOT think like us.
Bad enough you had to waste someone.
You want sued stupid and into bankruptcy or face legal expenses for a homicide trail at around 10 grand minimum over some creep?

[williamlayton]

It will be a nightmare.
Never expect anybody too be on your side--to see it your way. You will have need to deal with it yourownself. If, in your heart, you know what happened was justified do the best you can to ignore the names called, or the guilt others may try and place on you.
The police will not know anything when they arrive. Expect to be treated as a criminal until all is sorted out (cuffed and stuffed).
Even then they will have to follow all procedures and you will not have any control over their actions or reactions.
It will not ever be a plesant situation.
Do not say anything, or at least any more than is necessary. Anything said can be misconstrued and come back to haunt you later.
Remember---you are not going to walk from the scene, and while you are justified (in your own mind) the trial starts at the scene not in the court room.
Most any attorney will tell you not to talk to ANYONE until he is present. The police are going to hold you at any rate and why give anybody anything that cannot be taken back.
Keep calm and cooperate, just make as few a statments as possible.
Blessings @ no change expected from the 2 cents.

[Lawdog]

Doesn’t matter whether you are an LEO or John Q. Private citizen, anytime you are involved in a shooting where a life has been taken the aftermath isn’t pleasant.  God help you if the person you had to shoot was a armed female, worse depending on the age.  Just because they fired first and you have witnesses to prove you returned fire in self-defense you better have a good attorney.  Be prepared to change your phone number, get a different mailing address.  Don’t throw away any of the hate mail as it may become important down the road.  The nightmares you have about the shooting is bad enough but the nightmare the legal system and the public can and most likely will put on you is much, much worse.  Lawdog

[Jerry J]

Just one other thing to consider. What you post on the internet. After you shoot someone and the lawyer for the perp you shot locates this forum and pulls all your posts?

[williamlayton]

Jerry
ALL things in life can come back to haunt you--without it being the final judgement day.
Blessings

[jeager106]

Good point about remarks made on the internet.
Lawyers realize these boards are open and public messages.
'Nuther real life story?
O.K.
Mr. Homeowner ( ho) and bad guy (bg).
Ho is a black male age 63, 30 year employee of a locale steel mill, no criminal record.
Bg is 25, long petty criminal record, not employed.
Ho has a live in g-friend with a 26 year old daughter ( no relation to ho ).
Daughter gets beaten regularly by live in bg in daughters apt. Daughter has 3 toddlers.
Daughter moves in with ho and mummy to get away from bg, Daughter takes all furnishing with her and stores them in ho's basement.
8 am on a Monday bg shows up with pick up truck to take back 'his' furniture. Ho won't let him in.
Bg threatens to break in and forcible take 'his' stuff. Ho calls cops and tells bg to get moving.
Bg threatens to KILL ho. Ho goes into house loads Browning A-5 Sweet 16 (Belgian and nice too) and stands on his own porch ordering bg to hit the road.
Bg pulls a Colt nickle .32 6" revolver ( collectors item in near mint shape)
cocks the hammer and points it at ho who immediately draws a bead on bg's head at 20 yards (measured) and lets loose with 1 1/8th load of 6's.
Much of the charges hits bg right in the kisser dropping him instantly but he lives.
I'm the lead investigator. I confiscate the weapons, get statements from eveyone involved and witnesses in the neighborhood.
The Colt was loaded with 6 round nose lead bullets. # 6 shot goes right down the barrel and cylinders that are exposed and imbed in the lead bullets indicating BEYOND a doubt bg has the COCKED loaded revolver pointed dead at Mr. ho!
I write up the lengthy report and statements, present those and the physical evidence to the local prosecutor.
Mr. Prosecutor send the case to the Grand Jury.
We expect a "justifiable" righteous self defense ruling.
Nope!
The County prosecutor is a Liberal anti-gun type.
He is swayed by the fact that bg looses BOTH eyes and nearly died.
Instructs the G.Jury that ho COULD have stayed inside and waited for the cops.
True enough. But remember. Bg just threatened to BREAK in the house and KILL ho.
Too bad.
The ho is indicted for attempted manslaughter and felonious assault.
Now ho hires a lawyer who makes a terrible mistake in judgement.
He takes the case before the court. That means one judge hears the arguments and makes a ruling. No jury. Too bad.
Ho draws a FEMALE liberal judge who 'feels pity' for the white cane carrying blind bg!!!!!!
Ho gets 7 years for felonious assault with a 3 year minumum MANDATORY stretch for using a GUN!
He did the 3 PLUS 2. Now 67 years old and bankrupt he's out and ruined.
I think a jury would have seen it differently.
Yeh, maybe he SHOULD have stayed in the house. But I saw his point. He honestly felt the bg WOULD break in and remember there were 3 toddlers inside.
Couldn't have been worse if bg woulda died.
Sometimes it just sucks!

[williamlayton]

Things just doan work out in our favor all the time. You just /must take things as they come, deal with the situation as best you can in the present and live with the outcome.
I think being consevative in such situations is the right call unless you are convinced time will threaten you and others. It is a tough call and you are the only one that can make that decision. I will revert back to my original statement--do not expect others to to be on your side or take your side--there are no guarantees in life and the only one that must deal with it is you. Think, always think--easier said than done sometimes.
Blessings

[papajohn428]

I wouldn't necessarily say a jury trial would have ended any differently.  I've seen juries totally ignore facts and rule with their bleeding hearts.  Case in point:  Ten years ago there was a series of Armed Robberies at fast food joints that spanned a period of months.  Finally, Bad Guy pulls a heist, and as the APB is put out, he is driving past an alert officer who immediately gives chase.  After a lengthy pursuit, BG bails out of the car in a wealthy suburban neighborhood.  Officers fan out to try to find him.  Officer Friendly comes around the corner of a house to see BG looking at him, then reach in his pocket.  Officer fires once, bad guy goes down with a hole in his belly.  The weapon he used in the robbery is never found, as it was apparenly tossed during the pursuit.  Prosecutor combined all 25 Armed Robbery cases and goes to trial.  In spite of the fact that BG was caught on video in 13 of the robberies, the jury acquits the poor BG, who lost a kidney and some intestines, and now wears a collostomy bag.  Poor bad guy walks.  A year later he is killed while attempting another Armed Robbery.  "Victim" is sued civilly for Wrongful Death, bench trial acquits him.  

Ya just never know!

Papajohn

[Dusty Miller]

Geeze, Papajohn, you must live in California!!

[williamlayton]

Even in TEXAS,by GOD things can get fouled.
Not to pick on your post or be labeled a bleeding heart but I can see the argument from the bench side. They probable saw that the homeowner was the threat and ignored the fact that the bg could have walked and ended the confrontation.
You take your chances when you have the chance to walk and do not. Shooting should be the last resort, I think.
But everbody has to make that call for hisownself.
Blessings