Shooting in Gig Harbor, WA. Legal?

[ZigZagZeke]

Do rural folks carry all the time? With as many big cats as there are on the ranch? Not to mention the tweekers roaming the back roads? Here's me taking my infant daughter for a walk...

 

[U201491]

A question related to the OP's question...

I have acreage, house, barn, outbuilding, and clearly-posted No Trespassing signs. Let's say my wife and daughter are in the barn, someone comes on to the property, acts in a threatening or creepy manner, and my wife and daughter call out for help. Can I shoot and have some level of confidence that WA State laws will be in my favor?

Similarly, what if they are out in a pasture, encounter Joe Meth, and call for help. Can I shoot and have some level of confidence that WA State laws will be in my favor?

In both scenarios, it is a situation where we are on our property but outside of the house.

I've always wondered about this. I don't expect a legal and binding opinion on this, but if anyone is aware of a similar case I'd love to know about it.

Peter

Do you wish to make that decision before or after your wife and daughter are dead or injured.
There is you answer.

 

[xymotic]

Fair enough, like I said it just seemed odd to me that the guy was home...


But Cmon... Wild animals in Gig harbor? Haven't heard of too many wolf/bear/cougar or salmon attacks on Key peninsula lately.

 

[xymotic]

Do rural folks carry all the time? With as many big cats as there are on the ranch? Not to mention the tweekers roaming the back roads? Here's me taking my infant daughter for a walk...

Yeah... I get that in Rural oregon or something, but this was a smaller house/barn compound. I admit I don't have too much firsthand knowledge of the area, there may be way more tweakers there than I would think. And well, not to many details on the news yet.

 

[xymotic]

Thanks. Just trying to wrap my brain around all of the ramifications and permutations you know what I mean?

 

[U201491]

So the other thing that struck me as a little bit 'odd' about this story is that the homeowner was armed at all. I don't carry so maybe I just don't 'get it' but it seems to me that on a rural plot like that way set back from the road and private, in a nice place like gig harbor, it just seems weird that a guy would be carrying the weight while working in the barn. Who knows maybe he just got home from town himself or something but it just seems kinda strange to be carrying in that circumstance. Do most of you guys that Carry put the gun on with your socks in the morning and put it in the side table when you go to sleep at night?

Not really odd at all.
I have a firearm on my person or in reach 24-7 unless in the shower. Even then it is in reach.
Have for 46 yrs, since age 21.

 

[PX4WA]

Fair enough, like I said it just seemed odd to me that the guy was home...


But Cmon... Wild animals in Gig harbor? Haven't heard of too many wolf/bear/cougar or salmon attacks on Key peninsula lately.

we were just trying to be nice for the easily alarmed...

of course it's being carried for the 2 legged critters that roam our streets... tweakers don't care whether or not you're armed or not... but being armed helps to make sure you are the one that gets to tell your side of the story...

 

[U201491]

Thanks. Just trying to wrap my brain around all of the ramifications and permutations you know what I mean?

If it comes to defending your family the answer is always an easy one. The results are never so cut and dry.

 

[xymotic]

Well, and hindsight being 20/20 and all, the homeowner was in fact a genius I guess

 

[Fast Eddie]

<broken link removed>

If these are indeed the facts, it's justified. The guy that was shot has listening skills on par with the average meth zombie.

 

[fyrediver]

The way you tell it, where a man is shot in the back without carrying a weapon, No way is that legal
cept in Texas....maybe after walking past a No Trespassing sign

Not true. One can shoot another in the back in defense of a third party, like the homeowner's wife and child. The area being shot isn't important as the reason it's occurring. People turn, spin, fall, etc which makes impact points less important.

Homeowner repeatedly told the man to leave and the man ran towards and into his house and was obviously threatening his family. Justified.

 

[MikeSettles]

I carry all the time, everywhere that I may legally do so: When you need it, you'd better not have to run to get it. It's always on me, or within arms reach, or locked up (if I CAN'T carry).

Also, for pistols: When you need it, you won't have time to rack the slide. Suck it up & get the courage to carry one in the chamber, or don't carry.

 

[Brutus57]

who da thunk it? Gig harbor is turning in to the wild Wild West. They arrested an 86 year old little old lady who was Joe bidening her neighbors with a shot gun. She saw lights etc. in the recent fog and fired several shots from her shotgun hitting neighborhood houses. You go to gig harbor you better walk tall.

Brutus out

 

[Fast Eddie]

who da thunk it? Gig harbor is turning in to the wild Wild West. They arrested an 86 year old little old lady who was Joe bidening her neighbors with a shot gun. She saw lights etc. in the recent fog and fired several shots from her shotgun hitting neighborhood houses. You go to gig harbor you better walk tall.

Brutus out

Bat crazed old lady, it's almost cute until it's your house that's being shot up.

 

[xymotic]

The OG shorties be hard up in the G.H. yo.

Kinda surprised and disappointed that they didn't have SWAT toss in a couple flashbangs... They should have at least tasered her jeeze.

 

[Redcap]

Good shoot.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Someone makes a break into my home and any of my kids or wife are there I'll most likely not need to shoot, they will have already taken care of it.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

So the other thing that struck me as a little bit 'odd' about this story is that the homeowner was armed at all. I don't carry so maybe I just don't 'get it' but it seems to me that on a rural plot like that way set back from the road and private, in a nice place like gig harbor, it just seems weird that a guy would be carrying the weight while working in the barn. Who knows maybe he just got home from town himself or something but it just seems kinda strange to be carrying in that circumstance. Do most of you guys that Carry put the gun on with your socks in the morning and put it in the side table when you go to sleep at night?

hElls yeah!

 

[Frankenrifle]

So the other thing that struck me as a little bit 'odd' about this story is that the homeowner was armed at all.

1) Rural = long police response time.
2) Coyote don't wait untill you run inside first
3) Neither do cougar or in some areas; bears.

I have myself armed every time I set foot out the door. We had a coyote running around the "neighborhood" earlier this year that was aggressive enough to try and snap at an older lady around here. Cases like that make it a better to have than to want scenario.

 

[mancat]

I live outside Gig Harbor on the Key Peninsula.


it is indeed rural. we have bear and I often spot fairly large coyote around the house. neighbor shot one with a pistol just 100yd from my place a couple months back.

there is definitely still a meth/heroin problem out here. I have stared down several suspicious beat up pickups full of methheads (you know them when you see them) checking out our road. neighbors are all armed, several recent retired military, and immediate neighbor is a WSP trooper.

"Gig Harbor" is a rather large area. the event occurred in Artondale, a bit on the rural-yuppie side, but still very rural. my wife worked at the elementary school there off and on, so I know the area.