If ever there was a reason to keep your mouth shut, it would be after a defensive shooting. People, we cannot stress enough that if you're involved in an incident where you feel it is necessary to use your firearm in self-defense, for freedom's sake, don't talk about it afterward…
…especially to the filming media. Here's the lowdown on the story.
Speaks Truth to Media About Defending Self: Is it the Right Move?
The Story
Mr. Bowers heard someone in his house, so he retrieved his .357 magnum revolver. He confronted a man who was in the process of setting his house on fire. They fought for a bit, and the bad guy was shot point blank with one hollow point.
The sad part, which could turn around and bite Mr. Bowers in the rear end, is that he continued to fire his weapon at a fleeing attacker. He said that he thinks he fired 5 more shots, emptying his gun, as the man ran across a field. If you want to read the entire story, click here.
To my knowledge, there aren't any states in the Union that would allow someone to fire extra shots at a fleeing individual. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but you can only use a gun if you're in fear for your life (and/or property protection in some states). If the attacker is running away, he's no longer a threat.
At that point, a court of law may suggest that you were just trying to kill the man. In all reality, the threat of arson was over, and so was the scuffle. He was not justified to pull the trigger after the man ran away.
The first shot when they were fighting, however, is more than justifiable. After all, he looks like an older man who doesn't seem to get around all that well and his life may have been in danger at that point. Plus, by the limited research I've done on Arizona gun laws, you're allowed to use deadly force on an individual if they are committing arson on an occupied structure.
Not only was the structure occupied, but an elderly 73-year-old man died because first responders couldn't get him out fast enough.
Are you worried about martial law?
Posted by Survival Life on Friday, November 13, 2015
But, to unload an entire gun in a field at a fleeing man–intruder/attacker/arsonist or not–is not a good idea. In fact, a liberal court could press charges against him.
To make matters potentially worse, authorities caught the arsonist a few blocks away, which leads me to believe that the field where Mr. Bowers was shooting is a populated area. There could have been innocent bystanders present, though we won't know for sure. We are thankful that he didn't accidentally shoot anyone else.
Friends, it is never a good idea to discharge a weapon at an uncertain target. In the heat of the moment, you don't know what is on the other side of the guy you're aiming at. Here is a video of the man giving an interview to ABC News:
Click here to watch the video.
What do you think about what the man said during his interview? Would you have divulged? Or, would you have waited for your lawyer to arrive before you said anything stupid? It's like my lawyer friend always says: “Lawyer up, and shut up!”
What is your personal insight into the story? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
Up Next: True Stories of America’s Defensive Gun Use: Convenience Store Edition
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on April 9, 2016, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.