Why ‘Warning Shots’ Are A Bad Idea

By Tom Knighton

AP Photo/Nati Harnik

Whenever someone who’s familiar with gun laws and the use of firearms in a defensive situation talks to someone who isn’t, especially about a fatal shooting, the non-gun person is likely to bring up the concept of “warning shots.” The idea is that you pop off a round and scare the bad guy away without potentially killing them.

However, over the weekend in my home town, there was a case that illustrates part of the problem with that thinking.

According to APD, when they arrived they found Jamie Lee Lewis, 41, fatally shot and now the resident, David McDuffie, 65, is being detained.

McDuffie told police when he arrived home, he noticed an unknown person acting strangely across the street in a field, according to a release.

He unlocked his gate, pulled his car into his driveway, and noticed Lewis moving closer to his property.

McDuffie told police Lewis came into his yard and pulled on the screen door and entered his porch area, that’s when he fired at Lewis warning him not to come on his property, according to a release.

The problem is that, based on this report, we don’t know why Lewis was approaching the home. It also …Read the Rest

Source:: Bearing Arms