After The Show

After The Show

From the many article assessments written about use of deadly force in a self-defense, the following seems to be consistent.

Should there be a need to deploy and use your firearm in a warranted self-defense situation (imminate danger), a few things you can probably expect to take place in the aftermath, and most certainly will in some ordered fashion in a defensive scene decomposition. The scene assessment in this scenario is referred to as "theater" or "stage" or "actor" or "subject".

Secure Your Situation

Ensure your situation/safety is secure before initiating a call to a 911 operator. Do not risk re-initialization while speaking with a 911 operator.

It is sometimes the first impulse of individuals to text their friends about things they have just done. DO NOT DO THIS. Steps below may help in a orderly manner of what to do.

Collect yourself and thoughts, and call 911 operators.
Ensure you provide your full name, address or location, and phone number.
Inform the dispatch operator there has been an event that initiated a self-defense action with use of deadly force, just that simple and straight forward. Dispatch operators will ask more questions about that.

If there has been an injury, let the 911 operator know and request EMS.
Let the 911 operator know what you look like, clothing you are wearing, colors, anything to assist responding law enforcement to identify you.

Inform the 911 operator what the subject looks like, cloths, colors, and other identifying attributes.

The 911 operator will ask a lot of questions, keep answers to the point. Information on the front-end, will aid law enforcement in what to expect in theater when they arrive.

Place your weapon on the ground or floor (when you know the situation is secured), serial number side visible, any place but in your hands, and position yourself away from the firearm.

If you think of it, ensure you have photos of your scene, with wide enough field to encompass the area, shell casing locations, body orientation, etc.... A picture can tell the story.

Photo your weapon, the reason for the serial number side up.

Law enforcement will take their own photos, keep yours for yourself.

Do not do anything to disturb or alter the situation.

Personally, I would find no need to inform law enforcement you have your own photos

If you are on a cell phone, it might be beneficial to set your phone into a record mode, to capture either video or audio, or both. May be valuable for recall.

Over There

As long as you know you are safe, distance yourself from subject. On arrival, law enforcement has to assess any situation as if there is a threat factor, and that factor remains in place until the scene has been stabilized, and they have it controlled.

When law enforcement does arrive, it is probably a good idea to be highly visible. This is in part the reason you would describe yourself to the 911 operators.

It might be wise to place your hands on your head, perhaps get on your knees, cross your ankles, and follow specific direction of the responding officers.

Do not demonstrate any level of aggression, resistance, or other factors that might affect a law enforcement officer’s perception of your threat level factor. Fully cooperate and be compliant to an officers commands.

◦You may be placed in handcuffs, and potentially an officer standing in proximity, in a readiness response orientation directed toward you. Or, you may be placed in the back of a cruiser, handcuffed. Stay calm, collected, and attentive to the situation and officers needs.
◦Law enforcement is going to ask you questions, a scene discovery phase, probably lots of them. Some questions may seem the same, asked in different ways, and potentially asked by different officers. This is normal as part of profiling the incident scene.

Law Enforcement will be using interview and interrogation techniques designed to extract information, comparing statements for consistency and accuracy.

This information will be used in their assessment of the scene.

◦During discovery, this might be the time you might want to provide information to the responding officers, keeping information clear and concise, answering to only what is asked.

Lawyer Up

Regardless of the immediate scene outcome, you would be strongly urged to pursue legal representation.

Situation pending, justified defense or not, you are going to need legal representation.

If you do go to jail, you will need both a bail bond and a lawyer. It might be good to have some of this information in the back of your mind, as a just in case need.

Insurance

There are many articles on whether it is a good policy to have specific insurance for your concealed carry and self defense.

First, check into your homeowner policy to see exactly what is covered. Better yet, after you do read your policy, call your agent and have it explained. If no coverage, it may be beneficial to look into specific coverage. Legal fees will prove to be expensive, and add up quickly. A few dollars a month is worth every penny in the long run. After the fact is not the time to consider insurance.

Summary

In an active situation, lots of things to process in very short seconds, and make sure decisions are right the first time, no second chance.

Know your State laws.

Mentally rehearse in your mind different situations and how you might react in your scenario, keeping in mind the lawful application of your actions. Dry run type drills.

Training, Training, Training.

Go to the range as much as you can.

Consider documenting your trips to the range, dates, times, rounds, weapon, etc.…, spreadsheets work well for this.

Be progressive in your training, advancing your skills along the way. It is good to show a type of recurring education, handgun safety, tactical techniques.