AWA: Legal Considerations of Firearms — Part 1

Before the holidays, my last series of articles focused on being prepared for home invasions. I posed the following scenario: It’s 2 a.m. on a Tuesday night and you and your spouse are fast asleep in bed. Suddenly, you’re jolted awake by the sound of glass shattering. In your sleepy stupor you’re not sure where the sound came from, all you know is that something was broken. Your heart starts to race and you feel the adrenaline pumping through your veins — one of your worst fears may be coming true. Let’s pick up our story from here…

You and your spouse have already rehearsed for a disaster like this and you’ve taken up your defensive positions inside your bedroom, with the door locked and firearms in hand. You’ve called 911 and have them on the line but the police are at least a few minutes away. You hear the intruder come up the stairs and try to open the door. Finding it locked, he begins to kick the door, which is easily busted open as it is a flimsy bedroom door. With lights already on inside your room you are quickly able to identify your target and see that they are a masked individual in dark clothes, carrying a pistol. As the intruder sees you and your spouse, they begin to raise their gun and point it at you. Suddenly you hear shots ring out, deafening your ears. As you frantically look around to figure out where the shots came from, you see the intruder stagger and fall to the ground, blood beginning to seep from their chest. You look around to see your spouse lowering their gun, a look of terror on their face. You and your spouse are unharmed, but understandably are mortified. You spend the next few moments trying to comprehend what just happened and come to the shocking realization that there is a dead person lying on your bedroom floor. What in the world are you supposed to do now?

I didn’t write the above scenario for shock and awe; rather I am trying to paint a very important and realistic picture. For the majority of us, we will never be in this situation, for which I am grateful. However, because there is always a chance of finding ourselves in this situation or something similar, we need to know how we must react because what we do in the moments following this scenario could quite possibly determine if we end up in prison, slapped with heavy fines, or walk free. Understanding your legal responsibilities as a firearms owner is absolutely critical.

I will discuss suggestions on how to properly react in the above scenario

and explore important legal considerations in my next couple articles. Be advised that I offer no official legal advice. Until then, I urge you to look into some things on your own, specifically what laws your state has in regard to home defense, including castle doctrine. Each state has their own set of laws and it is essential that you understand what they are.

To find out more about legal considerations of owning a firearm, home defense, self-defense, and firearms, please join us for the Armed Women of America ( AWA) Sterling Chapter meeting on Feb. 19 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Logan County Shooting Sports complex, 12515 Highway 61/2nd Amendment Way off Highway 61 Sterling.

Prospective members are welcome to attend their first meeting before joining. If you would like to become a member, you can join online at www. twawshootingchapters.org. Women over 18 interested in learning more can contact Andrea Stump at awa.sterlingco@gmail.com or visit TWAW Shooting Chapters, Inc. website at www. twawshootingchapters.org. You can also like us on Facebook @twawsterlingcolorado or stop by Boondocks Army Surplus at 324 N 4th Street in Sterling and pick up a flyer.