Is it wrong to shoot a theif in the head!?

[wynn]

suppose your car's alarm sets off, you go out with your gun to see what's happening and you see a thief who's trying to steal your car
now you point the gun at them and tell them to freeze and stop doing what ever they are doing
after that they try to grub their own gun and point it at you
now before they start pointing the gun at you you shoot them in the head and they die
is it legal in this case? And if not then why not?.......shouldn't the Law care more about protecting law abiding citizens than worthless criminals!?

[hwistlere31]

The law should care more about you but it doesn't.

[ashbey15]

In your eyes he's a worthless criminal. The law doesn't see it like that - everyone's life is of equal value except for that of law enforcement personel who are much more valuable than ordinary citizens. (Look at how much stiffer the penalties for assaulting an officer are from assaulting a citizen.)
Once he points the gun at you, then it's self defense (morally, there is no self-defense plea in Mass.).
To shoot him before he pulls out a gun is murder.

[oded]

I like the story of the Quaker farmer (a pacifist) catching a robber in his barn one night. He pointed a rifle towards the thief, and told him, "sir, being that I am a Quaker and wish to harm no man, I feel it prudent to warn you that my gun is pointed in the place where you are standing and the trigger is about to be pulled"

[jocheved]

Yes
It is wrong to shoot for the head.
The head is a harder target to hit.
Most police trainers will tell you that you should aim for the center -- the chest.

As for the legal question you ask --
ask a lawyer and pay him for his time.

Online answers about the law are worth what you paid for them.

[parnell]

you ask one question then when i looked at your question in full your asking something different
if someone pulls a gun on you then you would be with in your rights to defend your self

[werner72]

No you should shoot to disable offender or defend yourself not kill.

[max]

you should aim for the chest...i think you could get off...this is self defense although you should really call the cops when you see crimes.

[ern]

You should ask this in the legal section.

[vaiveatoish]

Probably not really I don't think Jesus would have done so and let him take his stuff.