You are more likely to be shot in your own backyard

by Law Enforcement, than by a criminal.

From This Ain't Hell I found the following story:

"SPRING VALLEY — As a Spring Valley woman recovered from a gunshot wound Tuesday in a hospital, her family is demanding answers from the sheriff’s deputy who accidentally fired the bullet.

Sheriff’s officials said Jennifer Orey, 36, was shot during a surprise encounter with a deputy in her back yard Sunday night. The bullet first grazed her chest, then went through her arm and ricocheted off her pinky finger."

Sacramento County Sheriff's Deputies were searching for "A man in a ski mask", and instead found a home owner checking her own property after hearing nosies. One of them shoots her, no verbal warnings, just BANG! And the Deputies excuse? “I’m sorry, you startled me”. You shot an innocent woman because she startled you? You were in "HER" back yard without her permission, without notifying her the homeowner you were on her property and you shot her. I have a few issues with this story.

#1: why were you in her back yard? As a former LEO, unless we had the subject in sight we could not enter ANYONE'S property without the permission of property owner or tenant. These two deputies were responding to a call of a man in a ski mask. They did not see the subject they were looking for, therefore they had no legal authority to enter her property. Which they did through an "Open Gate", which they thought was suspicious. Uhhh, No. My former Departments policy was you did NOT enter someone's property UNLESS you had actually sighted your subject. Just because a gate is open is not in and of itself suspicious. They should have noted it and attempted to contact the resident before entering the yard. In Missouri if you entered someone's property without permission and without being in pursuit of a subject "YOU" the officer were guilty of Trespassing.

#2: Why was the Deputy's finger on the trigger of an unholstered weapon? The report was a subject in a ski mask. According to the news story there was no mention made of a weapon. So why was his finger on the trigger, in a yard he had no permission to be in?

#3: Where was the Deputy's flashlight? It was nighttime, how does anyone expect to identify anyone, either a subject you are looking for or an innocent citizen? I carried 2 flashlights, my AA battery Minimag and my 2 D cell Maglight, ALWAYS. And these days more and more officers have weapons lights mounted to prevent occurrences such as this.

These are just the beginnings of the questions I have.