protecting yourself and your family?

[ExEcutioner]

Laws vary by location. In some areas, you can use deadly force to protect people or property, however in most areas, they must be 'inside' your home (not just attempting to enter) - AND you must be in fear for your life or the life of another person in the home.
If you are in a situation that 'requires' you to shoot - then you shoot to kill. If you do not need to shoot to kill, then you have no reason to shoot. In the event you must shoot someone - you need an attorney - and you need the attorney now. You may be facing both criminal charges and civil action as well. A jury can be very sympathetic for the 'poor young man who was left paralyzed for life by a trigger happy lunatic'.
If you have a grow of any type - your legal issues are obviously complicated. Now you have become a well armed drug dealer who was using "high powered weapons". And if you are using a semi-auto, then of course you are using an "assault weapon".
Deterence should be your first option. Be prepared for the consequences of your actions.

great post and let me add by emphasizing that if you shoot, you better kill him so he cannot come back and sue you on some liberal bullshit. "young inner city troubled youth nearly gets killed by paranoid drug abuser and dealer".