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TUSCALOOSA, AL. – A domestic confrontation Sunday evening ended with a woman defending herself after calling 911 and waiting for police to arrive.

Jack Kennedy, the commander of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit, said, “Last night, the female retreated to an inoperable vehicle to get away from the male during an argument. While locked in the vehicle, she called 911 and reported that the male was beating on the windows of the vehicle attempting to break them to get to her. When police arrived on scene, the male had been shot several times. The female stated she shot in self-defense.”

She told officers that she and the man had been in a long-term relationship that involved an ongoing domestic dispute.

Investigators say she told dispatchers she feared for her safety as she waited for police assistance. During that time, she fired her weapon, believing she was facing an immediate threat.

Authorities confirmed that previous reports of domestic violence between the two had been recorded, and the man was hospitalized in critical condition.

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When You Call 911, Help Is Still Minutes Away

This case is a clear example of when you call 911, help doesn’t magically show up. You may only have seconds, not minutes, when someone is actively trying to break into where you’re at, especially during an escalating domestic confrontation. Even in cities with fast response times, officers must be dispatched, travel to the scene, and find you. That wait will seem like an eternity.

Alabama’s Stand Your Ground law

Alabama’s Stand Your Ground law (Code §13A-3-23), enacted in 2006, allows individuals to use force, including deadly force, in self-defense without a duty to retreat if they are in a place where they have a legal right to be, are not engaged in illegal activity, and reasonably fear imminent death or serious physical harm.