“Terrified”? Your scenario isn’t particularly terrifying to me, but even so it wouldn’t mean you’re entitled to use deadly force.
If I go to the door in the middle of the night and someone is trying to ENTER my house, or I THINK they are trying to enter (opening or turning the handle).
I am going to be scared to death.
Would I shoot them? no, because I wouldn’t be answering the door with a gun, but that’s me. But I can understand someone else even more scared doing differently.
Here is the deal.
Lets just assume the exact same situation happened... BUT it was a home invader who intended to force their way into the home and kill the old man. The old guy goes to the door... opens the inner door so see the home invader opening the outer porch door. IF it WAS a home invader the old man would of only had a FRACTION of a second (since he opened the inner door already) before the home invader would of attacked him.
I know.. this kid was just confused and innocent, and simply at the wrong house. BUT the old man had to make a 1/100th of a second decision that his LIFE depended on.
I am just thankful the poor kid didn’t die, and hope he has a full recovery. But I feel sorry for the old man.