Key Takeaways
- Patrick Dull was acquitted of murder and manslaughter for shooting Ryan Dazzi, citing self-defense and family defense as reasons.
- The incident occurred after Dazzi vandalized Dull’s home and made threatening gestures before charging at Dull.
- Dull, a retired military veteran with PTSD, spent more than two years facing legal challenges before his acquittal.
- The case emphasizes the importance of self-defense liability coverage for armed citizens after defensive gun use incidents.
- It highlights the right to self-defense under the Second Amendment, even in states with strict gun laws like California.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
BARSTOW, CA — A retired military veteran who shot and killed an unarmed man on the front porch of his own home was acquitted of murder and manslaughter Wednesday, with jurors accepting his argument that he acted in lawful self-defense and defense of his family.
As reported by Daily Press, Patrick Dull, 52, was found not guilty of both charges in the Victorville branch of San Bernardino County Superior Court on April 22. The case stemmed from the Feb. 9, 2024 shooting death of 25-year-old Ryan Dazzi of Barstow in the 1200 block of Joshua Tree Drive.
Dull and Dazzi were acquainted through family friendships, according to defense attorney James McGee. On the night of the shooting, Dazzi showed up at Dull’s home twice.
During the first visit, at 1 a.m., Dazzi threw a rock through a window of the house. Dull was not home at the time, though family members were inside. The reason for Dazzi’s anger toward Dull was never made clear.
Dazzi returned to the property about 2:15 a.m., after Dull had come home and was boarding up the broken window. According to the defense, Dazzi approached Dull from behind, made threatening statements, and then charged toward him on the front porch.
Dull fired a single shot, striking Dazzi in the abdomen, then reported the shooting to police. Officers and paramedics found Dazzi wounded near the front door, and he later died from his injuries at a hospital. Dazzi was found to have been unarmed.
McGee told the court his client acted in self-defense and defense of family while on his own property. Barstow police had initially identified Dull as a suspect and arrested him following the shooting.
Military service and the impact of PTSD
Dull served 24 years in the U.S. Air Force as a munitions technician and completed three combat deployments to Afghanistan and three to Iraq before retiring in 2023. He is disabled and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder related to his service.
“I’m thankful that the jury took into consideration my client’s PTSD from his military service, the effect it had, in him defending his home,” McGee said following the verdict.
The trial spanned more than two months. In addition to the acquittal, special allegations that could have enhanced Dull’s sentence, including the use of a firearm and causing great bodily injury, were also dismissed. Dull was ordered released from custody.
The long road after a defensive shooting
Dull’s case is a reminder that a lawful defensive shooting does not end when the threat does. From his arrest in early 2024 to his acquittal this week, Dull spent more than two years facing serious criminal charges, a trial that lasted longer than most defendants ever experience, and the very real possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison.
That legal aftermath is exactly why more armed citizens are treating self-defense liability coverage as seriously as they treat their training and their gear. CCW Safe provides members with critical support after a defensive gun use incident, including attorney fees, trial costs, investigator and expert witness expenses, and ongoing guidance through the months or years of prosecution that can follow. A justified shooting may not be an open-and-shut shut, even when the facts clearly support self-defense.
Having an experienced legal defense team in place before an incident occurs can mean the difference between facing the system alone and having someone in your corner from the first phone call.
Takeaway for armed citizens
The right to defend yourself and your family inside your own home is a fundamental civil right protected by both the Second Amendment and centuries of self-defense law. California, despite its restrictive firearm laws, still recognizes the right of lawful gun owners to meet an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm with proportional force.
The key legal factors in this case reflected those principles. Dull was on his own property, faced a person who had already committed violence against his home once that night, and was charged by an aggressor making threats. The single shot he fired, followed by an immediate call to police, supported the defense narrative that this was a protective act, not a retaliatory one.
Armed citizens should study cases like this closely. Understanding the legal standard for the use of force, maintaining a defensive mindset, and preparing for the legal aftermath are all part of responsible home defense.
