Some state senators and the National Rifle Association want Nebraska to become the 25th state with a so-called castle-doctrine law that would give people more protection from prosecution or lawsuits after shooting an intruder.

It’s easy to see where the impetus comes from. Most people assume that they have a right to protect their homes and families when threatened, and the circumstances of most home invasions don’t allow for a detailed interview of the intruder.

Opponents fear that trigger-happy gun owners will start blazing away in cases where it may not be clearly warranted: a burglary, for example, where the intruder doesn’t clearly threaten harm.

“It adds uncertainty and the ability for people to get away with killing people when it’s not justified,” said Howard County Attorney Robert Sivick, speaking on behalf of the Nebraska County Attorney Association. “It will make it more dangerous to be a police officer, a utility worker or the guy down the street with Alzheimer’s who tends to wander around.”