No, I'm not...
As a civilian, my gun stays in the holster until it's time to shoot. There is nothing wrong about that.
I don't need a talisman to wave around every time someone frightens me.
I don't need to draw it, point it, and hope it gets the right reaction.
I also don't need your validation.
As a civilian, my gun stays in the holster until it's time to shoot. There is nothing wrong about that.
I don't need a talisman to wave around every time someone frightens me.
I don't need to draw it, point it, and hope it gets the right reaction.
I also don't need your validation.
But IF you pulled your gun because a thug with a knife was wanting your wallet, and as you produce the gun the thug turns and runs away before any bullets fly, your still going to shoot?
I dont think you are gonna shoot a man in the back but the way the law is written this is not legal. They just want to make the language of the current law be more clear and defined so you dont feel like you must shoot if the situation changes and the threat retreats.
If someone pulls a knife on me, I'm not going to give him time to turn and run. It would give him time to lunge at me as well. I don't have the time, the pain tolerance, or the blood to spare to give him the chance to lunge.
Woody
Woody
Remember there is a subtle difference between imminent threat and present danger.
I'll give you a real word example:
Several years ago on the drive home from my workplace in Plano TX to my home in OK I had been called into a conference call via cell phone (Early 1990s). As I came through Denison, TX I pulled off 69/75 into a McDonalds parking lot and shut the engine off because I knew from experience that the signal would drop in another mile or so and I couldn't afford to be disconnected from the call. As it was around 0300 the lot was completely empty and not a soul in sight. Due to the nature of the call, dealing with a network outage and an upset client, I was not focused on my surroundings as I should have been. Two men "appeared" without being seen until they were in my mirror walking up either side of my truck. Given that approach I immediately went on high alert and placed my hand on the pistol I had stored between the seat and console.
The walked up to the doors and the one on the driver side said "We need a ride." I informed him I wasn't giving rides and they needed to move along. At this point I dropped the phone into my lat (Unfortunately forgot to hit the mute button and everything went out over the call.) He then told me "Hey man I said we need a ride, don't be a dick dude!". I again informed him I didn't give rides. At this point he put his hand on top of the door and drew back with his other hand either in a fist or with something in his hand to break the window as the guy on the passenger side started jerking the door handle. I placed the pistol against the glass, he stopped with his fist still cocked back and I told him, "If that effing glass breaks you are going to die!" Seeing the pistol they changed their mind and hauled butt thankfully.
After apologizing to my client I excused myself from the call long enough to notify the local PD of what had happened. They sent an officer to check on me and check the area. Nothing more ever came from it. In my opinion, there was clearly an imminent threat of great bodily harm at the very least but had I pulled the trigger and shot through the glass it would have been a bad shoot.
Just my opinion.
I'll give you a real word example:
Several years ago on the drive home from my workplace in Plano TX to my home in OK I had been called into a conference call via cell phone (Early 1990s). As I came through Denison, TX I pulled off 69/75 into a McDonalds parking lot and shut the engine off because I knew from experience that the signal would drop in another mile or so and I couldn't afford to be disconnected from the call. As it was around 0300 the lot was completely empty and not a soul in sight. Due to the nature of the call, dealing with a network outage and an upset client, I was not focused on my surroundings as I should have been. Two men "appeared" without being seen until they were in my mirror walking up either side of my truck. Given that approach I immediately went on high alert and placed my hand on the pistol I had stored between the seat and console.
The walked up to the doors and the one on the driver side said "We need a ride." I informed him I wasn't giving rides and they needed to move along. At this point I dropped the phone into my lat (Unfortunately forgot to hit the mute button and everything went out over the call.) He then told me "Hey man I said we need a ride, don't be a dick dude!". I again informed him I didn't give rides. At this point he put his hand on top of the door and drew back with his other hand either in a fist or with something in his hand to break the window as the guy on the passenger side started jerking the door handle. I placed the pistol against the glass, he stopped with his fist still cocked back and I told him, "If that effing glass breaks you are going to die!" Seeing the pistol they changed their mind and hauled butt thankfully.
After apologizing to my client I excused myself from the call long enough to notify the local PD of what had happened. They sent an officer to check on me and check the area. Nothing more ever came from it. In my opinion, there was clearly an imminent threat of great bodily harm at the very least but had I pulled the trigger and shot through the glass it would have been a bad shoot.
Just my opinion.
Yes you are, because you think every single incident has a clear line where it goes from nothing to firing in a split second. The real world doesn't work that way and you're also excluding the possibility that having a legal justification doesn't equal having a moral one.
No one said anything about a talisman except you.
No one said anything about hope except you.
You are correct that you don't need my validation. My post wasn't to give or take your validation, it's an extremely valid counterpoint and you don't get to dictate that.
When the threat subsides you are no longer weapons free.
I have and will again brandish my weapon if faced with what I perceive to be a situation that requires it. I also feel the lawman is on the side of the average citizen. If the threat is present and subsequently dispersed through just demonstrating the presence of my CCW, then after a quick call to the authorities to report a foiled crime, I simply do not believe the authorities would pursue charges against me. Being open and reporting the issue as stated by @okie362 with intent to remain and speak with the police, you obviously you are a law abiding citizen. If the perps call the police and inform them that you brandished your weapon and you have already notified law enforcement and are standing by for their arrival, you should feel confident that you are safe from prosecution. A headache maybe, but well within your rights to defend yourself. Maybe I am ignorant to believe the system works, but I would like very much to believe that it does.
I'll take the opinion of our resident lawyer, rather than the opinions of all those who carry.
We have several lawyers here; I can be wrong, same as anybody else. While I appreciate your confidence, you should always get multiple opinions, then evaluate them in light of what you know to be true.
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