When to Shoot

[ewheeley]

I was just thinking about this the other day. Procrastinating, really.

This may be a horribly stupid and pointless question, but I'm just curious.

Given a situation where someone is doing something to threaten the life of someone else, but not you, do you shoot or not shoot?

As an example, someone is strangling or trying to drown someone. Or even more immediate to that person, hitting them with a bat or club or something. It may be a clear cut answer to you guys, but I'm just confused. Even a person with a bat can be turned into a non-threat if the correct action is taken, but do you take that risk and try to overpower them, or do you shoot them and end it there?

 

[cowadle]

what if the guy with the bat is the good guy defending himself?

 

[Stephen Cue]

I was just thinking about this the other day. Procrastinating, really.

This may be a horribly stupid and pointless question, but I'm just curious.

Given a situation where someone is doing something to threaten the life of someone else, but not you, do you shoot or not shoot?

As an example, someone is strangling or trying to drown someone. Or even more immediate to that person, hitting them with a bat or club or something. It may be a clear cut answer to you guys, but I'm just confused. Even a person with a bat can be turned into a non-threat if the correct action is taken, but do you take that risk and try to overpower them, or do you shoot them and end it there?

I would never say anything is clear cut.

We've all seen COPS, you could shoot a man clearly killing his wife and then she may attack you for shooting her "poor" husband.

One takes on the possible inevitability of criminal and most likely civil liability when defending someone we do not have a relationship with using deadly force.

Caveat Emtor!

 

[Michael Brown]

I was just thinking about this the other day. Procrastinating, really.

This may be a horribly stupid and pointless question, but I'm just curious.

Given a situation where someone is doing something to threaten the life of someone else, but not you, do you shoot or not shoot?

As an example, someone is strangling or trying to drown someone. Or even more immediate to that person, hitting them with a bat or club or something. It may be a clear cut answer to you guys, but I'm just confused. Even a person with a bat can be turned into a non-threat if the correct action is taken, but do you take that risk and try to overpower them, or do you shoot them and end it there?

It is not a stupid or pointless question.

It is, however, far too vague to be discussed intelligently.

Michael Brown

 

[redmax51]

I would never say anything is clear cut.

We've all seen cops, you could shoot a man clearly killing his wife and they she may attack you for killing her "poor" husband.

One takes on the inevitability of criminal and most likely civil liability when defending someone we do not have a relationship with using deadly force.

Caveat Emtor!

Caveat Emtor! is actually caveat emptor and means loosely "let the buyer beware" so ,Stephen,what are you buying?? Steve


To the OP,the best thing you could do is call the police for the reasons mentioned above.Your not the police and your license to carry only allows you to use deadly force if you,your immediate family or your employer is in eminent danger of being killed or suffer great bodily harm.

 

[redmax51]

It is not a stupid or pointless question.

It is, however, far too vague to be discussed intelligently.

Michael Brown

+1,I should have said that. Steve

 

[Stephen Cue]

Caveat Emtor! is actually caveat emptor and means loosely "let the buyer beware" so ,Stephen,what are you buying?? Steve


To the OP,the best thing you could do is call the police for the reasons mentioned above.Your not the police and your license to carry only allows you to use deadly force if you,your immediate family or your employer is in eminent danger of being killed or suffer great bodily harm.

Ok, put the down the can of ball-buster sauce

 

[redmax51]

Ok, put the down the can of ball-buster sauce

Sorry,couldn't resist.LOL Steve

 

[progun40]

To the OP,the best thing you could do is call the police for the reasons mentioned above.Your not the police and your license to carry only allows you to use deadly force if you,your immediate family or your employer is in eminent danger of being killed or suffer great bodily harm.

And the winner is.....redmax51

 

[doctorjj]

what if the guy with the bat is the good guy defending himself?

This is what I always consider. Unless you saw the entire thing go down, you shouldn't even think about getting involved. Even if you did see it all, it's still best to not insert yourself into the situation and just call the cops.