In my assessment, there are several issues that arise in this situation, and in discussion about such an incident.
There are some people, and I dare say some members here, that may think:
"Oh well, he/she's a nutcase (translation: subhuman) and it's really not a big deal if his/her life is taken. Heck, probably doing society a favor, right?"
There are others, some TFLer's included, that believe:
"He/she is not thinking right, and therefore is in less control of their physical actions, and it would be a moral crime (even if a legal shooting) to kill that person"
There are also many that believe that regardless of the motive or thinking, if a threat is able to & appears to be intent upon killing or maiming you, and is in the process right this instant, then shooting is justified. End of story.
Some may waver back and forth.
Personally, I would like to see more replies to this thread include something along these lines:
"Well, he came running out of the store with a cleaver, he looked at me and at the instant he started in my direction I stepped behind the cell-phone kiosk and bolted down the stairs."
Okay, I took some liberty in adding the kiosk & stairs to the scenario; but I think some may understand my point.
Which is...
In ANY emergency situation the responders need to make a rapid assessment of the entire scene. What are the dangers, and what are the OPTIONS?
Before any of us begin shooting, we MUST determine if there is the availability of COVER, CONCEALMENT, or ESCAPE.
The availability is determined by distance and time.
Yes, I know all about the 21 feet rule and how an attacker with an edged weapon (or heck, even strong hands) can make contact in under two seconds. Many people seem to think that if the distance is under or around 21 feet that all option of escape is impossible.
OH REALLY?
So, nobody has ever had a brother or cousin or friend come flying at you from 21 feet and NOT been able to get away in time?
Happens all the time playing tag, or just screwing around or heck, even in football.
7 yards is not the same as the goal line.
Sure, there may be cases with a person with a cleaver in close proximity in which shooting BECOMES the only option.
But to just think: "Oh! Knife! Over There! Bang!Bang!Bang!" is simplifying the matter entirely too much.
Of the criteria laid out in my permit class, the thing that stands out strongly in my mind is that if you can possibly get away, YOU MUST.
Permits do not license us to protect and serve the public. They are only permits to carry firearms in public. Read the fine print in the carry laws, it doesn't say "permit to protect myself and family by shooting at, possibly killing, another person." It is a permit to carry, ONLY.
The laws regarding use of deadly force really don't even have anything to do with carrying a handgun.
Where is this babbling going?
If I can get away (and let's assume that my mom or brother or wife are nowhere around) then that is my legal obligation.
Some people are going to counter and say, "but then instead of me stopping him he might go after some other person!".
Well, them's the breaks. Every other person around is also
solely responsible for their own safety. (LEO's excluded, as well as a few others.)
I cannot decide what is best for anybody else.
Or what is in their best interests.
In my example, as I dart down the stairs that might be all the diversion that is needed for the guy at the golf club kiosk to bash the assailant over the head with a Big Bertha driver.
Your individual action, shooting or running, is only one person's action. You cannot foresee other people's actions or read their thoughts so clearly that you can be sure that you are the only planning some action to end this attack.
If you can get away, get away. If you can't, and the attacker with deadly means is appearing to use those means on you (or a loved one), then you may shoot.
Whether it is mental illness, drug use, a head injury, or evil that is the root of the attack, none of that matters.
Reasoning with the individual isn't going to work at that moment.
Let's even go further.
There are lot's of people that aren't even evil that commit crimes that may be justifiably met with deadly force.
Here's a hypothetical. Bob lost his job at the plant after 42 years on the line. His daughter was hit by a drunk driver and needs very expensive rehab and medications. Bob's wife just died of cancer. The bank manager stopped by and said that since the letter's weren't being answered, he thought he'd stop out and deliver the foreclosure letters personally.
Bob's friend is an armored car driver, and Bob knows the route.
Bob's friend is in his 60's and with his arthritis he can barely hold a gun, much less shoot someone. But, he's the uncle of the owner of the armored car company so he still has a job.
He doesn't want to hurt anyone, but he just doesn't see his way out.
He figures he can ambush his friend with a BB gun ("just so nobody really get's hurt") and take the money and if his friend recognizes him through the disguse he can talk him into letting him run off with the money and the friend can just say a gang jumped him and he never saw their faces.
So, Bob has a plan.
But you know what they say about plans....
Bob's friend happens to call in sick on the day Bob planned the robbery.
Jim is filling in.
Jim stops at the first drop and as he gets out of the cab he is faced with a man pulling a black pistol from his pocket.
Jim shoots alot of IPSC and IDPA and as luck would have it, he draws first and shoots Bob dead in the throat.
Was Bob evil?
I think most would say not evil, but clearly irrational due to the cumulative stress.
If I was Jim, would I have shot?
Absolutely.
A man is a car length away and I'm backed against the cab. He is drawing a gun. My training and mental banks are telling me that I am in mortal danger.
I will then do everything and anything in my power to stop the threat. If I am to live, I must stop the threat since I cannot get away from the threat.
So, if you can, get away!
You must! It is your obligation to yourself (do you really want a killing in your mind every day for life?), to your family (nobody ever looks the same at someone that they know has killed) and to society (you can't just kill people if it's not the last resort).
Maybe I'll get flamed for all of this, but whatever.
I do believe that the vast majority of permit-holders and members of TFL whole-heartedly believe that deadly force is the last resort, and many may feel that that was implied in their replies, but it would be nice to see it laid out in print a bit more.
(If only for the benefit of those readers that are not as informed on this subject as others. Or casual web-surfers just being introduced to guns and self-protection.)
With respect, -Kframe
(ps: I've just finished my 12-hour night shift at work, so if there are errors in syntax or punctuation, I blame it all on my exhaustion, rather than simply being a mediocre writer.
)
