Draw and wait?

[hube1236]

I know that when one draws, killing is the intended end result, drawing to show the size of your C*@#& is very bad.

But when confronted with a draw situation bad guy w/weapon, not firearm, what is less legally consequential? Do I draw and allow for the chance of retreat or do I draw and fire?

 

[David Scott]

Depends on the situation, IMHO. There's a lot of literature on evaluating a tactical situation. I live in a "duty to retreat" state, so the law says I must retreat if I can do so without endangering myself or bystanders.

If they have a contact-distance weapon (knife, screwdriver, baseball bat, copy of "It Takes A Village", etc.) and are father back than about 7 yards when you complete the draw (remember the Tueller Drill), you cover them and negotiate a disengagement, as in "Florida law only allows me to shoot you in the front, so you'd better turn away and run."

If they are close enough to reach you with that contact weapon, you must fire to protect yourself. Again, Tueller taught us that 1.5 seconds of hesitation equals a knife in the gut.

If there are several agressors trying to encircle you, shoot the one in front of you and move out through the gap, then turn and cover your retreat. You can't wait in this situation because one of them will get behind you and swing that tire iron.

If they have a gun, shoot as soon as you reach point of aim. Don't try to negotiate -- people who try to get the baddie to drop the gun end up dead. When it's all over, if the dead bad guy's prints are on an unholstered gun, you have a good case for self defense.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice.

 

[TAZ]

Killing is NEVER the desired end result. You always want to stop the danger to yourself and others. Death is a mere byproduct of having had to defnd yourself or others from imminent death or bodily harm. As for draw and shoot vs draw and fire. It all depends on the situation and your preceived threat. If you feel that not shooting will stop the threat then that is by all means the best course of events. On the otherhand... Obviously the BEST course of action is to stop the threat before any shooting is necessary. Any time you shoot another human expect a world of legal and financial hurt. I fully trust my instincts and get the heck out of dodge at the first hint of trouble. Whether real or preceived my family and I leave.