Does anyone know Minnesota's laws on brandishing a weapon (in self defense)?
Note: I explain why I am asking here. If you would prefer to just read and answer the question, scroll down.
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I ask because I have been a couple of unnerving situations:
1. I was once walking home after dark...probably around midnight (comng home from a friend's house). Though I was on a major street, it was empty because of the time. A car came from behind me and slowed down when it got near me. A teenager was driving. He rolled down his window and yelled "I'm gonna put you in a noose!" I ignored him and kept walking. He kept driving next to me yelling "Hey!" a few times. Eventually, he sped off (by "sped" I mean he completely floored it).
2. Another time, I was walking to my friend's house. Again, it was after dark, though this time only around 9:30 PM. There were cars traveling on the street. A guy who appeared to be around 18 approached me from the front and asked me for a cigarette. I don't smoke, and I told him so. He said he didn't believe me and asked again. I kept repeating that I don't smoke. I kept walking and tried to ignore him, but he seemed to be getting angrier and angrier (he was following me at this point) that I was ignoring him and that I wasn't giving him a cigarette. He then asked me to buy him some, and I ignored him again. He seemed pretty mad now, saying things like "Why don't you ****ing talk?" Eventually, I got to a busy area and he left.
Both situations ended without me really doing anything, but I sometimes think about how they could have been worse. Gun crime isn't really a problem in my neighborhood, but I still don't like the idea of being attacked. About five years ago, my friends and I were attacked by three (apparently unarmed) individuals.
Naturally, I'd prefer to scare off a potential attacker instead of actually hurting one. That's where my question comes in. The "thugs" in my area probably wouldn't be carrying guns (note I don't rely on this assumption...it's just based off my and my friends' experiences). They ten to have knives or batons at worst. However, I'm usually at a distinct disadvantage. I usually travel alone, I don't work out, and I'm only around 5'8", 130 lbs. If an unarmed assailant attacked me unarmed, I wouldn't win a fight.
So assume I have a weapon with me. Someone tries to attack me. Knowing I don't really have a chance of defending myself, I brandish a weapon to try to scare him off. Now suppose this works, but he goes and calls the police to say I threatened him with a weapon.
What would happen to me? Does Minnesota law prohibit brandishing a weapon in self-defense. Does the type of weapon matter? For example, what if I brandished:
1. A stun gun (legal to carry)
2. Pepper (legal to carry)
3. A knife (the one I carry is legal)
4. A firearm (carried with all of the required permits, of course)
I don't currently own a firearm, but intend to get one soon (including taking classes to train me in its use and such). Even when I own and carry a firearm, however, I would take out the stun gun or pepper spray first, and then escalate if the attacker did not back down (or more realistically, stun/spray him and try to get away, only pulling the knife/gun if he chased me).
I would think there wouldn't be as many problems with the first two, as they're designed to be nonlethal, but I would still like to know was, if any, laws there are against this.
So...
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What are the laws in Minnesota concerning brandishing the folloiwng (in self defense):
1. A firearm
2. A stun gun
3. Pepper spray
4. A knife
NOTE: This all assumes that running didn't work, as that would be what I'd try to do first.
Thank you for your time.
Note: I explain why I am asking here. If you would prefer to just read and answer the question, scroll down.
---
I ask because I have been a couple of unnerving situations:
1. I was once walking home after dark...probably around midnight (comng home from a friend's house). Though I was on a major street, it was empty because of the time. A car came from behind me and slowed down when it got near me. A teenager was driving. He rolled down his window and yelled "I'm gonna put you in a noose!" I ignored him and kept walking. He kept driving next to me yelling "Hey!" a few times. Eventually, he sped off (by "sped" I mean he completely floored it).
2. Another time, I was walking to my friend's house. Again, it was after dark, though this time only around 9:30 PM. There were cars traveling on the street. A guy who appeared to be around 18 approached me from the front and asked me for a cigarette. I don't smoke, and I told him so. He said he didn't believe me and asked again. I kept repeating that I don't smoke. I kept walking and tried to ignore him, but he seemed to be getting angrier and angrier (he was following me at this point) that I was ignoring him and that I wasn't giving him a cigarette. He then asked me to buy him some, and I ignored him again. He seemed pretty mad now, saying things like "Why don't you ****ing talk?" Eventually, I got to a busy area and he left.
Both situations ended without me really doing anything, but I sometimes think about how they could have been worse. Gun crime isn't really a problem in my neighborhood, but I still don't like the idea of being attacked. About five years ago, my friends and I were attacked by three (apparently unarmed) individuals.
Naturally, I'd prefer to scare off a potential attacker instead of actually hurting one. That's where my question comes in. The "thugs" in my area probably wouldn't be carrying guns (note I don't rely on this assumption...it's just based off my and my friends' experiences). They ten to have knives or batons at worst. However, I'm usually at a distinct disadvantage. I usually travel alone, I don't work out, and I'm only around 5'8", 130 lbs. If an unarmed assailant attacked me unarmed, I wouldn't win a fight.
So assume I have a weapon with me. Someone tries to attack me. Knowing I don't really have a chance of defending myself, I brandish a weapon to try to scare him off. Now suppose this works, but he goes and calls the police to say I threatened him with a weapon.
What would happen to me? Does Minnesota law prohibit brandishing a weapon in self-defense. Does the type of weapon matter? For example, what if I brandished:
1. A stun gun (legal to carry)
2. Pepper (legal to carry)
3. A knife (the one I carry is legal)
4. A firearm (carried with all of the required permits, of course)
I don't currently own a firearm, but intend to get one soon (including taking classes to train me in its use and such). Even when I own and carry a firearm, however, I would take out the stun gun or pepper spray first, and then escalate if the attacker did not back down (or more realistically, stun/spray him and try to get away, only pulling the knife/gun if he chased me).
I would think there wouldn't be as many problems with the first two, as they're designed to be nonlethal, but I would still like to know was, if any, laws there are against this.
So...
---
What are the laws in Minnesota concerning brandishing the folloiwng (in self defense):
1. A firearm
2. A stun gun
3. Pepper spray
4. A knife
NOTE: This all assumes that running didn't work, as that would be what I'd try to do first.
Thank you for your time.
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