On Sat, 19 Jun 2004 13:59:11 -0700, Garlicdude
wrote:

Gunner wrote:

On Sat, 19 Jun 2004 07:35:10 -0700, Garlicdude
wrote:

Santa Cruz Mike wrote:


" A bullet in the foot first warning, next the thigh, then a good
chest shot... then between the eyes" Little Gunner

If you draw your weapon the first shot should be between the eyes.

Actually...center of mass. Aim for 2" above the belt buckle and the
followup shots tend to string upwards through the remaining vital
bits.

Gunner


Gunner, Agreed. The point was the one I keep driving home to my wife.
Don't draw your weapon If you don't intend to use it. None of this "one
step closer" stuff, pretty soon the perp has your gun and your toast.


Ayup..the only time a warning shot should be fired, is in the center
of mass. Both legally and for your personal safety.

What you have to do, is consider the following:

1. Is your life of the life of another in immediate danger?
A. Yes. Employ deadly force as needed
B. No. Leave the area NOW.

2. Will the situation escalate into your life being in danger, through
mechanisms beyond your control?
A. Yes.. see A above
B. No. See B above.

3. Immediate danger does not mean having an 50 yr old woman in a wheel
chair across the room threatening you with a dull butter knife.
Immediate danger means exactly that..you have a reasonable cause to
believe, that your life, or the life of another, may be taken or
harmed RIGHT NOW.

If a 250lb PCP crazed nut roll is standing on the other side of the
street cursing you while swinging a baseball bat..he is not an
immediate danger. If he throws that bat at you..the moment it leaves
his hands..you are no longer in direct danger from him and you may not
employ deadly force. If he screams, and starts running at
you..indeed, you are in danger and you may employ deadly force. If its
our 50 yr old granny in her wheel chair charging at you with her dull
butter knife, ..you are not in immediate danger.

The perp must have the means and ability to seriously harm you..and to
do so immediately before he can be considered an immediate danger.

If you see a fellow pouring gasoline on the side of a home, and is
ready to strike a match..he may well be considered an immediate danger
and you may indeed use deadly force. In many places, even after he
has started that fire and is trying to flee..an arsonist (and a select
small group of others) may be stopped with deadly force, as the law
may consider him a threat to the community as a whole) (serial
murders, child rapists, etc are also on this list).


If you are in a Bad Situation ©..
Draw an imaginary bubble around yourself. Make it bigger or smaller
as your gut feeling determines it to be. Anyone crossing into that
bubble should be considered an immediate threat to your life. Anyone
outside that bubble is to be considered a possible threat to your
life.
As soon as that line is crossed...use deady force to stop the danger
to you or another.

Something to consider, that is taught to cops and those who may be in
harms way is the Tuller Drill. Keep your rubber gun in your holster,
and have a gent with a rubber knife stand 21 feet away. On the knife
mans inititive, he runs at you with his rubber knife and tries to
stab/cut/kill you. ( I like to use permanant Magic Marker as the
knife).

99% of the time, the knife man will reach you before you are able to
shoot him. Its about 65% even if you have the rubber gun in your hand
but not aimed. And in real life, even if you do shoot him, he is
likely to cut you to death even as he is being shot.

A firearm is NEVER to be used to threaten, bluff, argue, demonstrate
your displeasure, etc etc. It only has two purposes in a self defense
situation. Firing the first and second shots.

Warning shots are bad juju. First of all, you dont know where that
bullet is going to wind up, even is you shoot into the air you may hit
someone miles away, and secondly, it demonstrates you are not yet
willing to employ deadly force. Cops never fire warning shots, by
departmental policy, and for those reasons.

If you are in a situation that may be become dangerous, retreat if you
are able. If you are not able to retreat, take cover and make ready.
If the situation escalates, take immediate action to protect yourself
from danger. If this means using deadly force..so be it. Your
opponent put you in this situation, you didnt. If his actions result
in his death or injury, they are on his head, not yours.
His actions are immoral when placing you into danger. Your actions in
removing that danger to yourself, are moral.

Never let anger be your guide. You MUST use the Reasonable Man
concept.
Is it reasonable to you and the community to shoot at this place and
time, under thise conditions?

Gunner


That rifle hanging on the wall of the working-class flat or labourer's
cottage is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays
there.
- George Orwell