To Shoot or Not to Shoot

By Paul Rackley (RSS)

November 10, 2011

According to a comment on my Power of Words blog, there seems to be a misconception among some that if you draw a gun in a self-defense situation, you have to fire it. This can’t be further from the truth.

The point of a firearm in a self-defense situation is to stop the attack. If an attacker sees that you have a firearm and runs away, you do not fire. You only fire “if” your life, or someone else’s life, is in imminent danger of death or serious injury.

A guy holding a baseball bat that is screaming obscenities at you from 50 yards away is not an imminent threat, even though he is someone to keep an eye on. In this situation you should be able to easily get away and call the police.

Now, if that same guy was only 30 feet away, you are in a completely different situation. However, it still doesn’t justify pulling the trigger, though I would be in a heightened state of alert and mentally preparing myself for that outcome. Here, you should be backing away while trying to diffuse the situation. The best scenario is for you to get away without anyone getting hurt. But you should be prepared to defend yourself if it the aggressor decides to take it to the next level.

Tags:  blogs,  paul rackley,  rackattack,  self defense,  shoot or not shoot situations,  to shoot or not to shoot

Share |

Comments

ADD YOUR COMMENT

Enter your comments below, they will appear within 24 hours


Your Name


Your Email


Your Comment

5 Responses to To Shoot or Not to Shoot

Snowcatt wrote:
November 22, 2011

Your first instinct should be to get away. Don't draw your weapon unless you can't get away and fear iminent bodily harm. If that is the case, draw it with intent to shoot, and only modify your intent if the sight of your gun drives the agressor away. To teach otherwise breeds indecision, and that is what will cause you harm.

catlow talon wrote:
November 22, 2011

To answer Chris Baker, aas an ex cop/ firearms instructor, there is no set circumstance to tell you if you feel threatned or not. You either feel it or not. A guy with a knife at 30-40 feet is WAY to close. Cops will draw 'early' because it is a deterant. But more because things can change faster than you can imagine, and if it's out at the ready, and you get supprised or startled you can't muff the draw and get youself killed as your weapon falls to the ground or remains in holster.

Dlyn wrote:
November 22, 2011

“Drag them back in” was common advice once. But forensics now is such that it is only going to leave evidence that you faked the scene. Blood, hair, fiber, trajectory of the round, possible witnesses or cameras, are going to testify that you somehow felt guilty about the shoot and needed to falsify evidence. Don’t shoot unless you are justified in the first place, then depend on your innocence and say “I want a lawyer”.

Chris Baker wrote:
November 19, 2011

The Navy, at least around the submarines in Pearl Harbor, teaches awful crap like this. I have personally been instructed to only draw my gun if I intended to shoot. I do think one could say that if you were drawing your gun so early, maybe you were not really in a self-defense situation?

T Pierce wrote:
November 17, 2011

It would be nice to hear your position on shooting within your home. If you show him the gun and he leaves.. I have heard that if you shoot him outside your house you should pull him back in.