When faced with a potentially lethal threat that you (or your family) cannot safely retreat from, what are the consequences of missing your target?
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When faced with a potentially lethal threat that you (or your family) cannot safely retreat from, what are the consequences of missing your target?
It totally depends, part 2.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay Cunningham
When you missed, were you able to follow up and still stop the threat?
What's behind the threat?
What are state laws related to self-defense and negligence?
This. On the third point, I think a lot of misconceptions have been made about this due to the popular cliche that "there is a lawyer attached to every round you fire." In a number of states, your good intent follows every round you fire, just like your bad intent would if you fired your gun with malice. This is often (confusingly) labeled "transferred self-defense," even though it is still just a logical extension of the common law doctrine of transferred intent. This may not make a difference to a lot of people because it just means that you get out at summary judgment instead of going to trial (there really isn't a way to prevent a lawsuit from being filed against you).Quote:
Originally Posted by ToddG
It gives the threat more time to harm you (or your family)Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay Cunningham
It may cause the threat to have a change of heart.
The correct answer is...
It depends.
The correct response is...
Have options and a plan for "it depends".
This post is worth every cent you paid for it. :)
Here's what I've taught about the consequences of missing:
1. You've wasted part of your finite supply of ammo. With some guns you may have wasted a large percentage of that supply with one miss.
2. You've wasted a big portion of your even MORE finite supply of time.
3. The attack against you has probably been unaffected and continues.
4. You've struck something/somebody that you didn't want to hit with your bullet(s). That may have put you in a civil/criminal legal jackpot.
That's the consequences of missing.