Hey all -
This post got me thinking:
http://www.defensivecarry.com/vbull...ssues-discussions/43343-almost-bad-shoot.html
I've often wondered how things would "go down" if I was ever presented with a "need to display" situation.
I would like to think that I don't have a "shoot first ask questions later" mentality. Here in VA, we do NOT have castle doctrine and I've been warned by many an LEO, lawyer and instructor that pulling the trigger MUST be an absolute necessity, the general consensus being that while our gun laws in VA are fairly good that the juries may/may not be and proving self defense isn't always a given. And even IF I am aquitted in a criminal trial the family of the victim (or the victim if he survives) is well within his right to sue me civilly for damages into the tens of millions. Somehow the "Armed Citizen" section of NRA's First Freedom doesn't really mention the second order effects of shooting someone in self defense.
So, if given the option, I would much rather hold the BG face down on the pavement at gunpoint until LEO's arrived and I go home not having to worry about being brought up on manslaughter charges and able to sleep having not taken someone's life. I'd like to think this is the path I'd take in MOST situations - after all bankrupting my family or abandoning my family for prison seems to void the argument of carrying to defend my family.
But all of us know that when we leave the house carrying, today, God forbid, might be the day we have to actually fire. If a guy has my wife at gunpoint, for example, that might be the time when I draw, shoot then think about consequences.
So, there have to be situations where you'd a) display and hold until authorities arrive and b) shoot first, ask questions later.
What are your scenarios? (And please no "rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6" arguments)
Andy
This post got me thinking:
http://www.defensivecarry.com/vbull...ssues-discussions/43343-almost-bad-shoot.html
I've often wondered how things would "go down" if I was ever presented with a "need to display" situation.
I would like to think that I don't have a "shoot first ask questions later" mentality. Here in VA, we do NOT have castle doctrine and I've been warned by many an LEO, lawyer and instructor that pulling the trigger MUST be an absolute necessity, the general consensus being that while our gun laws in VA are fairly good that the juries may/may not be and proving self defense isn't always a given. And even IF I am aquitted in a criminal trial the family of the victim (or the victim if he survives) is well within his right to sue me civilly for damages into the tens of millions. Somehow the "Armed Citizen" section of NRA's First Freedom doesn't really mention the second order effects of shooting someone in self defense.
So, if given the option, I would much rather hold the BG face down on the pavement at gunpoint until LEO's arrived and I go home not having to worry about being brought up on manslaughter charges and able to sleep having not taken someone's life. I'd like to think this is the path I'd take in MOST situations - after all bankrupting my family or abandoning my family for prison seems to void the argument of carrying to defend my family.
But all of us know that when we leave the house carrying, today, God forbid, might be the day we have to actually fire. If a guy has my wife at gunpoint, for example, that might be the time when I draw, shoot then think about consequences.
So, there have to be situations where you'd a) display and hold until authorities arrive and b) shoot first, ask questions later.
What are your scenarios? (And please no "rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6" arguments)
Andy