Would you shoot someone that you knew well if they tried to kill you?

[SubNine]

I had a dream the other night that a good friend of mine got depressed and turned to drugs, and tried to kill me for no reason. I ended up turning his chest into swiss cheese after he came at me with a tire iron, then I woke up breathing very heavily, and was glad it was only a dream.

It sort of made me think if I would actually shoot someone I knew in order to save myself or maybe the person I knew tried to kill one of my family members. I'm pretty sure I would, but the aftermath would be almost unbearable, but it's better than being dead.

If someone you knew well became violent and attempted to kill you for no reason, would you shoot them in self defense?

Fortunately the real possibility of this ever happening is slim to none, but still something I've thought about.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Kerbouchard]

It's definitely a situation where I would do a lot more talking, and trying to calm somebody down, but if it came down to it, yup.

[deadeye72]

If someone you knew well became violent and attempted to kill you for no reason, would you shoot them in self defense?

Just as fast as I would shoot someone I did not know. When It comes to protecting myself and my family, I show no favoritism.

[fotomaker57]

If I remember correctly a large percentage of people are killed by someone they know. So if we have made the choice to protect our loved ones and ourselves than the answer had better be yes.
Mike

[David in FL]

I'll defer to the LEO's out there, but like Mike, I believe that the great majority of homicides are commited by people who knew the victim....

So the answer is, of course. Dying at the hands of an acquaintance isn't any more attractive to me than dying at the hands of a stranger.....

[SubNine]

It's good to know I'm not alone in this, and figured I wouldn't be. If the person I knew survived, I would probably no longer wish to know that individual.

[archer51]

Would I want to shoot someone I know? No. Would i shoot them if it were a matter of defending myself. Definitely Yes.

[SIXTO]

... the great majority of homicides are commited by people who knew the victim....

Thats just what I was going to say, you have a far better chance getting into a situation like your dream than you do a random violent crime.

[digitalexplr]

Don't really like the thought of shooting someone I don't know, but I would. I also don't like thinking of having to shoot someone I know, but I would if necessary.


Won't feel real good about either situation.

[BlackJack]

It would depend on who they are. A family friend is very different than a family member.

If we are talking about somebody outside the immediate family, then yes.

If we are talking about wife, son, daughter (yes these scenarios happen to) I do not know what I would do. I honestly do not think I could pull the trigger on a loved one.

[KG4ZRC]

I have no friends...

So the choice would be easy for me.

[Pete Zaria]

If someone you knew well became violent and attempted to kill you for no reason, would you shoot them in self defense?

In 95% of cases I would never recommend shooting to injure - if you have legal and moral justification to use lethal force, then enough said. Otherwise, the BG could come back for revenge after his jail sentence / hospital stay is over, and might come back with several friends. Additionally, in today's world, it's also possible the BG could try to sue you for whatever you did to him in self defense.

This is one of the other 5% of cases. If, for whatever reason, I had to stop someone emotionally close to me, I'd probably put a 230gr in their knee and hope to God that was enough of a reality shock to get them thinking straight.

Peace,
Pete Zaria.

[imatt]

It wouldn't matter if I knew them or not - threats to life break all bonds. Once someone crosses the threshold of being a threat to life, any acquaintances or friendships are null and void.

It still wouldn't make me happy. Dealing with the problem wouldn't be the worst part... the betrayal would. Saving a life is a good thing.

[bandit383]

I'm left wondering how a psychologist would interpret your dream...and I hope you don't sleep to close to your weapon.

Rick

[dukalmighty]

I live in South Texas and you would not believe how many homicides are committed by friends and family members of the victims,seems like down here once the beer and tequila start flowing with a good dose of male machismo and it gets volatile