What's a threat?

[Barksdale123]

It seems that what constitutes a threat is determined by who is threatened. I am getting up in age and have some health issues. I am 6' and lets just say over weight. I could fee threatened by someone shorter and lighter but also a prime physical specimin. Where as corsair gunner my look at the same individual and laugh. So if I feel threatehed by this person and shoot them, it's ok. But corsairgunner does the same an hes got real trouble. right? Is the moral being "beware of old fat guys that carry?"

[banana380]

in tennessee at least, you must have a reasonable fear for your life. just because someone may be about to whip your ass in a bar fight doesn't give you the right to shoot them. legally here, you must have sufficient fear that they will kill or mortally injure you.

size doesn't play into this from my understanding, say if you know they have a black belt in karate or something; though a knife would be sufficient IMO, i've seen pictures of some pretty bad knife wounds, this dude was laid open all over

btw, moderators, would this be better served in the "general carry discussion"?

[Dillypwacker]

I think it should be in General Carry as well. Here's what I think. I am 6'1 and 269-272 depending on what I ate for lunch and if I pooped afterwards. I would say a little cracked out white boy walks up weighing maybe 150lbs soaking wet with a knife and says he's going kick my ass. I have two options I feel may work. One is kick the little bastards ass and hope he doesn't stab me. Two is walk away. I personally have never been one to back down so I am going for option one. Now the same thing happens with the same guy except he says he's going to kill me. I have two options once again. One take my chances fighting a guy who openly admits he wants me dead. Or Two draw my weapon and shoot him. I don't know which one is right and which is wrong. If I am seriously scared I would shoot the guy. If he looked more cracked out and harmless and just wanted to scare people I'd kick him in the nuts and call the cops. This is an ongoing thread here at the range and no one person will ever have the right answer. There are so many variables to everything that could ever happen that no one could ever predict what they would do until it happens. I have only felt threatened for my life one time by another person. I did not shoot that person but he had my fathers Remington 1100 shoved in his face. I'm not saying you should threaten someones life because you are scared of them. I had the cops on the phone and the gun in his face the whole time. I told the cops if he tried to step into my house again I was going to shoot him. He didn't come inside and the cops showed up very quickly. I think your gut will tell you what the difference between a threat and a menace. Choose wisely because it will probably be the last time you will ever get the choice.

[rjhauser]

Moved to general carry.

[banana380]

thanks rj

lol @ dilly saying "white boy"...

[bigreb83]

We dont have 'must retreat' laws here in TX anymore, if someone poses a threat to our life, physical harm, or property, we can use deadly force. Anyone who unlawfully enters your home, justifies deadly force. Also, if someone brandishes a 'weapon' in a reckless or threatening manner. The same goes for someone who in threatening bodily harm, makes movement that would cause you to believe they are going for a 'weapon' or have martial arts training, or even states that they know a form of martial arts. As well as several other reasons. Also if you see a scenario in which you are a bystander and that victim would have the right to use deadly force, you are also justified in using deadly force to aid the victim. Our TX legisleture and governor have been making vast improvements in our self defence and gun laws, although there is still much work to be done, we are atleast moving forward.

My personal opinion is that in the above cases all of them justify deadly force. If someone enters your 'home', threatens to cause death or bodily harm, or is stealing your property 'stuff' you should have the right to use deadly force or whatever type of force you want to. The case where the badguy who broke in to someones home and they beat the shit out of the badguy with baseball bats is a good one. I also feel that you should be allowed to have an electrified fence of whatever voltage you want, booby traps, and killer or poisonous plants and animals. If they arent invited in they have no right to be there and whatever happens to them is their own fault. They made the choice to do it.

[Dillypwacker]

I have one of those old school 3 dog security systems in my house/yard. I can honestly say I have been waiting for the day to catch someone in my back yard trying to steal some of my "stuff" so I could activate my 3 dog security system to see them in action. I promise all of you one thing. No little crack head white boys even come close to my fence. I have one dog that loves everyone no matter what, he's the one to lure them in. Then I have one female dog that is a little skidish and abused before I got her and she would bite someone with ease. Then I have this little slice of heaven named Pete or as the wife and I call him Bad Dog, he is a little psycho and honestly I believe he is a good just waiting to go bad. And I do treat my dogs with more love than you could ever imagine and thats why they are the way they are because they want to protect their house and mommy and daddy. I honestly wish that no one ever enters my yard but the thought is always there it would be cool as hell to see my dogs in action.

Sorry for getting off subject it went with bigreb talking about meth heads breaking into your house.


Thanks RJ for moving this by the way.

[Barksdale123]

Dilly, I have the three dog system too. 1 alarm, 90 pounds of pure evil, and a cheer leader.

[spirithawk]

Here in Missouri you must be in fear for your life, that of another, or in fear for your property ( The Castle Law). But you can only use deadly force as long as the threat exists. That level of threat can easily vary from person to person. If you are in good physical health it might be said that an ass whuppin isn't life threatoning. However, how many times have we heard of a blow accidently being fatal? Happens all the time. Maybe you get hit too hard. Maybe you get hit in the wrong place such as the temple or throat. Maybe you get knocked down and hit your head too hard and end up dead or a cripple. Point is........every fight is life threatoning! Then too if you are elderly, in poor health, or a fraction of the size of the person hitting you then just one blow coud be fatal. In my case I have both severe heart and lung problems so I take any threat very serious and as a threat to my life!

[pocketgun]

Here is what Nevada says:

NRS 200.120 “Justifiable homicide” defined. Justifiable homicide is the killing of a human being in necessary self-defense, or in defense of habitation, property or person, against one who manifestly intends, or endeavors, by violence or surprise, to commit a felony, or against any person or persons who manifestly intend and endeavor, in a violent, riotous, tumultuous or surreptitious manner, to enter the habitation of another for the purpose of assaulting or offering personal violence to any person dwelling or being therein.

[1911 C&P § 129; RL § 6394; NCL § 10076]—(NRS A 1983, 518)




NRS 200.200 Killing in self-defense. If a person kills another in self-defense, it must appear that:

1. The danger was so urgent and pressing that, in order to save the person’s own life, or to prevent the person from receiving great bodily harm, the killing of the other was absolutely necessary; and

2. The person killed was the assailant, or that the slayer had really, and in good faith, endeavored to decline any further struggle before the mortal blow was given.

[1911 C&P § 137; RL § 6402; NCL § 10084]