How Close?

[titsonritz]

I would scream "murder is illegal, this is a violence free establishment" then cower in fear.

...you also have to pee down you leg or they'll think it is a trap.

 

[sobo]

...you also have to pee down you leg or they'll think it is a trap.

 

[Member 53328]

GENERALLY speaking if you have a brain and are situationally aware of your surroundings you will be able to neutralize the threat of avoid the event entirely. I would chalk up a specific distance in regards to safety. Situation dictates. And violence of action is key.

Depending on the scenario I'd be more concerned with being physically fit than a measurement of distance. Be able to create space and leave in a timely fashion. A gun is a tool. Not an end all, be all.

 

[wjv]

Environment: (Outside gas station a 1AM, Inside mall at 2PM)
Is he armed? (If yes, how)
How is he behaving? (Screaming, Quiet)
Is he focused on me or is he bothering other people also?
How am I armed? (NAA revolver in CB short, 44 Magnum)
How fast is he moving?

 

[wjv]

For example in this situation in Sandy OR the lady tried to slash the guy's throat. If he was in condition orange/red he could have easily stopped her knife hand.

That's a really big assumption.
She was just walking by with no precursor to attack.
Less than one second from start to finish.

 

[sobo]

That's a really big assumption.
She was just walking by with no precursor to attack.
Less than one second from start to finish.

Actually, according to the linked article in @ilikegunspdx's post, the perp and the victim exchanged some heated words just moments before the attack. The perp went outside to her car, got the knife, and reentered the restaurant. Had the victim maintained situational awareness by keeping an eye on the slasher after she exited the restaurant after their exchange of words, he would have seen her re-enter the restaurant and could have made the reasonable assumption that she was returning for some vengeance. With that assumption, he could have mounted a defense as she reentered the store. At least, that's what I would've done and assumed.

 

[RicInOR]

How are you in that situation?
If it is a surprise that is one thing,

if it is part of an escalation -
Can you give commands like "Get BACK" before you have to present your Firearm? If you didn't why not - the prosecutor will ask that one.
Can you draw, present without covering them and give commands - ie draw and point at the floor - low ready ie 6 ft in front of you but not on them?
Can you leave? If you could and didn't why not?

Bad guys travel in groups, are you being flanked?
Is there other factors about disparity of force - old& fat vs young and fit - multiple bad actors

Are there others around you would not want to shoot, like your family. Innocents.



Go watch the USCCA / Colion Noir video that is in another thread:

If you've got 16 minutes. Interesting video with Colion Noir about what can get you in trouble during a defensive shoot.

All looked good to me until the lawyer started talking.....

www.northwestfirearms.com

 

[OldBroad44]

...
If you can run away, do so.....

No way. I considered running away unworkable even when I was a young broad. For starters, you have to turn your back. That means you can't see whether bad guy has pulled gun or knife. Second, if he's faster than me, I'm outta luck. He can catch up with me and attack me from behind, and even if I've got a gun and it's in my hand I can't deploy it while running away from attacker. To run away is to discard whatever advantage I had in being armed. Finally, I haven't been able to outrun males since puberty when my hips broadened. I would certainly be unlikely to be able to outrun a male attacker now at age 76. The only situation in which I would run from an attacker would be if it was a very short distance that put me behind a bulletproof barrier or inside my house.

 

[Burt Gummer]

^^ I always remember that one lady in a home invasion that saved her husband by shooting the attacked 6+? times. She used a pink small 22lr pistol. Also thought for women pink is the way to go. In front of a jury I mean ...... could be the humanizing tidbit that tilts the scales.
Personally as much as I've trained and am pretty agile on my feet I would really not want to draw and fire on anyone even a real, deadly threat unless there is simply no choice. Yes, I've heard the whole judged by 12 instead of carried by 6 ....