Disparity of force????

M

Mushroom

New member
This was in the USCCA weekly news letter. I'm looking for your views on how to react.

Scenario:

You are in your typical CCW posture and getting gas at a well-lit service station in a pretty good neighborhood in your town/city. While filling up, you notice a man 30 yards away approaching you with "a crazed look in his eyes" and his eyes are locked on you.

Physically he is taller, more muscled and quite a bit younger than you...at 10 yards you notice his hands are balled into fists and he adopts a very aggressive posture while walking towards you. You do not see a weapon.

You initiate verbal commands and blade yourself/weapon while moving off the x at an oblique angle to his direction of travel. he does not respond to your commands and changes directions to intercept you.

What next...?
 
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What to do?

In Utah this is easy. If he doesn't respond and the threat is there, pull your weapon and let him know you are serious. If he continues then you may fire. In Utah balled fists are the same as any other weapon. If the threat is perceived, and the perp refuses to back off you are within your rights to do what is necessary. Hundreds of things may be considered weapons, fists are just another of those. In the "hands" of someone bent upon doing you harm you are within your rights to defend yourself.
 
From being on the receiving end, gasoline will blind someone quicker than cayenne pepper. But this is partially the dilemma I face. I'm a pretty big guy, and there aren't too many juries who would believe me to be in imminent peril by your average joe. However, since I'm carrying, I would rather him not get close enough for retainment to even be an issue. So I would casually uncover (Alabama allows open carry) and wait until the last possible second before drawing and firing, my peril being that I believed he was going for my gun.

I'm also a bit of a student of the use of body language and have found that people will very often respond unconsciously to conflicting signals. Such as adopting an aggressive posture while wearing a "Hey, How you doin'" epression. Actually had a group of Hispanic gentlemen "part the waters" for me at a mall in Ft Lauderdale using this technique.
 
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I would probably say something like "can I help you" in a nice friendly way. If he does not answer and keeps approaching I would expose or draw my weapon but not aim at the perp until I was sure that a confrontation is imminent.
 
Not much I could do in FL since I have to prove my self in court later. The first thing I'm thinking is to point the gas nozzel at him. The mental factor of being covered in flamable liquid is powerful stuff.
 
what I would do is blade weapon away from suspect issue a verbal warning loud enough that other people would be brought to the attention of what was going on draw my weapon if he does not respond and try and place the vehical between him and I and if all fails shoot to stop.
 
This kind of "grey area" scenario is exactly why I can't wait to take Front Sight's empty hand defense course. I am fairly sure of my empty hand skills with someone my own size, but you never really know how good they are until it's over. One thing I might try to do is get in my vehicle or keep it between the suspicious guy and myself.
 
RUN. I really don't know what I would do. I appreciate the posting of this article. It has really made me think. In my interpretation of TN recently passed Castle Doctrine I would be ok in protecting myself. However, my interpretation means nothing. I know prior to the Castle Doctrine I would have had to run. I now know I need to do some research on TN's laws in this area. Unfortunately, it seems TN tries to hide these laws. It is very difficult to get an answer from the state about such issues.
 
Exit the area fast. At the very least, shooting an unarmed man will land you in court defending your freedom.
Either that or take a beating for a little while, then defend yourself.

Just my opinion, I could be wrong.
 
robiewan said:
In Utah this is easy. If he doesn't respond and the threat is there, pull your weapon and let him know you are serious. If he continues then you may fire. In Utah balled fists are the same as any other weapon. If the threat is perceived, and the perp refuses to back off you are within your rights to do what is necessary. Hundreds of things may be considered weapons, fists are just another of those. In the "hands" of someone bent upon doing you harm you are within your rights to defend yourself.
Click to expand...

Especially if the fists on a 6'-10", 300 lb. guy are the size of your face.
 
DrDavidM said:
RUN. I really don't know what I would do. I appreciate the posting of this article. It has really made me think. In my interpretation of TN recently passed Castle Doctrine I would be ok in protecting myself. However, my interpretation means nothing. I know prior to the Castle Doctrine I would have had to run. I now know I need to do some research on TN's laws in this area. Unfortunately, it seems TN tries to hide these laws. It is very difficult to get an answer from the state about such issues.
Click to expand...

To my knowledge, TN never had a "duty to retreat" law. Just be confident you could prove to a prosecutor or jury that you were justified.
 
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