Unless you been living under a rock we all know what happened in Charlottesville Virginia and the deadly car incident that killed one lady my question can you use your concealed carry firearm to stop someone that's trying to run you over with a vehicle
Usually a car is considered a deadly weapon when used on purpose to hurt someone. I think the question would be "What happens if I shoot someone that appears to be running me over and it turns out to be accidental?" I also think by the time you think someone is going to run you over, whether you shoot them or not, the car is not going to stop before hitting you. Best to run instead of standing your ground.
I think if you shoot someone that you think is trying to kill or harm you that it will not be viewed as "accidental" but intentional. Nothing about the shooting is accidental if you draw and pull. The intentions of the driver will need to be investigated and/or corroborated though.The intent of the driver is irrelevant, as the victim can not read the mind of the driver. Did the victim has a reasonable fear of death or great bodily harm? That's the only question!
You may want to watch the video of the incident. There was no space to run/retreat.
Also, M.O.V.E. = motionless operators ventilate easily. If you are not moving, you are an easy target with and without your gun.
I think if you shoot someone that you think is trying to kill or harm you that it will not be viewed as "accidental" but intentional. Nothing about the shooting is accidental if you draw and pull. The intentions of the driver will need to be investigated and/or corroborated though.
The Place To Be
Seems to me anyone that noticed a car trying to run them over would be better served by getting out of the way rather than trying to shoot the driver. Especially since shooting the driver doesn't make the car stop.
I was using the sentence by wanderingsol7 that statedScratching my head here... I never said that the shooting would be accidental. The post I was replying to was suggesting that the circumstances change if the driver hit you accidentally and not intentionally, hence my reply about the intent of the driver. The intentions of the driver are irrelevant if you are in a reasonable fear of death or great bodily harm.
I was using the sentence by wanderingsol7 that stated
"I think the question would be "What happens if I shoot someone that appears to be running me over and it turns out to be accidental?". Was a straightforward rhetorical question and I just answered it badly.
They were essentially stating "what would happen if you shoot Grandpa who had a stroke and started running over people at a Farmer's Market?". The answer is that its probably a bad hair day for the shooter at that point.
The Place To Be
And so do the heroes in the movies. But in the real world with regular folks it would be better to move out of the way instead of trying to make a good shot at a small target, the driver, in a moving car while they themselves are moving out of the way. Not everyone is an uber tactical trained warrior, a cop with a duty to respond, or a movie hero.Yet, law enforcement officers do this quite often with success, shooting at a driver that tries to run them over. Shooting and moving do not exclude each other, unless you only strained at a share range with shooting lanes. Shooting the driver makes him stop aiming the car at his intended target and pressing the gas pedal.Originally Posted by Bikenut View Post
Seems to me anyone that noticed a car trying to run them over would be better served by getting out of the way rather than trying to shoot the driver. Especially since shooting the driver doesn't make the car stop.
And so do the heroes in the movies. But in the real world with regular folks it would be better to move out of the way instead of trying to make a good shot at a small target, the driver, in a moving car while they themselves are moving out of the way. Not everyone is an uber tactical trained warrior, a cop with a duty to respond, or a movie hero.
And if a car is close enough to warrant making the shot the car is close enough to keep right on coming with no guarantee the now shot, but likely not dead, driver's foot will slip off the accelerator. And if it happens to be a good shot and the driver is dead... dead people don't hit the brakes and stop the car. Just as the best way to survive a gun fight is to not be there when it starts the best way to avoid being run over by a car is to get out of the way.
And let me emphasize that the duty of the ordinary person isn't to "stop" a driver on a rampage but is merely to avoid being run over by that driver. And in the situation in Charlottesville, at least in my opinion, it would be very unwise to start popping off shots at that moving car because any shots that missed the car, or ricocheted off it, would have hit innocents... some of which saved themselves by getting out of the way only to end up shot by someone who wants to play hero.
Regardless of how trained a person may be in gun fighting or engaging in practice drills (even on 360 degree ranges/shoot houses) the most important skill is knowing when the gun isn't the solution.
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Regardless of how trained a person may be in gun fighting or engaging in practice drills (even on 270 or even 360 degree ranges/shoot houses) the most important skill is knowing when the gun isn't the solution.
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I repeat:
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