Who would you use deadly force to protect?

I would protect my family and me, that's it. Everyone else has the same opportunity to attend training classes and get issued a CHP. If they chose not to, that's at their peril. I don't think they should expect me to "save them" and go through all of the legal aspects of the shooting if they chose not to equip themselves to defend against an aggressor. Just my 1/50th of a dollar.

Other pets?
True example.
In the DFW area there is sub human filth that has poured gas on dogs and set them on fire, gouged their eyes out and did other inhuman things.
Given the oppurnity I would use DEADLY force against these people

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And you would go to jail for a very long time for doing so.

I voted for Myself & family, however it would depend on very many variables be sides if it would be a legal or "Good shoot".

Such as the mood that I may be in at the time. (This will probably open a can of worms) and who I may be protecting and the situation.

I'm no hero and hope and pray that I never have to make such a decision as to draw a weapon (although I have) and to fire it with intent to kill a person.

Vern

And you would go to jail for a very long time for doing so.

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Very unlikely.

Self defense, you know.


But that's another subgect.

I would protect my family and me, that's it. Everyone else has the same opportunity to attend training classes and get issued a CHP. If they chose not to, that's at their peril. I don't think they should expect me to "save them" and go through all of the legal aspects of the shooting if they chose not to equip themselves to defend against an aggressor. Just my 1/50th of a dollar.

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In these kind of threads, this attitude always confounds me.
Apparently the thinking is, It's OK with me if my wife or child were being killed and no one tried to save them, I don't think anyone should come to their aid because it's their fault that they can't protect themselves.

And you would go to jail for a very long time for doing so.

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Depends on the area and what they were doing to the animal

If you come across someone torturing animals, and in the process of doing so to an animal, then in some areas you just might be able to legally use deadly force to stop them.

This old guy was a huge part of our family. If anybody had ever tried to hurt him I'd have reflexively killed them.

:my friends and family without a dout
if i see some guy hurting some else, espescially if the other person is smaller, or if its a girl, im not just gunna sit and watch, i feel i have a responsibility to try and help the weaker person. Bad things happen when good people stand by and do nothing.
the only pet i would ever kill to save is my own

Knowing that doing so won't protect yourself from civil consequences

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thank God i live in the Gunshine state

Me, my family, and my friends. I may be selfish but I believe every person has a right to defend themselves. People know that you can own guns and even carry concealed in most states. If they don't, then thats on them. Thats thier choice just as its my choice to only protect those that are close to me.

That was my thinking and vow when I first got my CCW. I don't carry a gun to be a hero. I carry my gun to protect those I love.

clipse

It's a real shame the law says I can't kill to protect my dog.

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I'll take my chances with the DA.

"Officer, look what he did to my <cat,dog,wife,son,pickup truck,etc...>. I thought I was next, I was in fear for my life."

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Exactly. If you don't believe me just ask him. Err..... yea.

All.

More specifically, all excluding pets.

I swore an oath to do just that many years ago. Don't get paid for it nowadays, but being a cop isn't something you do -- it's something you are.

I answered number six back in '97 with my hand on a knife. No regrets.

There are however two caveats:

1) Never get between two parties that still want a piece of each other. Ever. Period.

2) If the situation isn't clear, do a verbal challenge. They'll tell you exactly what's up.

On reading responses it occured to me...

that it depends on where you live. Parts of the country are decidedly ANTI-gun, while other areas are on the other end of the specrtum. Given similar circumstances, authorities arriving at an "incident" may respond with "you're under arrest" or "nice shot...what are you carrying". How far we would go to protect others is probably correlated to the prevailing "gun culture" of the region. Just a thought.

When you walk up on a situation in progress, you have no idea what's going on. "Actor A" could be an undercover cop and "Actor B" could be a murderer or crack dealer being arrested for all you know.

If that is the case and you jump in, you have just bought yourself a world of hurt - probably felony charges of obstruction of justice, pointing a firearm at a police officer, criminal confinement and whatever else the prosecutor's office can come up with.

If that is the case, you can kiss your gun collection - and probably your home, family and freedom - goodbye.

Take care of you and yours, and let others do the same or suffer the consequences of being unprepared, unarmed sheeple. The sheeple say, "The police will protect me, there's no need to own a gun." Since they believe that, let them live by it.

That may sound harsh, but I have some bad news, folks: Reality is harsh.

Just my thoughts on the subject - YMMV.

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Woth re-posting. Its almost exactly what I would have said

In Mass CCW laws make it nearly impossible to use force to stop an attack against someone other than against yourself and/or family when in public. The law is written that one carrying a weapon, must try to retreat before using deadly force in public. I don't know how that would play out if you tried to stop an old lady being mugged on the street by confronting the mugger and shooting him. It most likley would be settled in court, and hopefully in the shooters favor. When visiting friend/family in their home it would be different and probably justifiable in most cases. I believe that most state CCW laws have written rules of ingagment that plainly state that a CCW carrier is not a cop, and should not try to get involved in situation they are not part off.

I voted for "All".

I was raised a certain way, a way based upon the saying "Do unto others as you wish to be done upon". If someone needs help, I stop and help them. I always hope that if I needed help, someone would do the same for me. I've had some great experiences and some bad ones, but am not regretful of my attitude.

If my father, mother, or wife were in public and someone was intent on harming them, I would pray that someone would help protect them. If put in the situation where I may be able to help a stranger, I would do the same.

All EXCEPT Pets

I think I would have a difficult time in court trying to explain why I shot someone posing a deadly threat to my dog....Now if he pulled the trigger...that's a different story...Hmmm...how about "Temporary Insanity".

I believe that most state CCW laws have written rules of ingagment that plainly state that a CCW carrier is not a cop, and should not try to get involved in situation they are not part off.

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In Texas you can use deadly force to protect a stranger the same as you can use deadly force to protect yourself.
I love Texas law.

Sec. 9.32. DEADLY FORCE IN DEFENSE OF PERSON. (a) A person is justified in using deadly force against another:
~ ~ (1) if he would be justified in using force against the other under Section 9.31;
~ ~ (2) if a reasonable person in the actor's situation would not have retreated; and
~ ~ (3) when and to the degree he reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary:
~ ~ ~ (A) to protect himself against the other's use or attempted use of unlawful deadly force; or
~ ~ ~ (B) to prevent the other's imminent commission of aggravated kidnapping, murder, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, robbery, or aggravated robbery.
~ (b) [added 9/1/95] The requirement imposed by Subsection (a)(2) does not apply to an actor who uses force against a person who is at the time of the use of force committing an offense of unlawful entry in the habitation of the actor.


Sec. 9.33. DEFENSE OF THIRD PERSON. A person is justified in using force or deadly force against another to protect a third person if:
~ ~ (1) under the circumstances as the actor reasonably believes them to be, the actor would be justified under Section 9.31 or 9.32 in using force or deadly force to protect himself against the unlawful force or unlawful deadly force he reasonably believes to be threatening the third person he seeks to protect; and
~ ~ (2) the actor reasonably believes that his intervention is immediately necessary to protect the third person.

All EXCEPT Pets
I think I would have a difficult time in court trying to explain why I shot someone posing a deadly threat to my dog....Now if he pulled the trigger...that's a different story...Hmmm...how about "Temporary Insanity".

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In Texas you can use deadly force to protect property.
My pets are my property.

I am a big animal lover, but I just cannot wrap my head around choosing to kill a person to defend an animal, even a beloved pet. Sure, if someone kills your dog as a way to threaten you, to me that is different because you aren't defending/avenging your dog, you are defending yourself.


as far as the example of the guy lighting the dog on fire, I'd shoot the dog to put it out of it's misery, and call the cops.

Depends on the area and what they were doing to the animal

If you come across someone torturing animals, and in the process of doing so to an animal, then in some areas you just might be able to legally use deadly force to stop them.

I'd really like to to cite these laws that allow you to kill a human who was torturing animals

After being in the army I hope I never have to point a gun at anyone ever again... But if it came down to that certain situation I would protect my family ( I include my bestfriends in the family category), and myself.

Some parts of the country it's perfectly legal to shoot a man beating or trying to steal your horse.

Perhaps I am mistaken, but I understood the question of lethal force to "against another human being".

If so, then I am quite disturbed by the number of folks who have decided to use deadly force to protect pets.

I love my hound, but between, you, me, and she...she takes the dirt nap.

I suspect asking the same question, swapping 'pets' for the '2nd ammendment', would have far fewer votes.

To answer the original question, I would use lethal force to defend anyone, with the exception of pets. Even the most heinous cruelty to an animal is not worth killing over. Human life is inherently worth more than animal life, even if the human in question is a dirtbag.

I am young, idealistic, and without any dependents or important external obligations. If/when I go, it will be just me and my stuff. I would not expect those with other responsibilities to answer as I am.

TEXAS LAW

If you can legally kill someone for threatening your dog with lethal force or beating your horse then it logically follows that it is a capital crime in Texas to do so.
How many people have benn executed in Texas for threatening a dog with lethal force or beating a horse?
It may be the law... but it makes no sense.