How to react to a death threat

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GojuBrian

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Say someone threatened you, to kill you or someone else. Let's say they make repeated threats. How do you know when to take this seriously and what steps should you take?

Someone threatens you?

Someone tells you of their intentions to kill someone else?

:(

Some people say " I'm going to kill you" with a smile, and some don't.

I just don't think this sort of thing is something to joke about in the least.
 
I don't much worry about folks who are polite enough to warn me first.

Biker
 
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Consider this. You don't take it seriously but one day the individual attacks you and you shoot him in self defense. Then you tell the police he threatened you for months or years. Why should they believe you? If you think the guy is even REMOTELY serious or capable of an attack then I would file a police report. Terroristic threats are taken much more seriously than they used to be. If you are forced to act one day it will bolster your position as the victim.

If its more than one person threatening you then stop being such a jerk and it might stop.

JK.

I don't much worry about folks who are polite enough to warn me first.
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+1, When I worked as a MP in the Marine Corps and I got several drunken death threats, they didn't mean a whole lot. If its someone you know more intimately than that I would take it to heart a little more. Most sane people don't threaten to kill people.
 
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When someone makes a verbal death threat in person I laugh it off. You are there they are there and no death is occuring. That is as close and easy they will ever have at killing me after that it gets harder to kill me. I usually tell them to come on over. You should not be affected by people who threaten to do violence. The ones to worry over are going to attack you with little to no notice. The others are called fights. Do your killing right there right now or you are a punk. :)
 
It would depend on the person and the larger situation. Without knowing more of the background it's impossible to give a better answer.

Wanna-be gangsta types just might talk smack over and over until they finally work themselves up to it. Hard to tell, though.

If you think there's even the remotest chance of the person making an attempt it's a really good idea to report it each time it happens so there's a record. A restraining order might be in order too. But again it's hard to tell without more context.

"Means, motive, and opportunity" comes to mind too. Hope that helps.
 
File the report. Do it everytime they make a threat. If things escalate, you can get a restraint because you've got documentation.

If you get to the point where you unfortunately need to dispatch him, you've filed reports and have a restraint. The law will be more on your side than his or his family.


Paperwork, while a PITA, will help you when you need it post-dispatching your problem.



Kris
 
Read some of Gavin De Becker's books. He gives you a lot of info on how to tell idle threats from the real thing.
 
In florida the law says that if you "feel" threatened you can defend yourself as you see fit.
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No, it does not. It says that if you reasonably believe that it is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm , you are justified in using deadly force.

Once again, the elements are reasonable belief, necessity, and imminent danger.

Regarding the first, you're going to provide evidence supporting that belief and be able to successfully articulate your reason for that belief. How you "feel" won't suffice.

Regarding necessity, such force must be a last resort, regardless of what or how you may "see fit", though you no longer have to retreat in Florida.

On imminent danger, you must at the time be in jeopardy from someone who has the ability and the opportunity to seriously harm you. A death threat does not constitute imminent danger.

Here's the statute:

776.012 Use of force in defense of person.--A person is justified in using force, except deadly force, against another when and to the extent that the person reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to defend himself or herself or another against the other's imminent use of unlawful force. However, a person is justified in the use of deadly force and does not have a duty to retreat if:

(1) He or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony; or

(2) Under those circumstances permitted pursuant to s. 776.013.
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(Emphasis added)

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/STATUTES/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0776/SEC012.HTM&Title=-%3E2009-%3ECh0776-%3ESection%20012#0776.012

I hope this clarifies any misunderstanding.

I know of a person who did receive a death threat. He reported it, availed himself of some training, and started carrying a gun.
 
I went to the next gun show, bought an AR15 and four cans of ammo for it and my Garand.

I notified the anonymous remailers in Italy and Germany from which the threats were coming that if they didn't stop, they'd be getting visits from the Carabinieri and BKA respectively.

I made sure several people including my lawyer had copies.

I asked the senders, "How come you aren't here yet?"

I got my Ohio CHL when CCW passed.

It's been something like ten years now. They've disappeared (into prison in some cases) and I'm still around.

People threaten to instill fear. Don't show any.
 
Someone threatens you?
I just don't think this sort of thing is something to joke about in the least.
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In these days of political correctness and liberal thinking and just plain cowardice my action is criticized but I'll tell you what I did.

Long story, so here's the short version.

A man threatened to kill my Wife, to stab Her.
I had Her go to the Sheriff, which I knew would do no good, except to let him know about the threat. (Her word against the man's word )

The Sheriff knew the man, he was a BG and at the time was on parole for incest with his daughter.
Because it is a violation of the criminal's civil rights the Sheriff could not tell me where he lives, what he drives, etc.

At this time I made a mistake. I told the Sheriff, "That's OK, I'll find him".
The Sheriff said, "I bet you will".
Knowing what a POS the guy was, I suspect the Sheriff would forget what we had said.

My Wife was my life. No way was I going to allow Her to be hurt. I started trying to find the guy.

Before I found him he killed his neighbor. Shot the unarmed man with a 44 Mag in front of the man's wife.

2-3 years later I was talking to the Sheriff and asked about the killer. The Sheriff said he was out of jail (wonderful justice system we have) and was out of the county. He wouldn't tell me where because I still wanted to have a "talk" with the POS.
 
File a report.
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A good idea if you know the one(s) making the threat.

Could be an utter waste of time, depending upon the circumstances. It certainly would have been in my case. I would have had to explain to small town cops or the county sheriff in 1999 what the internet was, BEFORE I could explain usenet and anonymous remailers. It would have been like explaining quantum entanglement to a dachshund.
 
In these days of political correctness and liberal thinking and just plain cowardice my action is criticized...
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It is apparently a common misconception that the laws governing self defense today are the result of modern "liberal thinking" or "political correctness."

The fact is, the laws in all of our states except one (Louisiana) trace their roots to the English Common Law, which was developed over the years by learned judges. We're talking about many centuries of legal tradition.

The Florida statute linked in my post above differs little from the Common Law as it existed long ago and as it was originally adopted by our states.

There is one key difference: at Common Law, one was required to retreat ("to the wall") before he was justified in resorting to deadly force in self defense. That is no longer a requirement of the law in Florida, or in many other states, today.

Retreat if possible remains a requirement where I live, but it is certainly not the result of today's liberal thinking. It's just the legacy of a law that was originally formulated in the days of edged weapons.
 
Kleanbore said:
No, it does not. It says that if you reasonably believe that it is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm , you are justified in using deadly force.
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What's the difference between "feeling threatened" or "reasonably believing you are being threatened"? I know if I'm personally "feeling threatened" with deadly force, that's DAMNED for sure the same thing as me "reasonably believing"...
 
Read some of Gavin De Becker's books. He gives you a lot of info on how to tell idle threats from the real thing.
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+1

How you react all depends on whether or not the threat is credible or not.
 
The word "reasonable" in legal use is a check on subjectivity. It means a judge or jury (whoever is the finder of fact in a given case) must deem the fear that a person claims to feel in a situation, given the totality of facts and circumstances, reasonable. They must decide that the person is not being paranoid, or trying to manipulate the system, etc. Would a normal, 'reasonable' person feel threatened in these circumstances?
 
While I agree that it's probably a load of BS, I would still file a police report. You'll likely never need it, but if you do have to defend yourself you want all your bases covered.
 
1. At the exact moment of the threat your life is in danger. I would react appropriately, in regard of state laws. If the threat backed down, Move on to step two.

2. Make a Police report. then move to step 3

3. Take Extra precautions IE; Magazine count, Awareness heightened, inform family members and make sure they are Prepared.
 
What's the difference between "feeling threatened" or "reasonably believing you are being threatened"? I know if I'm personally "feeling threatened" with deadly force, that's DAMNED for sure the same thing as me "reasonably believing"...
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Did ChristopherG answer your question to your satisfaction? I may feel threatened, but unless other reasonable persons would conclude, from the facts and circumstances known at the time, that I truly had reason to believe that I was threatened, that feeling alone will not meet the standard for justification.

I presume that you are not questioning the element of necessity (as opposed to "as you see fit") or of imminent danger (as opposed to the fact of a verbal threat having been made).
 
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