Would this be legal in Florida?

[Stan45]

You cannot use deadly force for protection of property. Your life was not in danger with someone going through some papers.

[Hamilton Felix]

There's really no such thing as "the law is clear." Look what happened to very clear one saying "...the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." If that one was clear, there would be NO laws at all placing any sort of restrictions on knives, guns, clubs, you name it. Lawyers can always twist things.

If a shooting actually went down, I think the scenario would matter a lot. A gun-hating Prosecutor would say in the scenario as described that by grabbing the duffel bag from the fleeing perp's vehicle, "...you predictably escalated the potential violence of the situation." If you shot him then, they might try to hang you.

OTOH, suppose you'd jumped into your car before realizing someone else was in there, and only then become "in fear for your life." Different picture.

[walt629]

Late to the party here! He brings out a knife, you bring out your gun. Seems logical to me. He was violating your property. Florida has a castle doctrine that does apply to your vehicle. THe law doesn't care if your vehicle is in your drive way at home or in the parking lot at the local Wally World.

You would have been justified in hammering him the minute you found him in your vehicle.