Charlie, that is a perfect and profound statment. You hit the nail on the head

There is only one instance where I would brandish my gun against an unarmed assailant. That being a strong arm robbery, where it’s obvious the aggressor intends to attack me,to separate me from my money. Certainly not the my pee pee is bigger than yours immature exchange cited here.

Keep in mind, we can be beaten to death in seconds, or maimed for life, by a bigger assailant. robbing us. Yes, I agree, give over the money and end the confrontation. Although, how about those innocent people attacked anyway, because they had little or no money on them?

There is a training video out there for instructors and it is one of the best examples of what flashing a gun can do. In a pool room a rival gang walks in, after exchangine words with no force or no altercations at all one man pulls out a nickle plated 45 and waves it around. A minute later he walks out the door. Then comes running back in without his beautiful 45. The rival gang took it from him. He ran in and tried to crawl under a table but the other gang member now in possession of his gun fired at point blank range several shots one to the head. Yes he died instantly but had he not waved his gun around and then stuck it back in his belt in the small of his back the other gang would never known he had it. Most likely he would still be alive today. Many people are killed with their own guns. To me that is why giving away its location or the fact you have it gives away the biggest edge you have in a gunfight. I am 62 years old and have been in many firefights in combat but never since 1971 when I got my CDWL in Delaware have I ever pulled my gun except for in the gunshop when a so called customer tried to load a 9mm withing sight of me and I had to make a split second decision of what in the world was he doing. I pulled my weapon but left it out of sight below the counter line and asked hime what he was doing. He said he wanted to make sure it fit. I asked him politly to lower the weapon put it on the counter put his round that he still had in his hand and leave the store. While I got a bunch of lip service he never knew how close he was to an incounter with a a 40 S&W had he lock and loaded that weapon and turned it towards me. I beleive he was just plain stupid and had no mal intent but needless to say he just as well may have planned on robbing me. That is why I don’t like crowding people when they are looking at firearms but I never take my eyes off them either. Situational awareness if so important in survival in any situation or the prevention of one.

I agree with everything… Right up to the part about wanting to draw down in frustration. I’ve never wanted to pull my handgun to make a point.

Glad the defense attorney saw the light before bringing you into a courtroom.

Also… don’t forget, some areas have laws that disqualify deadly force defense if both parties engage in an argument or fight. In this case, neither party was a “victim,” they were engaged in a long-standing argument, and a person wrongfully drew down.

Good call.

Jason,

While you’re article is well thought overall, I have to disagree with your finding that he could not be afraid for his life with thinking Mr. T would only attack with his fist. (Whether the client was or was not afraid for his life is another issue. I am simply talking about whether a fist poses a serious threat to life.)

The reason I say this is because being hit in the back of the head can cause someone to fall and subsequently hit their head on something much harder with much more force. Multiple people have died across the country in the past few years from simply being punched in the head and then falling onto concrete/steps/etc. For me, seeing a shadow of a raised fist behind my head would produce fear for my life because I’ve personally known someone who went into a coma from a similar situation because of a dumb fight in a parking lot.

You do not show your gun to “scare” someone off. As so many have put it, as has the author. You have to show restraint, intelliegence and a level head. I have been in a similar situation, it required one note, and a face to face. The gentlemen took exception, and I did all I could do and left it to building management, but in the end. You just walk away. Do not force the point to escalation, you just have to be the bigger person.

So “Mr. T” was supposed to take the chance that his opponent WASN’T going to hit him from behind?
Or, if his opponent WAS intending to attack him, he was supposed to let it happen before he was able to draw his weapon and defend himself? Bulls@1t! That could be a deadly decision.
Any martial artist will tell you how easy it is to kill someone – barehanded and, especially, from behind.

its great to learn this today, this should stay with as long as i am a gun owner.

Jason, although I can appreciate your position, I wouldn’t necessarily agree with it outright. It was not mentioned in your article as to the physical attributes of either party. However, there is a legal concept called “disparity of force” which can be used as a defense. For example, I am a 54-year old disabled vet, having had two discs removed from my neck, chronic lumbar issues, and arthritis in my right knee. A young, strapping man (and perhaps an amazon woman) could easily wipe the floor with me.

Although I certainly have enough common courtesy not to park in a reserved space, had I been in a similar situation and physically outclassed, I would have considered drawing my weapon as well. 

What I see here in these comments is people equating pulling a gun to stop a fight as the same thing as shooting someone who doesnt need shot……

You have FAILED to realize that they are 2 very different things. Those who claim you should NEVER draw your gun unless you are planning to pull the trigger are idiots in my opinion…. If you are in fear of your life, DO WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO TO DEFEND YOUR LIFE. Regardless of the law in your state, your life is worth more than the trouble you may get into.

 If someone senses that they are in danger (this person did, he thought the guy was going to hit him, which CAN be lethal as some have pointed out) and they draw their gun and warn the person to stop their attack… The  person who has the gun drawn on them now has only 2 options…. to stop what they are doing, or to continue…… Either way, they are now in control of their own future… do they continue and possibly get shot/die… or do they stop/leave and live to see another day….. Their choice….

 As far as loosing the “element of surprise” I cant believe there are still idiots out there that that actually believe that crap…. They very obviously to me dont live in the real world, only their mothers basement where they chat with other fools who know nothing about actual combat/self defense situations. I believe the term is “arm chair commandos”

A very tough situation to call as both sides have a valid argument…depending on several “unmentioned” factors.

The primary factor being we do not know the physical presence of either of these individuals as “size does matter” in this situation.

Although most states have different laws (mine says retreat first is required) we are taught as NRA instructors that drawing when you feel your “life is endangered” in a confrontation is the right call.

Especially when the “attacker” is larger and stronger than the intended victim.

Of course the question we face here is that we do not have enough of a description to know whether this was justified based on that specific circumstance but if it was the case justification  was in order.

A woman, a senior and/or a smaller male will usually be given partiality in this situation when life is potentially threatened by a larger male.

How do we determine that just because someone is smaller and has less of a “domineering” appearance they are not even more of threat…that is another factor that needs to be weighed.

Fact remains that what we “say” in these situations is far more CRUCIAL then what we “do” as the simply wording of “I thought I saw a knife and I feared for my life” would have nearly all of us saying he was in the right.

Fact remains he did not say that and with that he is likely screwed…nothing to do with the action as if he had said those words the action was then justified.

Even more reason why as NRA Instructors we need the help of additional materials and/or partnerships with attorneys to provide to our students so they get it right!

I for one would be hard pressed to say it was not justified…we simply do not know what the strength and or capability of another person is until they follow through with an action.

I’m in the business of teaching students unarmed “street combat” along with firearms training and I train them to strike until the threat is no longer existent.

An open palm jab into the nose can place someone 6 feet deep if one drives the nose of the bone (yes I did that backwards on purpose to see who caught that:) into the brain of the other person.

An edge of hand to the lower neck/spinal region can sever the spinal cord or cause a nerve to be damaged…paralysis occurs.

A closed hammer fist to the temporal artery can cause brain damage and or death as can even an “accidental” perfectly placed blow to the solar plexus cause the heart to stop.

Most of which with raising the fist equals and opportunity to “kill me” if I don’t do something.

I think brandishing is more like the idiot in the bar mentioned above who was killed by his own gun but drawing to protect yourself when you fear for your life/life endangered has to have some kind of reasonability factor.

Is it really any different than if an attacker comes at you and you draw on them fearing for your life and they run away?

Only difference between that example and the OP’s was that the other guy did not run away he made it a point to call the law when he was already breaking the law himself by committing “assault” by having even just a clenched fist in a threatening manner to another person.

J.