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Old September 25, 2007, 11:39 AM   #52
Lurper
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 21, 2006
Posts: 943
Quote:
The disturbance was caused by an angry teenage boy with a rifle . . . . . . The boy was just a boy.
Actually, Maldonado was 20 years old at the time. He just looked young. Sort of off topic, but a child with a firearm is just as lethal as an adult and should be treated accordingly.

Lethal force should only be used when no other option exists. No matter how justified your shooting is, your life will change once you shoot someone. You will have the initial phases where there may/may not be a lengthy investigation, charges, trial etc.. But even if you aren't charged there will be subtle changes. Some of your associates/friends/coworkers will look at you differently (as in Bill's example), you may be viewed as a pariah or hero in you town (even good changes can have bad unforseen consequences). You run the risk of retaliation and may have to look over your shoulder or move to another state. Unless you thrive on turmoil, you are better off retreating than shooting. I am not advocating submission in any way, shape or form. It just makes more sense to not pull the trigger until you have no other choice. In the end the only thing that matters is that you and your loved ones are safe.

KNOW YOUR STATE'S LAWS! Before the incident. The last thing you need to do in a crisis is try to decide if your actions are legal or not. If you understand the basic concept of your state's laws regarding the use of leathal force ahead of time, you will already know if your actions are legal.
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