[marlboroman84]

Good advice thus far. Remember this, There is no such thing as shooting someone a little bit. If you can't justify shooting to kill, then you can't justify shooting period. Not to mention, in a situation where you think you are in danger the possibility of you hitting the knee of a moving target is very slim!

Something for you to look into is what most states call a "force continuum".
It basically goes like this:

Verbal: Telling someone to back away and yelling for help.

Soft hands: Pushing someone away.

Hard hands: Hitting, kicking, gouging, etc

Pepper Spray: Self explanatory.

Impact weapons: A baton, a stick, a tire iron, a plank of wood,etc

Deadly force: A handgun, rifle, shotgun, use of impact weapon in such manner that assailant would not yield resulting in death.

It does not mean this will always be the case where you have to attempt all these things to be justified. It just means you use your best judgement in what is necessary at the time.

I for instance am 6'2, 165 pounds, ex-military, train in martial arts, and am a young male. It would be hard for me to justify killing someone who just wanted to pop me a few good ones. Now if I was 55, 145 pounds, in poor health, and was being attacked by 2 25 year old males, then that changes things.

Look into your state laws and seek additional training and advice from professionals. it's the best way to stay legal.

Best regards, Chuck