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45Gunner · January 23, 2010, 09:36 AM

Do you have a predetermined "Comfort Zone" in which no stranger is allowed to enter?

I had dinner with a detective friend last night that was working a case in which a person went on a shooting spree because the laundry room at his condo building wasn't kept clean enough to his liking. He started yelling at a woman outside the building. Her husband came outside because he heard the yelling. The perp then walked up to the husband, got in his face, poked him a few times with a finger, then took out a 9mm and shot this poor guy in the leg and then in the face. It came out in the investigation that the perp had told a friend the night before that he was going to kill someone soon.

Our dinner discussion then became about "personal space", the invasion of said space, and the proper reaction to having that space invaded. In this particular incident, it is evident that the perp was not playing with a full deck. So, to further complicate situations such as this, how do you determine that you are dealing with a frustrated person or someone that has gone off the deep end?

What really makes this a difficult call, it is illegal in Florida, and probably most other states, to brandish a gun if you perceive a threat. The threat must be real and the opposing force must be deadly in order to use deadly force against it.

In my opinion, the guy that got shot failed to stop the BG before he entered his personal space. He couldn't have known the shooter had a gun before hand so he was not prepared for that. I have maintained that our society is becoming one is which it is ludicrous to go anywhere or do anything without having some form of personal protection. I have my idea of personal space and I do not let anyone violate it. If someone I don't know gets a little too close to me, I will give them more distance. If they continue to get close, I have no problem telling them they are making me uncomfortable and to please give me a little more breathing space. It hasn't happened to me, but if they continued to crowd me, I would be prepared.

Do you have "Personal Space" established and how would you react if it were invaded?

January 23, 2010, 09:36 AM	#1
45Gunner Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2009 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 1,902	IN Your Space? Do you have a predetermined "Comfort Zone" in which no stranger is allowed to enter? I had dinner with a detective friend last night that was working a case in which a person went on a shooting spree because the laundry room at his condo building wasn't kept clean enough to his liking. He started yelling at a woman outside the building. Her husband came outside because he heard the yelling. The perp then walked up to the husband, got in his face, poked him a few times with a finger, then took out a 9mm and shot this poor guy in the leg and then in the face. It came out in the investigation that the perp had told a friend the night before that he was going to kill someone soon. Our dinner discussion then became about "personal space", the invasion of said space, and the proper reaction to having that space invaded. In this particular incident, it is evident that the perp was not playing with a full deck. So, to further complicate situations such as this, how do you determine that you are dealing with a frustrated person or someone that has gone off the deep end? What really makes this a difficult call, it is illegal in Florida, and probably most other states, to brandish a gun if you perceive a threat. The threat must be real and the opposing force must be deadly in order to use deadly force against it. In my opinion, the guy that got shot failed to stop the BG before he entered his personal space. He couldn't have known the shooter had a gun before hand so he was not prepared for that. I have maintained that our society is becoming one is which it is ludicrous to go anywhere or do anything without having some form of personal protection. I have my idea of personal space and I do not let anyone violate it. If someone I don't know gets a little too close to me, I will give them more distance. If they continue to get close, I have no problem telling them they are making me uncomfortable and to please give me a little more breathing space. It hasn't happened to me, but if they continued to crowd me, I would be prepared. Do you have "Personal Space" established and how would you react if it were invaded? __________________ 45Gunner May the Schwartz Be With You. NRA Instructor NRA Life Member