|
Forum Rules | Firearms Safety | Firearms Photos | Links | Library | Lost Password | Email Changes |
Register | FAQ | Calendar | Today's Posts | Search |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
July 19, 2016, 06:07 PM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 25, 2012
Location: Cascadia
Posts: 1,294
|
man with gun.... "get off my lawn"
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/navy-off...to-be-charged/
Im shure there could be more to the story than this brief article describes but taking this article as it is what stood out to me is it appears the man with the gun, Ohannessian, was using his gun not because he felt his life in danger but to get his point across... presumably to get the 3 boys to drive away. My first reaction to this is he could have easily been shot if one of the victims were lawfully carrying concealed... how many bere would have drawn and fired? ....and been justified? But then I noticed in the video the victims remained amazingly calm and even engaged in dialog with the suspect.... so the thought came to me, could it be considered that, despite the gun, Ohannessian's actions were not putting the victims life in jeopardy because be was only demanding they leave?
__________________
lightweight, cheap, strong... pick 2 |
July 19, 2016, 06:38 PM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 5, 2010
Location: McMurdo Sound Texas
Posts: 4,322
|
I expect your first statement is spot on: There's a lot more to the story than any journalist would be able to objectively find out. More will come out in time, but the picture painted doesn't look like a real professional act.
And to anyone waving a gun to make a point is a REALLY bad strategy likely to be expensive with possibly a long 'time out'.
__________________
Cave illos in guns et backhoes |
July 19, 2016, 08:12 PM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 22, 2006
Posts: 3,077
|
Yep, all I am seeing in the video is the end of the story.
Personally, I always figured the first anyone should know I have a gun is right after they have been shot by it. No reason to escalate a situation and if your not justified in shooting someone, keep your firearm put up. The "never point your gun at something you do not intend to destroy" is always valid. |
July 19, 2016, 11:44 PM | #4 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 25, 2012
Location: Cascadia
Posts: 1,294
|
Quote:
__________________
lightweight, cheap, strong... pick 2 |
|
July 20, 2016, 09:15 AM | #5 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 20, 2007
Location: Richardson, TX
Posts: 7,523
|
Quote:
Massad Ayoob has summarized the justifications for using force in self-defense as Ability, Opportunity, Jeopardy, and Preclusion or AOJP. Another summary may be found at The Cornered Cat. As this applies to Ohannessian, consider that Ability and Opportunity were undoubtedly present, as he clearly possessed a ranged weapon and was pointing it in their direction. The questions of Jeopardy and Preclusion are subjective. Was it reasonable to believe that Ohannessian would actually use the weapon (Jeopardy)? Was it reasonable to believe that, if retreat was attempted, Ohannessian might shoot anyway (Preclusion)? It's important to note that—when dealing with guns rather than knives or clubs—creating distance between yourself and the potential attacker does not automatically result in safety, thus weakening Preclusion. I don't want to render an opinion regarding Jeopardy and Preclusion in this case because the choppy video edits and the muffled sound make it difficult to tell what's actually occurring (not that my opinion would be worth much anyway, as I'm not an attorney ). However, the key here is that the proverbial bar is already low because the 2 non-subjective elements are clearly present. FWIW another potential complicating factor is that, based on my viewing of the video, it's not altogether clear that the Sheerin and the others were actually inside Ohannessian's property. They appear to be in a car parked on a presumably public street, and Ohannessian is standing on what appears to be a public sidewalk. It is certainly possible that the men were trespassing, but it's not clear from the CBS video excerpts that they actually did so.
__________________
"Smokey, this is not 'Nam. This is bowling. There are rules... MARK IT ZERO!!" - Walter Sobchak |
|
July 20, 2016, 07:44 PM | #6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 23, 2009
Posts: 3,963
|
From the video I saw, my impression was that the kids were extremely stupid indeed to stand there and argue with an armed man, regardless of the circumstances.
|
July 20, 2016, 09:06 PM | #7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 5, 2010
Location: McMurdo Sound Texas
Posts: 4,322
|
^^^^^^^^ This.
__________________
Cave illos in guns et backhoes |
July 20, 2016, 11:02 PM | #8 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 25, 2012
Location: Cascadia
Posts: 1,294
|
Quote:
__________________
lightweight, cheap, strong... pick 2 |
|
July 21, 2016, 09:14 AM | #9 | |||
Senior Member
Join Date: October 20, 2007
Location: Richardson, TX
Posts: 7,523
|
Quote:
FWIW I've seen Russian road-rage videos in which presumably unarmed people acted MUCH more argumentative with a pistol being waved in their face. Quote:
Quote:
__________________
"Smokey, this is not 'Nam. This is bowling. There are rules... MARK IT ZERO!!" - Walter Sobchak |
|||
July 21, 2016, 11:01 AM | #10 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 25, 2012
Location: Cascadia
Posts: 1,294
|
Quote:
__________________
lightweight, cheap, strong... pick 2 |
|
July 21, 2016, 12:51 PM | #11 | ||||
Staff
Join Date: November 23, 2005
Location: California - San Francisco
Posts: 9,471
|
Quote:
It's explained here:
Quote:
But here the actor was pointing his pistol at the subject, and one can infer from what and how he is doing it that his actions with the gun are for the purposes of intimidation, or to secure compliance, or to convince someone to keep his distance. The threat is that the subject will, if he doesn't comply, be shot. The usual definition of assault, based on the Common Law is: In the laws of some States this crime might be given another name. For example, in Alabama it's called "menacing." But by whatever name it is called, it is a crime in every State. So a display of a firearm, when done for the purposes of intimidation, or to secure compliance, or to convince someone to keep his distance, or in response to a perceived threat is, in all States, an assault of some type. You are effectively putting someone in fear of an imminent harmful or offensive contact, i. e., getting shot. Now in all States it will be a defense against a charge of assault (or any similar crime) if you establish that your assault satisfied the applicable legal standard for justification. In most States the standard for justifying a threat of lethal force is the same as for justifying the use of lethal force in self defense. In a few, it's a somewhat lesser standard. So in all States if you threaten lethal force you will need to be able to at least show prima facie such threat was legally justified, that is if you want to avoid a conviction for assault. The video doesn't show any conduct on the part of the subject of the assault which appears to reasonably justify a threat of lethal force in response.
__________________
"It is long been a principle of ours that one is no more armed because he has possession of a firearm than he is a musician because he owns a piano. There is no point in having a gun if you are not capable of using it skillfully." -- Jeff Cooper |
||||
July 21, 2016, 03:57 PM | #12 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 8, 2001
Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX
Posts: 12,717
|
Seems to be a lot of stupidity on both sides of the trigger. Ohannessian does not appear to be under any threat or duress by the young men. He does not appear to be fearing the female's (his wife?) safety.
__________________
"If you look through your scope and see your shoe, aim higher." -- said to me by my 11 year old daughter before going out for hogs 8/13/2011 My Hunting Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange |
July 22, 2016, 12:30 AM | #13 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 25, 2012
Location: Cascadia
Posts: 1,294
|
Quote:
The suspect was lucky the victims weren’t lawfully (or otherwise) carrying. If he had any lawful reason to draw his gun in the first place (not shown, but doesn’t appear likely...) its my understanding that once the threat is over you cant continue to point your gun. Frank, Thank you for the excellent clarification.
__________________
lightweight, cheap, strong... pick 2 |
|
July 25, 2016, 09:33 PM | #14 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: July 25, 2016
Posts: 802
|
Quote:
|
|
|
|