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That is how i see it. If the mugger or showoff wants to impress his crowd of onlookers and decides to beat you to a pulp. When during the beatdown is your legal right to defend yourself from grave injury - a slam dunk? Take the guy in this video link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwoEh-ZwlCI

Well - the gang did not cause permanent damage to him - physically. What stinks - i mean really stinks in this, is that you are at the "mercy" or at the "good pleasure" of the animal attacking you with his fist how far he should take his "fun". It stinks, the young man in this video will never be the same emotionally. So if its a gun, knife or club - i beleive the path forward is clear. Do all you can to stop them, even a warning if time permits. Unfortunately most muggings are within 6 feet of you. In those cases, draw and live.

Again Thanks to All. It helps clarify.

Yes there it is - very Good thanks. Senate Bill 378 a "Stand Your Ground" clause. So how about that. Interesting. Still at all costs right people? Avoid a jury in determining reasonableness to use deadly force. If you make every attempt as was described in scenario 2 -to avoid deadly force. But i thank you for the information - this helps.

There is no stand your ground deal in texas. I will review the laws, but thought there was a retreat when possible aspect - when it does not place you in a worse situation. The travon Martin deal had the stand your ground deal.

good illustration scenarios. All attempts to de-escalate the situation. Now if only there was a witness to see all that. But within your conscience it would be clear. Interesting Mas Ayoob talks about police use the command "FREEZE DROP YOUR WEAPON", if the aggressor spins with gun in hand they drop him - conscience clear. In texas there is a retreat when possible aspect in the use the deadly force. WHat your scenario demonstrated was a solid attempt to avoid the use of deadly force. Thanks folks in the forum have thought through this as well. It helps us CHL newbies.

Yes. That is exactly where i am at. My CHL should get here in a few weeks. And i need to understand my own threshold "when" to draw the weapon. One interesting stat is the out of the people who do use a weapon to defend themselves from an attacker - or aggressor. Only 8% actually fire. I can't remember the source on that. Meaning the weapon being drawn deters the average aggressor - meaning mugger, armed with fist only. The sight of a .40 caliber 13 shot glock deters most sane people. For others they would wrestle your weapon away if they were in a drug induced state. Police are protected by their job authority much more than a civilian - you cant compare the two. Your head must be screwed on firmly before you draw your weapon. Another very depressing statistic is that in cop altercations with bad guys, the average gun fight is within 10 feet or so. I am assuming that the same thing would apply to a would be mugger. Quick decision would have to be made.

JustMe wrote:Why is it that there are so many first posts that are "can I shoot" questions?

Very simple - Going to jail and going into financial ruin. You better know when to shoot the guy. If it is not deemed "reasonable" or the disparity of force is not great enough - it may be worth a "fist" or two. The problem is it is not clear by the law. Up to the jury to decide if you were reasonable in the threat. I am new at this and need to be clear in my mind when to pull the weapon. I am reading Mas Ayoob book In the gravest extreme. He had illustrations where a off duty cop got into a fist fight with guys, it turned bad for him - he was getting stomped. Guess what? He pulls his weapon and kills 2 of the guys and paralyzed the other. He was ruined in civil court ~ 1million. But he was alive. You pull that weapon you better know the law and what the trade off's are - before you run off half cocked (no pun intended).

I was talking to a friend - and he had an experience that got me thinking. I am a new CHL guy (waiting to come in mail).
He was traveling and went into a gas station at 1:00 am. He went into the bathroom and he was being cased by someone. As soon as he entered the room another guy burst behind him, Bill (my friend) was at the urinal. The bad guy had another friend that entered the bathroom and signaled for him to leave - a cop come in the store to get some coffee. My friend was lucky - blessed not to get mugged or worse.

Question: Can you pull a weapon and shoot someone that physically attacks you with there fist only? When you know "its coming" do you have to wait until he pulls a knife, or weapon to draw and shoot the attacker? Do you have to endure a beatdown and let him go if he has no weapon and you two are comparable in size?