Not picking on you, but this is a very common misconception, especially among pro-gun people. Just because you shoot someone does not mean they will die. 76% of handgun shooting victims survive. Furthermore, the law does not justify killing someone. It justifies the use of deadly force, which may kill someone but won't necessarily kill them.cb1000rider wrote:I wouldn't, no. Partly for the reason you outlined above. Partly because "becoming aggressive" with me doesn't mean that I should kill you, at least in my head, even if legally justified.Javier730 wrote: Would you draw on a person who became aggressive with you and did not have a weapon in their hands? Just curious.
The purpose of the use of deadly force is to stop an attack, not to kill someone. If you allow yourself to think that deadly force == killing someone, you will introduce the element of doubt into your decision making, and that hesitation could cost you your life. If an unarmed assailant is advancing on you in a threatening manner and you reasonably believe that they intend to do you harm, the law says you may use deadly force to stop that attack.
And, btw, the fear of being shot, because you have it in your head that being shot == dying, can also inhibit your ability to react to a bad situation in a successful manner. The purpose of self defense is to stop an attack, not to avoid being shot. If you're worried about being shot, you're already behind the eight ball in a situation where you need to react in a timely manner in order to survive. Mind you, I'm not saying don't try to avoid being shot. By all means use cover or concealment to gain an advantage, but your focus should be on the fight, not its consequences.
At the end of the fight, your attitude should be, I'm sorry he forced me into a position where I had to shoot him to defend myself, and I'm sorry that the shooting led to his death (if he does indeed die), but he gave me no other options. You should feel the same way if he's paralyzed or if he's just full of holes and mad as a hornet. You did nothing wrong. His actions led to his injuries or death.