People should also keep in mind the numerous reaction time studies made by the Force Science Institute and other law-enforcement focused research groups that have scientifically proven in statistically valid studies that a BG running away can turn and shoot back before a law enforcement officer aiming a gun at them can respond. Under almost any scenario, action consistently beats reaction. With drive by and other senseless shootings literally commonplace, I am not going to entrust my well-being to a proven, violent, armed felon. If I can legally shoot before he does, I want my action to beat his reaction, not the other way around.baldeagle wrote:If you're confronted by a BG with a gun, how can you possibly know if he's going to use that gun on you until he's out of sight. You can't. By not drawing and firing, you are assuming that he's going to be a GG and not shoot you. Isn't that a pretty faulty assumption given that he's already proven he's a BG? If someone confronts me with a gun and I have the opportunity, I'm shooting. I'm not going to give him the leeway to decide to turn around and shoot me as he walks away.
I think the thing people are missing here is the level of danger. Because you are a GG you assume everyone thinks that way. They don't. Assuming they do can get you shot, even killed. Is it worth risking your life to assume the BG is actually leaving and won't turn around and shoot you? I'd rather be in court defending myself for having shot a BG than in the hospital or the morgue because I thought he was leaving and wouldn't use the gun I already know he has to shoot me.
As far as the "$10,000 in legal fees" argument goes, there can be no defense attorney present in a Grand Jury proceeding. So for a "good shoot" that is cleared by the Grand Jury, it is hard for me to see how you get past some initial consult billing. The attorney is going to say, "keep your mouth shut". Certainly, if charges are brought, actual defense costs mount quickly. But in this instance, the police have already indicated they do not expect charges to be brought and the Grand Jury would seem like a formality.
There are also costs to consider on the other side of the coin. I've heard from Dave Ramsey-type people that the average identity theft incident creates about 600 hours of labor on my part to clean my identity theft issues. Even if that estimate is high, there are real costs associated with letting someone drive away with one's wallet.