Man pistol whips Walmart assailants

[jocat54]

Sorry, but there would have been 2 shot at Walmart---a beating is a beating (and no such thing as fair fight or light punches--if you punch me(lightly or hard) I will try my best to shoot you)

[Keith B]

Sorry, but there would have been 2 shot at Walmart---a beating is a beating (and no such thing as fair fight or light punches--if you punch me(lightly or hard) I will try my best to shoot you)

Being too quick on the trigger is worse than being too slow. Without seeing what was happening, you can't make that judgment. A single punch to the body does not necessarily justify use of deadly force and if you jump the gun (no pun intended) you will end up with a charge of manslaughter that you will not beat.

[Heartland Patriot]

Not knowing the severity of the 'beating' that was going on, it is hard to determine wheter it would have been justified. Punching can be light punches or severe blows. If they are punching my body, it is far different than head shots. My opinion is he had the gun out, intended to use it if the issue escalated, but was able to thwart the assault by hitting them with the gun.

I say good for him. This is a MUCH cheaper alternative that going through the legal cost you will incur if you just shoot someone to stop the attack vs. another method.

Words of wisdom to all. Shootin' people, even bad people is gonna' bring on a lot of conversation, very expensive conversation.

OTOH, when word gets out that you're a shooter you may get the top bunk in your cell and you will get three squares a day, health, dental and eye care along with new clothes and a roof over your head.

While I agree with the first part of your posting, I don't necessarily agree with the second part. There have been some high profile cases in Texas that were either no-true-billed, or acquitted of charges, due to the shootings being justified. I'm not saying it wasn't expensive, I'm sure it was VERY expensive. But in several cases now, the folks who were justified are where they aught to be: free citizens...its just sad that they have to be so much poorer to be that way. It was good that the man in Florida had the presence of mind to handle things in a less-than-lethal manner. Every situation might not be allow that method, especially two-on-one like that. Hopefully none of us on this forum run into such an encounter(and I'm not counting you law enforcement types on-the-job stuff, I mean as private citizens.)

[jocat54]

Sorry, but there would have been 2 shot at Walmart---a beating is a beating (and no such thing as fair fight or light punches--if you punch me(lightly or hard) I will try my best to shoot you)

Being too quick on the trigger is worse than being too slow. Without seeing what was happening, you can't make that judgment. A single punch to the body does not necessarily justify use of deadly force and if you jump the gun (no pun intended) you will end up with a charge of manslaughter that you will not beat.

A single punch to the body will get you shot.

[Keith B]

Sorry, but there would have been 2 shot at Walmart---a beating is a beating (and no such thing as fair fight or light punches--if you punch me(lightly or hard) I will try my best to shoot you)

Being too quick on the trigger is worse than being too slow. Without seeing what was happening, you can't make that judgment. A single punch to the body does not necessarily justify use of deadly force and if you jump the gun (no pun intended) you will end up with a charge of manslaughter that you will not beat.

A single punch to the body will get you shot.

Sure hope I never have to serve on a jury where you shot someone for one punch to the body.

[pbwalker]

A single punch to the body will get you shot.

[JP171]

gents, a SINGLE punch to the body can incapcitate period, yea it has to be done right but a single punch can put you on the floor and you won't be able to do anything other than try to gasp for air, and if your really unlucky you won't be able to get that air. so yea IMHO (with my off center moral compass) the first hit gets lead injection.

[KingofChaos]

gents, a SINGLE punch to the body can incapcitate period, yea it has to be done right but a single punch can put you on the floor and you won't be able to do anything other than try to gasp for air, and if your really unlucky you won't be able to get that air. so yea IMHO (with my off center moral compass) the first hit gets lead injection.

Friend, you're currently amongst a sympathetic audience, but I'd vote to convict.

[JP171]

gents, a SINGLE punch to the body can incapcitate period, yea it has to be done right but a single punch can put you on the floor and you won't be able to do anything other than try to gasp for air, and if your really unlucky you won't be able to get that air. so yea IMHO (with my off center moral compass) the first hit gets lead injection.

Friend, you're currently amongst a sympathetic audience, but I'd vote to convict.

I remember a long time ago a man getting punched in the face while in his vehicle, he shot his attacker(chl), he was't charged, the GJ no billed. so vote to convict if you feel it right but you I think would be the only one to do so.

[jocat54]

Sorry, but there would have been 2 shot at Walmart---a beating is a beating (and no such thing as fair fight or light punches--if you punch me(lightly or hard) I will try my best to shoot you)

Being too quick on the trigger is worse than being too slow. Without seeing what was happening, you can't make that judgment. A single punch to the body does not necessarily justify use of deadly force and if you jump the gun (no pun intended) you will end up with a charge of manslaughter that you will not beat.

A single punch to the body will get you shot.

Sure hope I never have to serve on a jury where you shot someone for one punch to the body.

Me To!
I'm just to old to take a punch from anyone. Besides that single punch might be enough to give me a heart attack and kill me.
Besides I don't see where anyone has the right to try to harm anyone--some of you younger guys might be able to take it (and maybe some of the older guys too)
but I have lived long enough that I'm just not going to take it from anyone. You can call me all the names you want but if you try to harm me or my family, I will try my best to stop you, If that takes shooting you so be it.

[Madbull]

These things get worse if/when something gets to a jury. I'm a big dude at 6ft 290lbs, along with some tats and that 'grrrr' look when I haven't shaved. If I have the misfortune to be involved in a self-defense shooting with some mid-20s scrawny punk, a 'reasonable person' may think I had no reason to have an imminent fear mindset and should have utilized a different option, and thus think my shoot wasn't justified. They have no way to 'see' that I am a complete wuss, who has never been in a fight in his entire life, and is one step away from being a pacifist.

While concerns like that shouldn't be a factor in the split second time it would take to decide whether or not force is needed, it unfortunately often is. Something for some of us guys to think about.

[Purplehood]

I wonder if the whole pistol-whipping came about because he didn't carry a round in the chamber.

[Jumping Frog]

A single punch to the body does not necessarily justify use of deadly force and if you jump the gun (no pun intended) you will end up with a charge of manslaughter that you will not beat.

A single punch to the body will get you shot.

Sure hope I never have to serve on a jury where you shot someone for one punch to the body.

Sure hope you aren't on the jury either. Although you use the qualifier "necessarily", you also cannot rule out that a single punch would justify deadly force. How many are we supposed to wait for if a single punch isn't enough? The second punch? A full-blown beating? What if the second punch is to the head?

gents, a SINGLE punch to the body can incapcitate period, yea it has to be done right but a single punch can put you on the floor and you won't be able to do anything other than try to gasp for air, and if your really unlucky you won't be able to get that air. so yea IMHO (with my off center moral compass) the first hit gets lead injection.

Friend, you're currently amongst a sympathetic audience, but I'd vote to convict.

Put me on the jury, and I think it is quite reasonable to use deadly force in response to a punch.

I've been following self defense/gun forums for years. Can't tell you how many times I've read news accounts of people being killed with one punch to the head. Sure, there are a lot of people who get punched in the head and don't die, but I also don't need to risk being the one who does die.

Also, I've also got a brother who sustained a traumatic brain injury, and let me tell you, there is no way I am going to let myself be at risk of being on the receiving end of that. If you have not seen what someone goes through after a TBI, then don't be so quick to judge what you'd think or say on a jury.

Nowhere in the self defense statutes does it state I need to take a punch, or take a beating, before I can use deadly force. It says, and I quote, "(2) when and to the degree the actor reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary: (A) to protect the actor against the other's use or attempted use of unlawful deadly force;"

Unlawful deadly force is "known by the actor to cause, or in the manner of its use or intended use is capable of causing, death or serious bodily injury."

Well, I know that a single punch can definitely qualify as "capable of causing, death or serious bodily injury". Someone punches me, I am shooting them. I will not risk my life trying to quibble over whether one punch is enough, or do I need to wait for the second punch.

[Purplehood]

There is absolutely no reason that I can conceive of that someone would need to punch me in the first place. If they are doing it, they mean me harm. I will stop it if at all possible.

[Keith B]

You can call me all the names you want but if you try to harm me or my family, I will try my best to stop you, If that takes shooting you so be it.

Never called you a name.

I am just trying note that making a blanket statement that anyone who punches you will get shot, period, is a good way to get convicted of manslaughter.

You have now clarified your statement that you will stop them, AND if it takes shooting you, then you will do it. That is now a better viewpoint. And, since you have now stated you are too old to take a single punch, that weighs into the equation. Is your attacker twice your size and half your age? Are there multiple attackers? Is he Mike Tyson? Or is it a little 70 year old mousy women that stands 5 foot tall and is mad because you took the last shopping cart at Walmart and decides to hit you. These are all part of what you must quickly assess before making the decision that anyone punching you will get them shot. Disparity of force HAS to be put into the factors before you make the decision to shoot.