Use of deadly force

[Arbo]

Regardless of the law, when is deadly force ethically appropriate?

Ah, a let's bicker about the 'line' is...

Ethics have nothing to do with defending yourself, and that 'line' differs from person to person. A woman may fear for her life in a situation that an athletic 25 year old guy does not. It is all case by case and situation by situation.

 

[CRUE CAB]

I see your point.I just learned in business law class years ago that
you couldn't booby trap or otherwise protect lethally any part
of your property other than the house.

The dragging them in was to cover you if you screwed up.

I'm not in favor of shooting anyone anytime.:twocents:

Cant booby trap yards in Florida either. People were setting mail boxes with steel pipe and concrete because kids were running them over.
Then someone hit a mail box and was hurt, home owner admited that he made it that way to damage cars that ran over his box.

 

[Lutherf]

Regardless of the law, when is deadly force ethically appropriate?

Pretty simple - Deadly force is appropriate when there is reasonable belief that there is an imminent threat of death or great bodily harm to an individual.

 

[mak2]

Ethics has everything to do with defending yourself.

Ah, a let's bicker about the 'line' is...

Ethics have nothing to do with defending yourself, and that 'line' differs from person to person. A woman may fear for her life in a situation that an athletic 25 year old guy does not. It is all case by case and situation by situation.

 

[WCH]

I'm not a gun owner and never used a gun before, so pardon me if this sounds stupid, but using a gun to stop a crime does not necessarily mean using deadly force. It's an argument made against police on a regular basis, and they usually are able to defend against it, but with a private citizen I'm not sure. Since we're not talking about legal rights here, I'd say it would haunt me forever if I killed someone and simply wounding them or scaring them would have sufficed.

I believe most good people would be at least somewhat disturbed at taking the life of another human being but, trying to wound or scare off comes with it's own perils.

You might just piss them off and they kill you or your family. Or they might try and sue you in states without laws to prevent that.

Firing into the ground or air [to scare] could endanger innocent folks or property, making you libel.

IMO, you need to practice with your firearm to become proficient, go over different scenarios in your mind and know how 'you' will react under said situations. Above all, know the law where you live.

 

[WCH]

Do you really think it is appropriate to shoot someone in your backyard?

In Texas, you need to be occupying a *habitat* in your home, your vehicle or your work place.

(See the link I posted in this thread)

 

[WCH]

I respect all these opinions and circumstances and the level of reaction each of you may take - it's not me, however, so it's probably a very good thing I don't own a gun and I have no interest in owning a gun, and I'm very thankful that in my lifetime and where I live I've never ever felt I needed a gun.

Personally I would advise EVERY household [where legal or not] to have at least a shotgun to protect themselves against home invasions, etc. And train every occupant on how to shoot it.

I respect you not wanting to have a gun or use one but, if you ever get a chance to go to a range or a friends property where you can shoot, it's quite fun and enlightening.

 

[braymoore]

Regardless of the law, when is deadly force ethically appropriate?

Whenever your life or anyone else's is on the line and there is no other available action. But I would try to not actually kill them but leave them in a position that they could do no harm to you or anyone else. They let the authorities handle the rest of it.

 

[AGENT J]

Regardless of the law, when is deadly force ethically appropriate?

so hard to answer that question, the answers are so circumstantial on each situation and i believe different even based on location and capability of the threat.

in general to protect and save your life or that of another but that is so vague.

 

[cpgrad08]

Illegal to shoot them while on your porch!
If you do make sure you drag them into the house,
or else you'll be arrested.

Depends on the state. In my state of Washington if someone is on my porch or in my front yard without permission they are trespassing and I have the legal right to shoot them.

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

Whenever it is necessary to protect your person, property, or honor.

 

[SMTA]

I see your point.I just learned in business law class years ago that
you couldn't booby trap or otherwise protect lethally any part
of your property other than the house.

The dragging them in was to cover you if you screwed up.

I'm not in favor of shooting anyone anytime.:twocents:

Bwaahaahaa!

I studied the same case in BL class years ago.

Shotgun wired to an abandoned building on a property IIRC!

 

[Arbo]

Ethics has everything to do with defending yourself.

No, it doesn't.

 

[mak2]

Would you kill someone over property?

Whenever it is necessary to protect your person, property, or honor.

 

[cpgrad08]

Would you kill someone over property?

I would if it was a serious piece of property like my car or home. I would shoot them if they broke into my home even if they were just trying to steal my wall clock.

 

[mak2]

I would not shoot someone over my car. Is your car insured?

I would if it was a serious piece of property like my car or home. I would shoot them if they broke into my home even if they were just trying to steal my wall clock.

 

[AlabamaPaul]

I would not shoot someone over my car. Is your car insured?

My decision would depend on which car...

 

[ThePlayDrive]

Regardless of the law, when is deadly force ethically appropriate?

As a last resort of self-defense when one is attacked unprovoked. I'll give three examples to illustrate my position.

1. A person breaks into my house and I'm standing in the room they broke into. They point a gun at me or a loved one. Deadly force is ethically appropriate.

2. A person attacks me without any physical provocation by me (including me taking out a weapon). Deadly force is ethically appropriate.

3. I push someone and that person punches me and proceeds to assault me to the point where I fear for my life. Deadly force is not ethically appropriate because I initiated contact, but I'd probably use it anyway as survival would come before ethics. I would just go straight to hell after I died.

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

Would you kill someone over property?

Yes. And if it is a clear-cut case of them stealing from me, it wouldn't even take much property.

 

[WI Crippler]

Yes. And if it is a clear-cut case of them stealing from me, it wouldn't even take much property.

"I'm gonna need that bullet back" -Viktyr

 

[cpgrad08]

I would not shoot someone over my car. Is your car insured?

It is but that isn't the point. If they are stealing it they are going to get .45 ACP HP coming there way.

 

[mak2]

Why? Is your car worth more than a human life? Actually your insurance deductible worth more than human life?

It is but that isn't the point. If they are stealing it they are going to get .45 ACP HP coming there way.

 

[cpgrad08]

Why? Is your car worth more than a human life? Actually your insurance deductible worth more than human life?

It is when they are trying to take something that I had to work hard for to obtain legally.

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

Why? Is your car worth more than a human life? Actually your insurance deductible worth more than human life?

It is when it's my car and their life. My car is mine; it belongs to me and my family. If I don't use every possible means to defend my property, I am depriving my family of that property for the benefit of a total stranger.

 

[cpgrad08]

It is when it's my car and their life. My car is mine; it belongs to me and my family. If I don't use every possible means to defend my property, I am depriving my family of that property for the benefit of a total stranger.

This +1
........