Clean shoot if opponent has BB gun.

[mcshaker]

Today my good friend who does not own any guns had an encounter.

While inside his in city home he saw a pair of teenagers walk through the empty plot next door. He then saw that they had come to a stop on the side of his house. So he moved to the bathroom to observe from that window. At that time he saw the teen boys remove a pistol from a backpack. He dropped to the ground as they pointed it at his window and fired.

It turned out to be a BB gun and the shot only penetrated the storm window.

He believes this to be retaliation for a confrontation he had with a thug in his neighborhood.

As I said he was unarmed but it made me start thinking about what I would have done. I think I might have fired when the gun was pointed in my direction. Then there would have been at least one dead kid with a BB gun.

Thoughts? How would you handle said situation? I'm sure there would be a huge legal sh*tstorm.

 

[Tydeeh22]

well. i would personally react in a self defensive manner the moment i saw anything that resembled a "gun" pointed in my general direction. however, since that is not the scenario, i would recommend a police report and a follow up with the "thug" you have mentioned.

i do believe that if would behoove your friend to get himself some training and a firearm for personal defense. anyone can have a firearm, but not know how to properly use it in a high stress situation.

i wish your friend the best.

 

[Sylvain]

Today my good friend who does not own any guns had an encounter.

While inside his in city home he saw a pair of teenagers walk through the empty plot next door. He then saw that they had come to a stop on the side of his house. So he moved to the bathroom to observe from that window. At that time he saw the teen boys remove a pistol from a backpack. He dropped to the ground as they pointed it at his window and fired.

It turned out to be a BB gun and the shot only penetrated the storm window.

He believes this to be retaliation for a confrontation he had with a thug in his neighborhood.

As I said he was unarmed but it made me start thinking about what I would have done. I think I might have fired when the gun was pointed in my direction. Then there would have been at least one dead kid with a BB gun.

Thoughts? How would you handle said situation? I'm sure there would be a huge legal sh*tstorm.

Point a gun at someone and you will get shot.It doesn't matter if it's an orange plastic gun or a real empty gun or a gun that shoots blanks.
Im not going to stand there and wait till I see if it's plastic BBs or lead bullets that come out of that gun.

Legally I dont see a problem if you think that your life is in danger, it doesn't matter if the gun is real or not.

Im not saying that I would shoot but I would have no problem aiming a gun at the kid and telling him to drop the gun now if he's acting like a threat to me or my loved ones.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

More than a few people have been killed in this country for having / pointing what has turned out to be a "toy" or a "BB/Pellet" gun at someone....someone who had a REAL gun.

Once it was determined that it was only a BB gun, though, I'd be inclined to think that the justification for using deadly force in return would be mighty thin.

-J-

 

[Rookie]

More than a few people have been killed in this country for having / pointing what has turned out to be a "toy" or a "BB/Pellet" gun at someone....someone who had a REAL gun.

Once it was determined that it was only a BB gun, though, I'd be inclined to think that the justification for using deadly force in return would be mighty thin.

-J-

What a "reasonable person" believes...

If someone points a realistic looking gun (real or fake), a reasonable person would believe it's real

 

[Citizen711]

Your personal safety was most certainly threatened. The kid coulda put your eye out with that thing!

 

[eldirector]

It is unfortunately somewhat common for law enforcement to shoot someone who is armed with only a "toy" gun. Do a quick Google search. I know of NO cases where it was ruled a "bad" shoot afterwards.

Would it be wrong to apply the same to the rest of us citizens?

 

[findingZzero]

In order to avoid killing someone outside my house, I would have ducked down and called the Constables On Patrol. I would immediately order a pizza and see who arrives first. After responding to the satisfaction surveys from both the LEO's and Dominoes, I would load my weapon, and wait patiently.

p.s. I gotta get out more...

 

[wizard_of_ahs]

I also am afraid, I'd have a dead KWAG on my hands

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

At any distance, if something pointed at you sufficiently resembles a deadly weapon, you have a reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury, and no responsibility to wait to see if it goes "bang" or "thwap". Not to mention, "putting your eye out" is serious bodily injury in itself. Maybe they're being dumb, maybe they're writing checks their hardware can't cash, but a threat is a threat and must be taken at face value, at the peril of yourself or your family. Some people just have to learn things the hard way.

 

[BlueEagle]

At any distance, if something pointed at you sufficiently resembles a deadly weapon, you have a reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury, and no responsibility to wait to see if it goes "bang" or "thwap". Not to mention, "putting your eye out" is serious bodily injury in itself. Maybe they're being dumb, maybe they're writing checks their hardware can't cash, but a threat is a threat and must be taken at face value, at the peril of yourself or your family. Some people just have to learn things the hard way.

+1

Especially at night, in the dark, through the window....how can you accurately be expected to tell the difference between a gun and something that is specifically designed to look like a gun, but isn't? The perceived threat is there, so the force would be justified.

If you did kill a kid with a BB gun, though, you would have to live with that fact for the rest of your life, and I know that I personally, would be haunted by that, even knowing that if it happened again....I would probably have reacted the same way.

Sometimes, there are no winners, and everybody loses.

 

[fullmetaljesus]

Shoot the kid, if he dies, go out inspect the gun, if it is a BB gun, go inside pick out your least favorite gun and plant it on him and hide the BB gun.

 

[HeadlessRoland]

Force is to be met with force. Violence with violence. Unjust aggression with just self-defense.

 

[Excalibur]

I've read plenty of stories from law enforcements where they had to put someone down and find out the "gun" was a toy. It's very justified.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Shoot the kid, if he dies, go out inspect the gun, if it is a BB gun, go inside pick out your least favorite gun and plant it on him and hide the BB gun.

You probably can't imagine how wrong that could go.

 

[fullmetaljesus]

You probably can't imagine how wrong that could go.

Nope, sounds perfectly cromulant to me.

 

[blamecharles]

+1

Especially at night, in the dark, through the window....how can you accurately be expected to tell the difference between a gun and something that is specifically designed to look like a gun, but isn't? The perceived threat is there, so the force would be justified.

If you did kill a kid with a BB gun, though, you would have to live with that fact for the rest of your life, and I know that I personally, would be haunted by that, even knowing that if it happened again....I would probably have reacted the same way.

Sometimes, there are no winners, and everybody loses.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. If they didn't care about their life or mine enough to not point a gun(real or not) at me then that is not my fault. I carry all day long and don't.point it at anyone, so I expect the same.

 

[findingZzero]

Nope, sounds perfectly cromulant to me.

OK, I'll bite. Cromulant?

 

[findingZzero]

The teenage brain is a wondrous thing. God used it as a template. Then he created the amoeba.*

*Brother Theodore, circa 1960's except he used 'college student' instead of teenager.

 

[hacksawfg]

I would say perfectly justified, especially when many BB guns today look like just like the real thing:

Cabela's: Air Pistols

How do you tell the difference, even during the day?