Shoot to kill or stop the threat?

[chrisjames_71]

When we qualify, we do two to the chest, one to the head. To STOP THE THREAT. We never shoot to kill. Even though two to the chest one to the head, will most likely kill you. We always train to stop, not kill the threat.

[DaveM55]

If the situation arises, my intention is to stop the threat against me by using an accelerated pair to the COM.

I don't shoot to kill with double taps.

[338winmag]

if i am forced to draw on someone I'm going to kill they period.

[ReefBlue]

You wouldn't be able to stop yourself. You'd be scared stiff and just keep pulling the trigger until the gun stops.



If you are in such danger that you are willing to kill someone, do you honestly think you're going to have a shoot-shoot-look doctrine? You're going to be in an absolute panic.

[jcabin]

I had a conversation with a retired army ranger/state trooper just after I received my LTCF on the topic of wounding shots etc. He said something along the lines of "if you draw your weapon you better make sure there was no other way of getting out of the situation, and if not you better kill him because if you dont he's going to argue in court that you didn't have to and then you're fucked". Then he said in almost every self defense shooting the victim was brought to civil court by the assailant(dead bad guy)'s family.

I think my immediate reaction if someone was attacking me directly would be to aim for center mass and stop the threat against my life.
I would not bother sighting up for a leg shot because nomatter where you shoot, you're using lethal force.

That being said, if you used lethal force and crippled the assailant he can now take you to civil court and sue you for his medical bills, having a shitty life, etc.

It seems you would be better off just shooting center mass.

[WVneighbor]

IMO:

Shoot center mass. Trying to wound (hitting leg, arm, etc) is just asking for a miss.

Keep pulling the trigger till the threat is gone, either the bad guy is laying on the ground, or running the other direction.

I am not a lawyer, and this is only my opinion.

[Caeser2001]

neither, you shoot to stay alive, whatever else happens, happens.

[turkeyduster]

It seems like everyone is missing the obvious. On the "Use of Force Continuum", the use of a firearm constitutes DEADLY FORCE. That means other options have been exhausted or would not address the current threat level. When the decision is made to draw the weapon, you do so to prevent serious bodily injury or death to yourself or others. There is no "shoot to wound"!!! You shoot to stop the threat - PERIOD! Shooting continues until the threat is neutralized, whether that's one round or ten. I'm not giving legal advice but was in the LE community for 30 years and a Firearms Instructor for 15 years (Now retired thank God). Just my 2 cents, for what it's worth.

[DaveM55]

Originally Posted by ReefBlue

You wouldn't be able to stop yourself. You'd be scared stiff and just keep pulling the trigger until the gun stops.



If you are in such danger that you are willing to kill someone, do you honestly think you're going to have a shoot-shoot-look doctrine? You're going to be in an absolute panic.

Not arguing with what you said, but that is a great reason to train.

As Barrett Tillman said,
"You won't rise to the occasion, you'll default to your level of training."

[jud4420]

Its frightening to read so many people actually post.. "shoot to kill".

If you find your self in that situation, you shoot to end the threat. Whether you were shooting to maim or shooting to kill should be between you and whoever you call god. No one else.

There is no automatic scenario where you shoot to kill. Each time you draw your firearm in the use of force you are responsible to use reasonable judgment as to when that force shall end.

If some one breaks into your home and you first two shots put him down but he's still inside and squiggling on the floor, you cant just automatically go put one in his head. That would be different if the threat continued, but if the suspect is down and no longer a threat, thats when u call 911 and then your lawyer.

There are many scenarios that would justify lethal force, that does not always mean you have to use it.

Killing a person is not like killing a deer.