Hello all. I searched around on google a bit, and as almost all gun laws are, I'm sure you can understand that the answers I got were 'hazy' at best.
I recently received threats of violence from my ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend. The only reply I did give him, and will give him, is that I wish not to speak with either one of them, nor see them, nor receive any more threats. I did NOT retaliate his childish attempts to get me to fight him (I am not that stupid. I'm not going to jail for making threats back.)
The question is, if, for some reason he were able to find me, and try to attack me, even if he just hits me with his fists, would pulling out my handgun after properly informing him of my intent to do so and trying to de-escalate the situation be legal? I know that it is to be a last resort, and I also know that it should not be pulled without the intent to use it. I'm not afraid to shoot an attacker who will not stop after verbal warnings, although I would probably shoot to incapacitate rather than shoot to kill unless they had a gun on me as well.
I would of course first try to tell him to stop, I do not want to fight. If this doesn't work and I cannot viably retreat without fear of harm to myself or my property (say I get in my car and he hits it with a bat or kicks it etc), and he is still trying to attack, would it be legal to use my handgun in self defense? Simply put, I hate fighting, I do not want to fight ANYONE (Because I believe it does not accomplish anything at all.), and I do not want to put myself in a bodily-injury threatening situation by 'squaring off.' Is it legal??