imported post
Yes I would if I were 100% sure I could correctly identify who was the "bad guy" and who was the "good guy".
We discussed this very issue for a LONG time when I took my CC class. I can't speak for other locations, but in NC, responding with deadly force needs to be justified if you don't want to wind up in jail yourself. You need to be CERTAIN you unerstand the dynamics of the situation, and you'd better have a clear understanding of what transpired leading up to the situation before you pull your trigger (or even pull your gun).
Say you're in a parking lot. You see a woman walking to her car quickly, and a man walking up behind her. She's getting into her purse, and he reached for her elbow. She spins around with a gun, and yells "Get the hell away from me!"
Shoot or don't shoot?
Most folks would assume this was some sort of stalker situation, or possible a mugging or rape about to happen. But what you don't know (and under NC law, this is where it gets CRITICAL) is what transpired before this event, and who the ORIGINAL aggressor was. Under NC law, it's the person who "started the fight"--the person who first committed an inflammatory or provocative act--that is the BG. And unless you know THAT detail, it might be difficult to assess what any given situation REALLY is. And if you choose the wrong person, and shoot (or even pull a gun on) someone who is innocent, that makes you an accessory to whatever bad thing the BG did. Forget about GATTTOTP--choose the wrong person in NC, and now you're looking at aggravated assault or worse...
So what you DON'T know is what went on before you saw this happen. What if THIS was the story: A man is having dinner with some business associates. A woman (who is his wife) walks in the restaurant with another man. The husband notices his wife and gets up to walk over to her table and see what's going on. When he walks up to her table and asks who the man is, and is polite and a little confused, the wife throws her drink in his face, and tells him she's planning on leaving him anyway, so he can just f^@% off. Then she gets up and storms out. The husband follows her to the parking lot, trying to understand what just happened, and this cheating, crazy wife pulls a gun on him...
NOW who would you point your gun at?
Or how about this one. You are walking downtown. Some guy comes running down the street and tackles another man, and starts yelling at him to "give me the wallet", and starts punching him. The guy who was tackled struggles free and pulls a revolver from his pocket.
Who do you draw down on?
Most people would assume this was a mugging, and the victim is attempting to defend himself with his gun.
What you don't know is that the guy who was tackled and is now holding a gun is a career pickpocket, and a convicted felon. The guy who tackled him was his latest victim, and te pickpocket almost got away with his Christmas Shopping wallet, which had over $2500 in cash in it, not to mention his credit cards and IDs. The guy with the gun is, in fact a convicted felon, has just committed grand larceny (another felony) and is in illegal possession of a firearm, and is carrying concealed without a permit. The guy who tackled him is an ex star running back from the local high school who now runs football workshops for the local Boys Club, is married and has three small children, and has never so much as had a parking ticket.
NOW who would you point your gun at?
1) Know the law.
2) Understand the situation.
3) Never draw unless you KNOW you are in the right.