witness attack

[anygunanywhere]

This is Texas, not Chicago.

Not Philadelphia, either.

Anygunanywhere

[BigBlueDodge]

So, long story short, the advice I was given was to stay out of it, and alert the authorities because you don't fully understand what is going on. Don't feel just because you have a CHL that it is your responsibility. On bad decision could ruin two lives, the innocent guy you shot, and yours while you spend it in jail.

I respectfully disagree with this advice as a blanket policy. This sounds like New Yorkers' attitudes. There certainly can be circumstances where the facts are too ambiguous to take action, but that's no rational basis to always say "let the authorities handle it." I would like to know the name of the people involved in shooting an alleged rapist. I would have thought that would have been all over the news, but I never heard a word. Plus, if someone decides to beat someone else in public, then they have chosen a very risky course.

Chas.

The validity of the story, I cannot verify. It may have been fabricated for all I know, but it did illustrate his point. My statement, or should I say my CHL instructor's guidance, was not meant to be a blanket statement. However, in scenarios that you are able to witness from start to beginning, and which you can fully understand/comprehend who is good guy and who is bad guy, the protections provided under PC 9.33 allow you to protect the 3rd person. However, the assertion is that more times than not, you will not be aware of the circumstances, and could make a bad judgement call. I myself, would prefer to stay out of and will alert local law enforcement. I got my CHL to protect myself, and my family.

[Venus Pax]

My CHL instructor had a long discussion about Defense of a Third Person. His point was to never get involved unless you 100% know what is going on...

Couldn't agree more.

and who is the bad guy. He gave an example of a Houston man who got shot. Evidentally this guy was beating another guy to no end, when a CHL bystander witness the event. The bystander told the man to stop, and when he didn't the CHL bystander shot the guy. As it turns out, the man was beating the other guy because he happened to catch him raping his daughter and was inflicting his revenge. The bystander did not know the full situation and killed the the wrong guy.

Bad example though, it sounds like he was continuing an assault on someone who was no longer a threat and perhaps incapacitated. There is no justification for that.

Technically, you're right. However, if I had just caught the guy raping my child, I would have a hard time letting him get away. JMHO.