Levels of Force
I can't claim as many years of experience as many of you, and I haven't had as much training as many of you, but I can comment on what one training school drills into us, and since this school probably trains more CCW holders than any single other school, I think it is pertinent.
Escalation of Force...
You only use the level of force required to stop the threat.
Is drawing a firearm from concealment and holding it at low-ready "force"?
In most places, yes.
Is it enough to stop many threats?
As many stories in this thread, and other threads on this site have stated, sometimes it is.
Therefore, if you go from no threat, to drawing and pulling the trigger on center mass, you have skipped a level of force that could be argued to have been the level necessary. = Murder...
Is it the correct thing to do in some circumstances, yes! But those that say the only time they will draw is if they are going to shoot, they are limiting the usefulness of their weapon, and increasing the danger to themselves, and the likely hood of killing another human being.
Here is what ~20,000+ people a year are being taught:
Gun holstered/concealed. Possible threat approaching. Hands raised above beltline, palms out, command shouted to stop, or do not come any closer. --
--Possible threat continues approaching. Off-hand drops to bottom of sternum, gun hand hooks concealment, pulls it out of the way, secure grip on weapon, draw, bring to low ready (round in chamber, safety off, finger on the frame - go glocks and xd's!), shout command to stop or I'll shoot! --
--Threat continues approaching. At this point you have decided that if the person does not stop, you will fire when the shot is safe (checking downrange, etc). You bring the weapon to bear on the center mass, focus on the front sight, and place 2 controlled shots. If the person is still a threat, then you place a single round to the head. If the person is still a threat, either you need to upgrade your caliber, work on your aim, or grab Ye Holy Hand Grenade! Or take additional shots to stop the threat.
Scan and move after each set of shots of course.
That is how the training goes. Why? You can skip steps a lot easier than you can add them under stress.
If the guy is walking up and pointing a gun at you, well, you can skip some levels of force.
If the guy is just brandishing a gun, so you have reasonable threat to your life, would a flashing draw to an intimidating low-ready stance combined with verbal commands possibly get his attention and make him realize that maybe he doesn't want to mess with you? If not, you are a fraction of a second away from acquiring center mass and firing.
Those people that train that if they draw, they bring it up and fire are preparing their muscle memory to pull the trigger anytime the weapon is drawn. That is how innocent people and loved ones get shot.
The training needs to be in stages or levels of force, with each step trained based on the force encountered.
Ever been through a shoot-house with mixed hostages and bad guys? You come into a room, and you see a target, you have the weapon pointed at it with your finger on the trigger, and you have to decide whether it is a threat or your sister's BF (or both!
If you trained the way some espoused, they would be shot.
At the school, they pull a fast one. They use some of the same photo targets in the shoot house as they used on the range, but sometimes they don't have a weapon. So you actually have to think (scary word) before you pull the trigger.
Cooper's Rules:
1. Treat all guns as if they are loaded.
2. Never let the muzzle of a gun point at anything you are not willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are aligned with the target.
4. Know your target and what is beyond your target.
+
(5). Always know where your gun is.
He didn't say anything about not drawing unless you are going to fire.
I was trained not to draw (or expose or otherwise bring into play) my weapon unless I was in a situation where I was willing and ready to use it. That is a state of mind. They have pushed past the line in the sand you set as maximum allowable threat level without escalating.
I see 4 teens closing in on me in what appears to be an planned attempt to box me in without me noticing. They are getting close enough that I feel they pose a potential threat. There are no usable escape routes. Fence on one side, road with traffic on the other side.
What might I do, with the level of training I have, and my knowledge of the legal ramifications at stake?
Stop! It moves me away from one group since they are still walking away, and throws their balance off, puts me back in control.
By watching the reaction of the rear group, I may be able to tell if they are BG's. If I am still not sure, before they get too close, I tell them not to come any closer. If they continue, then I escalate my response.
If when I stop, the front group stops or begins coming closer, well, it's on, in which case I would begin moving back up the sidewalk to further throw them off, and order the rear group to stop and get back.
No, there isn't any grey area. Deadly force is the only force I use. If deadly force is not justified, I don't pull. Deadly force is complicated enough without throwing in all kinds of 'what ifs' about shoving, grabbing, and holding. For me, force has one color, one standard. I don't split it up into degrees.
This (and others that said similar things) scares me.
Deadly force being justified is a yes/no equation. Deadly force being needed isn't.
If you felt a threat, and drew to protect your life, but you were able to stop the threat without using deadly force, just the threat thereof, do you think that may be taken into consideration when they are deciding what charges to press?
There were comments made about firing as many shots as quickly as possible to make sure the threat was stopped. That is a real good way to get charged with excessive force. Now, if you are the point and shoot type, you might need that theory to make sure some rounds hit the target. If you know how to aim though, you don't need to throw that much lead!
CYA- Can You Articulate why you did what you did. Can you back it up that you followed standard training?
There are many comments that seem to imply that they think of the gun as the only means of defending themselves.
In the example of meeting the guy in the dark alley, what can you do other than shoot him or get shot?
Umm, take cover in a doorway, step behind a crate (dark alleys always have crates stacked in them) and while you are behind cover but watching him, if you feel he is a major threat, you might even be able to draw your weapon and have it ready. Then simply wait for him to walk past. If he doesn't, then you can escalate, but you gained the upper hand by being aware, and preparing.
If he smiles, nods and says hello as he walks past, then you can continue on your way with both of you alive and well.
Situational Awareness combined with being able to control the tactical situation are the key's here.
It's not just point and shoot.
And anybody that only thinks and trains the point and shoot part is a danger.
That's like somebody that only learns to use the gas and the brake. You wouldn't let them drive a car...
