How to react to a death threat

[miket]

Well, then I'll just drop the "feeling" term from my vocabulary. From now on, it's "I had reasonable belief my life was in imminent danger". Problem solved on that end. The judge/jury is still going to decide what they're going to decide and they weren't there anyway... And, yes, I know I can't just shoot some "big scary guy" because he looks "threatening". It MUST be predicated on their actions.

 

[blaisenguns]

Quote:
In florida the law says that if you "feel" threatened you can defend yourself as you see fit.

No, it does not. It says that if you reasonably believe that it is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm , you are justified in using deadly force.

EXCUUUUSE Me for paraphrasing, jeese.

 

[bang_bang]

I was threatened not too long ago. Should have went to the police, but I do know this guy likes to run his mouth quite a bit. One of the all bark-no bite situations here.

He said something to the extent of "Next time I'm in your area, I'm going to come looking for you."

My reply..."Come looking." end of conversation.

It's all blown over now...been a few months since the "threat." Does not mean my guard is down though. I *always* have a weapon with me. My Kel-Tec P11 lives in the door of my car with a spare mag, and my 1911 rides SOB quite frequently.

Most of the time, people are just running their mouth trying to induce fear or panic and make your life a living hell. You show your fear, they feed off of it. Stand up and show them that you've got a bigger pair, call the cops, etc...they back down quick-fast-and in a hurry.

 

[Kleanbore]

EXCUUUUSE Me for paraphrasing, jeese.

Didn't mean to sound critical, but there are a lot of folks who take the "paraphrase" too literally--e. g., "all I have to do is feel that my life was threatened, how is anyone going to know how I feel?". Sound familiar?

Also, I had the impression that you were suggesting that it was lawful to use force in response to a verbal threat.

Sorry for any misunderstanding.

 

[blaisenguns]

Sorry for any misunderstanding.

It's all good.

 

[Maelstrom]

If someone tells me they're going to kill me I usually shrug and say some witty like, "OK."

If they actually try to kill me that is where my vocabulary tends to expand.

 

[Water Garden]

If I were honestly annoyed or alarmed by the threat, I would document the occurance on a police report.

 

[cash05458]

well...what did you do to warrant the death threat?

 

[Averageman]

A threat is used to inspire fear. Are you afraid, if you are report it.
You may very well need that paper trail later, If not in your defence, use it as your offence for a legal action that may defuse the problem long before you would end up in court. A restraining order or even a charge of terroristic threats is much better than letting it get to the point of physical confrontation.
Someone yelling "Iam gonna kill you" in traffic is much different than the same person brandishing a firearm in a confrontation outside your vehicle.

 

[mustang_steve]

If it's not in a manner that can be considered immediately threatening, a police report will be filed.

If it was in an immediately threatening manner and I lack the means to leave the area without harm, full force as dictated under law shall be applied.

Death threats are no joke. NEVER let a threat slide by. The one time I did, I ended up in the ER over it.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

File a report and keep it cocked and locked.

 

[chuck520]

What Delta Boy said.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

Biker writes:

I don't much worry about folks who are polite enough to warn me first.

http://m.kitsapsun.com/news/1997/jul/22/port-orchard-victim-feared-estranged-husband/

The husband exploited reactionary weaknesses to dominate his victims.

Deltaboy writes:

File a report and keep it cocked and locked.

The boyfriend in the above incident kept a loaded SKS under the bed so he could quickly obtain it in an emergency. Unfortunately the incident unfolded so quickly (the murderer got inside his OODA loop) that he didn't realize what was happening until it was too late.

 

[Dogbite]

Well, I was threatened one time at work, by a customer. He did show up at my work with two other men. The police were called, and they trashed my work building, and shouted death threats and such, but left before the police got there. Boss told me to take a vacation and leave town. I did not do it. I was very careful and took precautions, but kept going to work everyday. They never came after me again.

This is one of those situations where you have to feel it out. How serious do you think they are? How confident are you in your abilities to protect yourself against the threat, etc. I would definitely document everything, and if they are serious, contact the police.

 

[Atroxus]

Like a lot have already stated I think it should depend on how credible you think the threat is. In my opinion, if you think the threat is credible imminent threat(not threatineing to kill you next tuesday), and that you would be able to articulate why you think that threat is credible to the police if needed, then by all means draw down. Hopefully the sight of the gun alone will resolve the issue, but I am of the school of thought that you shouldn't pull it if you are not willing to use it. IE pulling a gun as a bluff when you are not willing to take a life if needed is more dangeraous than going unarmed IMHO. Either way I would also file a report as a CYA so that if you do have to defend yourself there is a chain of events supporting your case for self defense.

 

[4sooth]

Back in the sixties a local politician with "ties" to some shady characters threatened to harm my younger brothers if money was not turned over to him for his political use.

My old man told him "okay--lets talk." Being used to the locals cowing down he never saw what came next. The old man walked into his office and sat down as though to discuss the disposition of the money. Believing they had reached agreement, the politician stood up and extended his hand at which time my old man grabbed his hand and snatched him onto the desk simultaneously laying a S&W M&P chambered in 32.20 along the side of his head. The old man cocked the gun and forced it into his ear saying something to the effect if he or his friends ever threatened my brothers again he could pretty much figure out what would happen.

My father was from the old south--being born in the backwoods of Georgia prior to the depression. He was hard as nails--I have no doubt he would have done just what he said. This story was related to me by my mother 10 years after the fact--she cried when she told me of it for she new my old man would have done what he told the politician he would do. "He could have gone to jail" she said.

In the time and place he was from it was understood that threatening someone's family could and frequently did result in such retribution.

 

[mljdeckard]

The idea is that you need to get it on record. We use deadly force only as a last resort. You must demonstrate that you made all reasonable efforts to avoid violence.

Remember Ayoob's advice here: "The first one to call the police is the victim." Make sure it'd you and not someone else.

 

[6_gunner]

If someone ever threatened my life, I would tell them very firmly that I take my personal safety seriously and that I do not take threats lightly. I would also warn them that if they are joking, then they should never joke with me about such matters again.

If they're just trying to be funny, they would feel very foolish and probably fall all over themselves apologizing. If they're serious, then at least they'll know that you're not going to be an easy victim.

If I knew the person's identity, I would probably also file a police report.

 

[blaisenguns]

If someone ever threatened my life, I would tell them very firmly that I take my personal safety seriously and that I do not take threats lightly. I would also warn them that if they are joking, then they should never joke with me about such matters again.

+1 on that, excelent sentiment Mr. 6 gunner.

 

[dkk73]

...
Remember Ayoob's advice here: "The first one to call the police is the victim." Make sure it'd you and not someone else.

Excellent advice. I had heard the same thing, but just last night I heard a horrific story from a friend who got burned trying to help someone out. He tried to downplay a situation where he had to use physical force to prevent an unstable person from entering his house. To make a long story short, the other guy called 911 first and distorted the facts enough to land my friend in jail for the night and create a legal nightmare for him.

 

[TehK1w1]

Read some of Gavin De Becker's books. He gives you a lot of info on how to tell idle threats from the real thing.

A big +1 to that. I read his book The Gift of Fear recently and found the information in it very useful and quite interesting as well. It has a lot of stuff about stalkers and death threats in there. There are some really messed-up people in this world...
He does make a couple negative comments about CCWs, but the bulk of his book is very insightful.

 

[lamebums]

File a report if you even remotely think the bad guy is being serious. When push comes to shove and if you have to shoot in self defence, having a report already out on the guy documenting his threats will go a long way.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Say someone threatened you, to kill you or someone else. Let's say they make repeated threats. How do you know when to take this seriously and what steps should you take?

Report it to the police. In most states making a death threat is a crime all by itself (in Arkansas, it's called a "terroristic threat.") Encourage others to report also, if they have been threatened.

If nothing else, you have documented that you have been threatened. If you are later attacked and forced to defend yourself, this documentation will be important in any legal proceedings that follow.

 

[Deanimator]

Report it to the police. In most states making a death threat is a crime all by itself (in Arkansas, it's called a "terroristic threat.")

It depends upon the police themselves as well.

My supply sergeant at Fort Knox was getting threatening phone calls to the supply room from her estranged husband in another unit. I took her down to the MP station, where the MP Investigators REFUSED to arrest him. If I'm ever suspected of a crime, I hope I have some of them as defense counsel. When told them that he'd threatened to "get her", the MPI actually said to me, "But what does that really mean? Maybe he was going to get her an ice cream cone." At that point, I called their bluff and just told them they were full of crap and that I wasn't leaving until he was arrested for one of the myriad crimes he'd committed. They caved, and I saw him brought in in handcuffs.

In college, a group of us were threatened by the idiot "hitman" wannabe bodyguard of the inept dope dealer who lived across the hall from me. When the Fulton, MO cops were contacted, they said they couldn't do a thing, but if he harmed one of us, they'd spring right into action. We then visited the Calloway County Sheriff, who told us basically the same thing. He however pointedly noted that Missouri law was very strong on the right of self-defense and that we had every right to defend ourselves any way that was necessary. We took the hint and armed ourselves, making sure that the "hitman" knew we were armed and that if anything happened to one of us, there would be immediate retaliation. He took the hint.

1. Police have no legal duty to protect individuals.
2. Police have no legal liability if they fail to protect individuals.
3. Police have virtually no physical ability to protect individuals.

In almost every case where your life is in immediate danger, defend yourself or don't get defended at all.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

It depends upon the police themselves as well.

My supply sergeant at Fort Knox was getting threatening phone calls to the supply room from her estranged husband in another unit. I took her down to the MP station, where the MP Investigators REFUSED to arrest him.

We had a case like that here.

The "Dewberrys" were the neighbors from hell. They lived in trashy surroundings, stole, threatened people, actually shot at people (but never hit anyone), and so on. The standard response by the Sheriff to complaints was, "If we didn't see him do it, there's nothing we can do about it." That, of course, is a lie -- they could direct the complaintants to the judge, have them swear out a warrant, and make an arrest.

The Dewberrys also kept vicious dogs which killed sheep. The reponse to complaints about that was, "That's a civil matter. You'll have to sue them." That's also a lie -- the Sheriff can deal with such dogs. And as for sueing them, you could never collect.

Finally, the Dewberry's dogs were killing some sheep. The father of the girl who owned the sheep came out and shot the dogs with a .30-30 (Perfectly legal in Arkansas -- the dogs were depredating on his property.) This occurred near the property line, and Dewberry came roaring out of his house with his harridan of a wife behind him, urging him on. He fired at the father with a .44 Magnum. The father returned the favor with his .30-30.

Dewberry was killed. The bullet passed through him and paralized his wife.

Then came the denoumont -- Both "Dewberrys" were federal fugitives, him for kidnapping, her for drug dealing. If the Sheriff had acted on the first complaints, they'd have been fingerprinted, identified, and carted off to prison.

The Sheriff saw the handwriting on the wall and did not run for re-election.