Hit & Run Leads To Shooting

Matt Landfair

Matt Six Actual
Staff member
Administrator
Here is a situation from recent news. There are no winners in the end.

When you decide to chase/follow someone in a vehicle, you may end up creating a larger issue. A major take away is to weigh options and consider outcomes. The male had multiple opportunities to disengage.

Is calling and relying on police a viable option?

Is chasing down the other driver to ensure they are caught wise?

Did the male have to follow?

Did the male have to be close enough to be verbally engaged at the residence?

Was it lawful or prudent for the female to retreat to her home and come back with a weapon?

Can the male claim self defense if he put himself in that situation?

If you are looking for a reasons to shoot someone, you can find them. I find that to be the wrong mindset especially if you are carrying a weapon. There are legal, moral, ethical, and more considerations to make which start now in how you perceive this type of situation. If a firearm is last resort (as it should be), you should consider how your actions will play out and consider taking the paths that intentionally avoid confrontation.

Just like the last couple posts on current events, use these as an opportunity to learn from the mistakes of others.

Disrespectful, baiting, or trolling replies will result it potential mutes or removal from the network.

Explain your answers.

 

Barry B

Regular Member
I'll go first. Fail all around.

When you decide to chase/follow someone in a vehicle, you may end up creating a larger issue. A major take away is to weigh options and consider outcomes. The male had multiple opportunities to disengage.

Both parties made bad decisions. The male and the female. Both had at least one opportunity to disengage... the female did by doing a hit and run. She chose not to at her residence and re-engaged. The male followed her, I don't know at what distance, but enough that he was close enough to shoot her when he deemed her a deadly threat, so she was also close enough to shoot him.

Is calling and relying on police a viable option?

100%... when you are aggrieved, you are prone to making bad decisions. If someone takes liberty with my safety (I ride motorcycles) I get mad. If they hit me, I'd be extremely mad. More so if they ran. Is the right decision (esp when you are armed) to not follow, and if they get away they get away? 100% the right answer. Another option (still has risk) is to follow at a distance to get the tag, or get on with 911 and give out tag, vehicle description, and location (I can talk hands free on my motorcycle). That arguably has possibly significant risk as you already experienced a hit and run, so you kinda know what/who you are dealing with.

Is chasing down the other driver to ensure they are caught wise?

I would say no, there is too much to be lost. Your life and your freedom immediately come to mind. And you have no duty to do so unless you are LEO. I am not, I have neither the duty to apprehend nor the protections that accompany it. I AM NOT A SHEEPDOG.

Did the male have to follow?

He did not.

Did the male have to be close enough to be verbally engaged at the residence?

He did not.

Was it lawful or prudent for the female to retreat to her home and come back with a weapon?

IMHO, she made a massive error and paid for it with her life, when she entered then exited her home. She should have remained inside, armed, dialed 911 (not likely after a hit and run) and not ventured back out to engage a threat.

Can the male claim self defense if he put himself in that situation?

Sure, you can claim anything. The massive gray area as they say, is that anything can happen in court. What are the prevailing winds in your area that a prosecutor will test when deciding to press charges or not? I will add I don't know how close he was, but if someone follows me to my home, I'm 100% considering them an as yet undetermined threat. Would I go out to confront? Nope. Arm yourself, dial 911, and hope you do not have to defend.

If you are looking for a reasons to shoot someone, you can find them. I find that to be the wrong mindset especially if you are carrying a weapon. There are legal, moral, ethical, and more considerations to make which start now in how you perceive this type of situation. If a firearm is last resort (as it should be), you should consider how your actions will play out and consider taking the paths that intentionally avoid confrontation.

If you are looking to shoot someone you are a naïve and damaged human. FULL STOP.

Based on the comments I hear from people I consider to be idiots with guns, most folks that own/carry defensive firearms have zero concept of preclusion.

Hopefully I didn't butcher my statements too badly. It's a sad situation, but IMHO both folks started tossing gas on the fire. Either could have died, either could spend the rest of their life bankrupt or in prison. Not worth it.

Barry
 
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