TexasCHLforum.com

There is an interesting area that was highlighted in a recent event described on this forum. It was an attempted carjacking where an LTC responded by pointing a gun at a man who turned out to have his finger inside of his jacket pocket.

My concern about an armed response has always be about whether it was a real or perceived deadly threat. The finger in the pocket is one. Some sort of a gun looking item that wasn't really a gun is another. I believe that if such a case got to a court room situation, a LEO might be given more deference when it wasn't a real deadly threat than a LTC holder might be. In the split seconds leading up to what may or may not be a true lethal threat, things might not be a clear as they are after the fact. I'm not anxious to shoot someone who isn't a real threat but the window of response time can be awfully small if it is a deadly threat. If producing a gun de-escalates as it has in at least some of the citizen self-defense stories, it is certainly a good choice.

We travel in an RV and visit many other States. Trying to study self-defense guidelines across them is mind-numbing. While there is no brandishing law in Texas, that isn't necessarily that case elsewhere. I don't want to get into an "analysis paralysis" if I am faced with I think is a deadly threat by over-thinking the limitations. I've been very fortunate in being able to perceive and respond to non-gun related incidents which could have had deadly consequences. I pray that my perception will extend to a lethal force one if it ever happens. We've had a couple of close calls in gas stations during our travels.