When am I NOT responsible for shooting a bystander?

[BanjoJohn]

If the Leo is getting a "beatdown", why draw a weapon? Could you not intervene without drawing a weapon?

Sure. Then about that time another LEO shows up and shoots you and the perp. I feel better already.

Lets say there is a white man attacking a white cop.
A black man steps in to help the cop.
Then another cop shows up.
Who's going to take the first bullet?

Unless I'm in a very remote area, I'll just mind my business and take care of me and mine, without getting shot, tazed, beat, sued, or incarcerated.

 

[Cataula]

You will always be responsible for every round you fire. This is why some people don't need to carry if you even have to ask this question!!

 

[GeauxLSU]

The discussions are always good to have but it's impossible to know what you will do until you are there. Just pray you are never there.
Just yesterday I was on the road (Indian Trail in Gwinnett county) at a stop light and saw some blue lights ahead. I saw a cop car stopped then some people running towards me. It was a guy running from two cops. The guy had a pretty good lead and was coming right towards me. In that SPLIT second every conceivable thought ran through my head. Do I get involved? If so how? The lead cop drew his weapon and the perp quickly decided his current course of action wasn't the most prudent. I honestly thought I was going to witness him getting shot. I still don't know for 100% certain what I'd have done had they closed the distance another 50 or so yards. That was obviously not a life or death situation for me. I think I was looking forward to a full speed tackle. It's been a long time.

 

[StateLine]

It also depends on the jurisdiction.

In SC a few years ago there was a case where a man was at home. His teenage daughter(s) had gotten involved in some sort of dispute with some thugs who followed them home and started shooting at their house. Their father returned fire. Unfortunately, he struck and killed an uninvolved bystander. Although he paid a heavy price financially and emotionally, he was ultimately exonerated under the SC Protection of Persons and Property Act.

Was it worth it? Probably not. But it happened.

http://legalinsurrection.com/2013/1...lf-defense-immunity-in-shooting-of-bystander/

 

[YOTESHOOTER]

Life really does complicated past the AGE OF 2 YEARS OLD...

just a simple suggestion to consider...

 

[DirtySouth]

Sure. Then about that time another LEO shows up and shoots you and the perp. I feel better already.

Lets say there is a white man attacking a white cop.
A black man steps in to help the cop.
Then another cop shows up.
Who's going to take the first bullet?

Unless I'm in a very remote area, I'll just mind my business and take care of me and mine, without getting shot, tazed, beat, sued, or incarcerated.

It is all hypothetical and possibly no right or wrong answer. While a lot of people look at the legal side of the scenario, I look at the moral side. In my opinion, if we all worry about what's going to happen to us after any situation that comes up, then we're all screwed, because there is no help coming when we may need it the most.

I have been in a situation where I stepped in and helped someone, and the Leo's were very professional and there was never any indications of a negative impact on my life afterwards. At the end of the day, I just don't value stuff over a person's life.

 

[105thSoftail]

Joe Citizen will get hauled in and charged, if he shoots an armed home intruder threatening his life..

I was in that situation, I wasn't charged
GOD bless Mr.Mossberg and the great state of Georgia where you can still defend yourself

 

[Plinker66]

Georgia has a "rebuttable presumption" statute to help protect individuals who act in good faith to assist an LEO getting a beat down.

http://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/2010/title-16/chapter-3/article-2/16-3-22/

 

[spencer60]

So, if you see a cop getting a beatdown by a thug, you shouldn't draw your weapon and intervene?

Not saying you should or shouldn't... that' up to you to decide.

But some things to think about...

How do you know that's a real cop? Maybe it's a guy in a uniform who a real plainclothes cop is trying to take down.

What if the cop gets the upper hand, rolls over the 'thug' and you shoot the cop in the back? How do you think THAT will go down.

Or you shoot the 'bad guy' and it turns out it's another cop who's just pissed at the first guy?

Several trainers use the example of the shady looking dude dragging a girl into a car while she's shouting 'rape!" at the top of her lungs. A citizen intervenes by drawing down on 'the bad guy', only to find out that the girl was a hooker the guy was arresting and taking to the station.

In most of these 'what if' cases you simply don't know enough to be able to say you had a reasonable cause to use lethal force.

 

[GeauxLSU]

Not saying you should or shouldn't... that' up to you to decide.

But some things to think about...

How do you know that's a real cop? Maybe it's a guy in a uniform who a real plainclothes cop is trying to take down.

What if the cop gets the upper hand, rolls over the 'thug' and you shoot the cop in the back? How do you think THAT will go down.

Or you shoot the 'bad guy' and it turns out it's another cop who's pissed at the first guy?

Several trainers use the example of the shady looking dude dragging a girl into a car while she's shouting 'rape!" at the top of her lungs. A citizens intervene by drawing down on 'the bad guy', only to find out that the girl was a hooker the guy was arresting and taking to the station.

In most of these 'what if' cases you simply don't know enough to be able to say you had a reasonable cause to use lethal force.

The problem is in EVERY single scenario imaginable you can come up with a "what if" that would make it a bad idea to intervene. So you either decide you will NEVER intervene no matter what, or you will let the circumstance dictate in that split second you generally will have to make a decision.