This matters because there are lots of worried people right now, and lots of new gun owners too. We want to be sure we stay on the right side of the law!

It's a big, complex topic but it isn't hard to learn the basics. Here's one key sentence that can help:

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"You may legally use deadly force *ONLY* when there is an immediate, otherwise unavoidable danger of death or grave bodily harm to the innocent."
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Each phrase in that sentence highlights a very specific and important legal concept.

* Immediate: It's happening right now. Not "might happen" five minutes from now, not "did happen" five minutes in the past. The danger exists at the very moment you press the trigger.

* Otherwise Unavoidable: If you can safely leave the area, you should leave. If you can reasonably talk the person down, you should try that. Only use the gun when all other options have already been tried or are clearly not viable in the circumstances.

* Danger of Death or Grave Bodily Harm. Not property, not ego, not anything except human life. The linked article goes into a LOT more detail about this, and is worth reading.

* To the Innocent. This means you did not create the situation where you had to defend yourself. You didn't start the fight, you didn't escalate the situation, you didn't road rage or ego-dance with the other person. To the best of your ability, you stayed calm and you did your absolute best to stay out of trouble.

Please do read the complete article to keep your memory fresh, and then pass it along to people you care about.

Stay safe!

https://bit.ly/2XvwSpm