The DF Triangle
Sept 19, 2014 22:14:40 GMT -7
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missasip, cajunlady87, and 1 more like this
Post by USCGME2 on Sept 19, 2014 22:14:40 GMT -7
Thought I would post a little ditty on the Deadly Force Triangle and its elements as a little refresher/ discussion post. I know wording varies a bit from place to place but, most follow this basic formatting;
The DF Triangle consists of three basic elements - Weapon, Opportunity, Subject(s) Actions. What is important is that the triangle must have all the elements present and be "closed" for deadly force to be applied.
Weapon - Does the subject have a weapon? This any implement that is capable of serious physical injury/bodily harm, or death. It can be almost anything, fists, knives, guns, a car, bat, dog, etc. it can include other factors such as number of attackers, gender of victim vs. attacker, size differences, and age.
Opportunity - Does the subject have the opportunity to employ the weapon? This question has a two pronged test. 1) Does the attacker have unrestricted access to the weapon and, 2) Are you within maximun effective range of the weapon?
Actions - sometimes this is labled "intent". I personally prefer the term action(s) as it defines more of what a subject is doing not thinking or how they might be motivated. Actions are broken down into two parts - verbal and physical. While verbal expressions on the part of the subject are important, your day in court will be won by defining his actions toward you (or someone you are protecting like a child or your husband). For instance, just some one having a knife in his front pocket will not be enough if he is talking guff. Once pulled out and he steps toward you, well it's now a bad day for him.
No matter how righteous the shoot is, be prepared for a $&!+ storm of leagal mud slide coming your way. Without all three legs of the triangle in place, you dont stand a prayer of clearing yourself.
Disclaimer - The above post is not to be construed as legal advice. Be smart, check your local laws and consult an attorney and other subject matter experts before considering any use of force.
The DF Triangle consists of three basic elements - Weapon, Opportunity, Subject(s) Actions. What is important is that the triangle must have all the elements present and be "closed" for deadly force to be applied.
Weapon - Does the subject have a weapon? This any implement that is capable of serious physical injury/bodily harm, or death. It can be almost anything, fists, knives, guns, a car, bat, dog, etc. it can include other factors such as number of attackers, gender of victim vs. attacker, size differences, and age.
Opportunity - Does the subject have the opportunity to employ the weapon? This question has a two pronged test. 1) Does the attacker have unrestricted access to the weapon and, 2) Are you within maximun effective range of the weapon?
Actions - sometimes this is labled "intent". I personally prefer the term action(s) as it defines more of what a subject is doing not thinking or how they might be motivated. Actions are broken down into two parts - verbal and physical. While verbal expressions on the part of the subject are important, your day in court will be won by defining his actions toward you (or someone you are protecting like a child or your husband). For instance, just some one having a knife in his front pocket will not be enough if he is talking guff. Once pulled out and he steps toward you, well it's now a bad day for him.
No matter how righteous the shoot is, be prepared for a $&!+ storm of leagal mud slide coming your way. Without all three legs of the triangle in place, you dont stand a prayer of clearing yourself.
Disclaimer - The above post is not to be construed as legal advice. Be smart, check your local laws and consult an attorney and other subject matter experts before considering any use of force.
