| For many years, firearms have been considered | | | | technology devises could be used by an |
| effective defensive weapons. If you think | | | | assailant in the same manor against the |
| things through you will realize that due to | | | | victim, the consequences are not as |
| the deadly potential of guns they are really | | | | potentially lethal. |
| a poor choice for personal protection for the | | | | |
| vast majority of people. | | | | Sometimes the emotional trauma and |
| | | | psychological effects of a victim shooting |
| The use of firearms is unwarranted in most | | | | another person can be devastating. Even |
| circumstances. Their use in any situation can | | | | veteran law enforcement officers are many |
| have grave consequences. The use of a gun in | | | | times affected, especially if the perpetrator |
| defending one from an assault could be | | | | is killed. Many victims are unprepared for |
| considered "excessive force" in many | | | | the intense emotional aftermath of killing |
| jurisdictions. It would be up to the victim | | | | someone [even in self-defense] and whose |
| to prove that a life-threatening situation | | | | agenda was to only protect him or herself. |
| occurred and deadly force had to be used. | | | | This scenario is a very real possibility when |
| Please bear in mind that nearly 80% of all | | | | firearms are used. |
| the assaults in our country are committed | | | | |
| without weapons of any type. Increasingly it | | | | When there is a presence of a gun the crime |
| is taking place that even when the victim is | | | | sometimes escalates the likelihood for death |
| not charged of a crime for using a licensed | | | | or serious injury. Once a firearm is |
| gun they could find themselves on the losing | | | | introduced by the victim, its use is the only |
| end of a civil lawsuit. | | | | action remaining and an innocent person may |
| | | | be injured or killed; and as previously |
| The intent of personal protection devices is | | | | mentioned, the use of the gun by the victim [ |
| to only distract and disable the attacker and | | | | justified or not] is subject to legal |
| be able to escape to get help. It is also | | | | litigation. Maybe the victims will not be |
| known that most people using a gun for | | | | charged with a crime, but it would be very |
| defense don't know when to pull the trigger | | | | likely for them to find themselves at the |
| and when not to pull the trigger. | | | | wrong end of a long and costly civil lawsuit. |
| Professional law enforcers have to go through | | | | |
| intensive training in shoot and no shoot | | | | Last, but not least there is large burden on |
| scenarios and yet they still sometimes get | | | | the gun owner to properly secure their |
| caught up in legal problems. | | | | firearms. There is always the possibility, no |
| | | | matter how secure the gun is kept, a child or |
| Believe it or not, using a handgun can | | | | teenager could get their hands on a firearm |
| actually be less effective at stopping an | | | | with tragic results. |
| attacker than using self-defense devices such | | | | |
| as defensive pepper spray or O C spray. | | | | In closing, I would like to mention that |
| Besides, assailants have been known to kill | | | | firearms can have a legitimate and useful |
| or seriously injure someone in a matter of | | | | role in self and home defense, but only [and |
| minutes after they had been shot defensively, | | | | I stress only] if the person is fully trained |
| even many hours after being shot with | | | | on the use and handling of the firearm, |
| so-called man stopper ammunition. | | | | totally comprehending the responsibility and |
| | | | consequences of the use of a gun and has the |
| A firearm used defensively can be taken away | | | | psychological toughness to use a firearm for |
| from the intended victim and used against | | | | the purpose of self-defense. |
| them. Even though it is a fact that defensive | | | | |