Mob response

[pfi1996]

There's been some talk on here regarding the proper response to incidents of mob rioting like that which recently occurred in London. From what I gather, the best course of action is situational awareness and avoidance. If the situation cannot be avoided and one is caught up in it, then the legal principle of AOJ and action to prevent death or grave bodily harm apply.

However, what i've not seen addressed is the following:

If I am at home with family locked in our house, and a mob comes through the neighborhood reeking havoc and destruction -- e.g. throwing rocks through my windows, taking a baseball bat to my car and maybe overturning it, starting fires, maybe eventually breaking into to house and looting -- what am I supposed to to? Legally allowed to do?

Specifically, if I or my family is not bodily harmed or threatened, then am legally prevented from doing anything to stop the mob attack? Must I sit by and permit them to destroy my home simply because they have not attacked my person?

Thank you for any input.

[Mas Ayoob]

pfi, at the risk of oversimplication, deadly force can be used to protect life and limb, but not what the courts have called "mere property."

Our unoccupied car being burned in the street does not, in and of itself, justify lethal force. Arson of our occupied dwelling, on the other hand, is a life-threatening heinous felony that CAN be repelled with deadly force. The guy who breaks into our occupied home in the course of violent looting, can also be construed as creating the situation of immediate, otherwise unavoidable danger of death or great bodily harm that warrants a deadly force response.

Glad you asked,
Mas

[pfi1996]

Thanks Mas. This clears things up considerably.

If under the scenario of destruction of property, overturning the car, torching it, general mayhem, etc., would you consider it wise or unwise to go out on my front porch or front lawn with gun in hand in full display and attempt to intimidate the mob to cease and desist and to move on? Or best to simply remain locked inside my home and simply allow them to do whatever they want unless and until it escalates to a personal bodily threat?

Thanks.

[Mas Ayoob]

pfi, one lone man standing outside with a gun is vulnerable to everything from a thrown rock to the head, to a bullet from an anonymous member of the mob. One reason visibly armed citizenry worked as a mob deterrent in Los Angeles neighborhoods because the shopkeepers presented a united front of multiple armed citizens.

Letter of the law notwithstanding, it's been my observation over the years that juries tend to see the guy who ranged outside his four walls with a gun as "looking for trouble." I don't like it any better than you, but our job here at GATE is to present things as we know them to be, not as how we wish they were.

best,
Mas