Head shots

[Mystery Meat]

Hi Mr. Ayoob

Thank you for imparting your practical wisdom to us. It is invaluable.

I recently attended a well-known shooting school in Nevada. They teach a double-tap to the thoracic cavity, followed up, if that doesn't stop the perp, with one shot to the cranial-occular cavity.

A local gun instructor previously told me that a head shot is an "execution," and would greatly complicate life for the shooter thereafter in terms of legal liability.

I just re-read you great book "In the Gravest Extreme" and you don't discuss head shots.

What is your take on this issue? Is it better to just keep shooting the center of the chest until the perp is no longer a threat?

I can see where in some limited circumstances, a head shot may be the only shot you can take.

Many thanks for your help.

Best,
Larry

[Mas Ayoob]

I have to respectfully disagree with your local instructor's advice. While the argument that "head shot = execution shot" may come up, it is easily shot down, so to speak. Several years ago a midwestern state's attorney general issued a similar opinion to the cops there and made the state academy stop teaching head shots as part of a failure drill. Police instructors sat down with him and educated him, and he rescinded that.

Sometimes, a brain shot is the only thing that will stop the homicidal attacker. "Within the totality of the circumstances," if it was necessary, it should be easy to prove it so.

best,
Mas