Armed and Aware In WA: Understanding Self-Defense Laws

If you carry a gun you know the rules you must operate under to use deadly force. Yakima County Prosecutor Joe Brusic says to be fully justified in a shooting a person must feel like they were at risk of being seriously injured or killed and that there was no way to avoid the situation.

WHEN YOU PULL THE GUN GET READY TO USE IT

If you carry a gun Brusic says don't ever think about pulling your gun to threaten someone unless you feel your life is in danger. In other words don't take out your gun until you are prepared to use it. Brusic looks closely at whether you could have walked away rather than confronting the person who was threatening? It's that kind of question prosecutors will ask if you ever do pull the trigger and injure or kill someone.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU NEED TO HELP SOMEONE ELSE?

You can also defend the lives of others in certain circumstances in which their lives feel threatened. Washington Law states that the use of force is lawful whenever used to prevent an offense against another person.  This means that under certain circumstances, you may use force to protect another person.  Like self-defense, defense of other requires that you only use a reasonable amount of force to protect another person. Also like in self-defense, the person you are protecting must not be trespassing at the time of the incident.

THE YAKIMA COUNTY PROSECUTOR IS NOW CONSIDERING ALL THE FACTS IN A YAKIMA SHOOTING

All the facts are being considered in a shooting reported on Saturday, May 11 in which a 27-year-old man shot and killed a 71-year-old man after he told police the man threatened him and his family with a gun. No names have been released as an investigation continues. So far no arrests have been made in the shooting.