Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Michigan CPL Class FAQ: When Can I Use Lethal Force Against A Knife-Wielding Threat?

Ask The Michigan Firearms Instructor
Q: If you're out in public (like at a gas station) and you are threatened by a person wielding a knife who is less than seven feet away from you, can you defend yourself?

A: A person can use lethal force if he is somewhere he has a legal to be, is not committing a crime and has a reasonable and honest belief that he is facing great bodily harm, sexual assault, or death without a duty to retreat.

A credible threat with a knife is fitting. There is no mention of a required distance for one to start defending himself. However, as mentioned above, the shooting must be "reasonable." What is that distance? I tell people it's whatever a jury will believe.

On the other hand, if someone rushes you at seven feet with a knife, you are going to get cut.

Get over it and defend yourself. Reference MCL 780.972

Disclaimer
You are strongly encouraged to not only conduct your own independent research but to also consult with a competent and qualified attorney before acting upon any information in this article. Laws covering self-defense, lethal force, firearms, and the Michigan Concealed Pistol License and their enforcement are always subject to change due to laws being amended, politics conducted in the Prosecutor's Office, and election results at all levels of government. Ignorance of the law, legally speaking, is not a valid excuse for running afoul of it. The penalties and fines imposed upon violators of firearms related offenses are stiff and severe.

About The Author
Rick Ector is a National Rifle Association credentialed Firearms Trainer, who provides Michigan CCW Class training in Detroit for students at his firearms school - Rick's Firearm Academy of Detroit.

Ector is a recognized expert in firearm safety and has been featured extensively in the national and local media: Associated Press, UPI, NRAnews, Guns Digest, Tactical-Life, The Truth About Guns, The Politics Daily, Fox News Detroit, The Detroit News, The Detroit Examiner, WJLB, WGPR, and the UrbanShooterPodcast.

For more info about free shooting lessons for women and Michigan CCW Classes, please contact:

Rick's Firearm Academy of Detroit
Web: http://www.detroitccw.com.
Email: info@detroitccw.com
Phone: 313.733.74

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