It is generally against the law to strike, stab, or shoot people. If you do, it will be up to your lawyer to prove it was legal self-defense. One of the primary tools in my "self-defense toolbox" is the phone number for my attorney, Jeffrey Young. People often throw around the saying, "I'd bet my life on them." God forbid something happens, but in that scenario, I will literally be betting my life on Jeff.
The harsh truth is that the legal system doesn't operate on good intentions. It operates on evidence, testimony, and your ability to articulate why your actions were necessary and lawful. Without competent legal representation, even a completely justified defensive shooting can result in criminal charges, financial ruin, and years of your life consumed by the legal process.
The Scene of the Crime
Self-defense situations are rarely clear-cut. Law enforcement will arrive. You will be questioned, and you may be detained. Let me paint a picture for you:
The police show up and find you standing there with a gun in your hand. A person is dying or has already died on the floor. Who is the good guy? You might say, "Well, I'm the good guy." But how do they know that? The fact that you are the "winner" of the altercation doesn't make you innocent.
Officers responding to a shooting scene have a job to do. They need to secure the area, preserve evidence, identify witnesses, and determine what happened. From their perspective, you are a person with a weapon standing over a body. They don't know your character. They haven't seen your training certificates. They weren't there when the threat materialized. All they see is the aftermath.
You better know the answers to these questions before the police arrive:
- Did you follow the law?
- Did you use the appropriate amount of force, or did you cross the line?
- Were you in genuine fear of loss of life or great bodily harm?
These aren't abstract philosophical questions. These are the legal standards your actions will be measured against. And here's what many people fail to understand: your emotional state in the moment, your fear, your conviction that you were right—none of that matters if your actions don't align with what the law permits.
Don't expect a parade. No one is going to carry you around on their shoulders. Read the law. Know the law.
Lessons from the Real World
Look at Elisjsha Dicken. In 2022 he stopped an active killer who was randomly shooting people with a rifle in a mall food court in Indiana. He engaged the shooter from 40 yards away firing 10 shots with a compact handgun and likely saved over 100 lives. To most, this is a clear case of self-defense, yet there were still people who wanted him charged for carrying a firearm in a "gun-free zone." While Police Chief Jim Ison described Dicken's actions as "nothing short of heroic", he still had to navigate the legal aftermath.
Dicken's case illustrates a critical point: even when your actions save lives, even when law enforcement publicly commends you, you may still face legal scrutiny. The court of public opinion and the court of law are two different arenas. One operates on emotion and headlines; the other operates on statutes, case law, and legal precedent. You need to be prepared for both.
Training Beyond the Range
Legal knowledge is a part of your training. It is as important—if not more important—than the time you spend on the range. You spend hours researching holsters, sights, grip tape, bullet weight, and triggers, but do you actually know when you are legally allowed to use deadly force?
I've seen students spend thousands of dollars on custom firearms, high-end optics, and the latest tactical gear, but they can't articulate the legal standard for self-defense in their own state. They can tell you the ballistic coefficient of their carry ammunition, but they don't know whether their state has a duty to retreat or a stand-your-ground law. That's backwards.
In the real world, things happen fast. You won't have time to "look it up." At Self Defense Emporium, we conduct "Force on Force" training, and we see people make massive mistakes under stress. They draw when they shouldn't, they "shoot" innocent bystanders, and they scream things that would haunt them in court.
My "favorite" is when a student simulates a 911 call and says, "I was attacked and I killed the guy."
Oh, did you now? If you don't like the idea of living in a small box and losing your freedom, you need to understand the consequences of your words and actions. Forever is a long time.
The Words You Say Matter
What you say in the immediate aftermath of a defensive encounter can determine the trajectory of your entire case. Adrenaline is coursing through your system. Your fine motor skills are compromised. Your perception is narrowed. And in that state, you're expected to communicate clearly with responding officers, witnesses, and potentially 911 dispatchers.
This is why legal training isn't optional—it's foundational. You need to know what to say, what not to say, and when to invoke your right to counsel. Saying "I want to cooperate fully, but I need to speak with my attorney first" is not an admission of guilt. It's an acknowledgment that the legal system is complex and that you deserve representation before making statements that could be misinterpreted or used against you.
Your lawyer is not there to help you lie. Your lawyer is there to help you tell the truth in a way that the legal system can properly understand and evaluate. There's a massive difference between those two things, and that difference can mean the difference between walking free and spending decades behind bars.
Final Thoughts
Give yourself the best chance in a terrible situation. This is part of your responsibility as an armed citizen:
- Attend classes on state law.
- Go to free legal seminars (The USCCA offers many).
- Take "Force on Force" or "Shoot/Don't Shoot" classes with reputable instructors.
No one can tell you exactly what your "bad day" will look like, but you can tilt the odds in your favor. Remember: I shouldn't care more about your life and your freedom than you do.