36 Lessons for Armed Defenders

By Shawn Vincent

I worked on my first self-defense case as a litigation consultant in 2012, and since then I’ve seen several good-natured, law abiding citizens face serious legal jeopardy for using a firearm to protect themselves. Some defenders shot too soon, others too late. Most missed clear chances to avoid or de-escalate the fight. Some said too much to police while others failed to even call 911. I learned there are many ways for an armed defender to undermine their legal justification for using deadly force, so I decided to keep count. 

For the last ten years, I’ve written articles and recorded podcasts for CCW Safe–exploring high-profile self-defense cases and looking for the lessons learned for concealed carriers and armed defenders. I’ve discussed countless shootings with my podcast co-hosts, criminal defense attorney Don West and firearms instructor Steve Moses. Our goal is to help good people avoid making bad mistakes that could jeopardize their legal defense should they face criminal prosecution in the wake of a self-defense shooting.

Don and Steve encouraged me to codify the lessons we’ve learned, so I combed through our archives, and I curated a list of 36 key lessons for armed defenders. Our 36 lessons do not constitute legal or tactical advice, but if you integrate these concepts into your self-defense discipline, they will help you avoid dangerous encounters, survive an attack, and reduce the legal jeopardy associated with using deadly force in self-defense. This list is not meant to be authoritative—but it does represent the informed experience of respected professionals who have dedicated a significant portion of their careers to teaching self-defense and legally representing armed defenders.

In the months ahead, we’ll break down each lesson through real-life cases and expert insights—all with the goal of helping armed defenders be smart, stay safe, and avoid legal jeopardy. For now, here’s a summary of our 36 Lessons for Armed Defenders:

  

• The goal of self-defense is to break contact.

Self-defense isn’t about fighting—it’s about escaping danger. The moment you’ve stopped the threat or created a safe distance, you’ve achieved your goal. Firearms can be highly effective at ending a violent attack, but they should be a last resort, used only after you’ve exhausted all safer alternatives. If the attacker flees, surrenders, or is incapacitated, the threat is over—and so is the justification for deadly force. 

• Get firearms and self-defense training.

If you choose to carry a gun, you take on a serious responsibility—and that means getting serious training. Comprehensive instruction goes beyond marksmanship to include situational awareness, de-escalation, legal use-of-force principles, less-lethal options, and more. Good training helps you make better decisions, not just better shots. The more competently and confidently you carry, the less likely you are to need your gun at all.

• Understand the legal consequences.

Authorities investigate every deadly use of force, and they treat every self-defense fatality as a homicide. An unjustified homicide can lead to charges of murder or manslaughter. Even a justified shooting may result in arrest, prosecution, and a long, expensive legal battle. Once you’re in the criminal justice system, there’s only one way out—and it’s rarely quick or painless. Understanding the legal consequences helps you make decisions that reduce your legal jeopardy. 

• The threat must be imminent and serious.

Deadly force is only justified when you—or someone you’re protecting—face an imminent threat of great bodily harm or death. That means the attacker must have the ability, opportunity, and intent to cause serious injury, and the threat must be happening right now. If any one of those elements is missing, the legal justification for using deadly force may not exist. When you make your legal self-defense claim, you’ll need to clearly articulate why you believed the threat was both real and immediate. 

• The belief of imminent harm or death must be reasonable.

It’s not enough to feel afraid—you must have a reasonable belief that you or someone else faced an imminent threat of serious harm or death. That belief must make sense both subjectively, from your perspective, and objectively, from the perspective of an outside observer. If your response doesn’t seem reasonable to a jury, your self-defense claim may not hold up.  

• Don’t shoot BEFORE the threat is imminent.

Even if someone appears dangerous, you can’t use deadly force until the threat is immediate. The attacker must not only have the ability and intent to cause harm, they must also have the opportunity to carry it out right now. If you act too soon, before the danger is imminent, you may lose your legal justification. A jury may wonder why you didn’t take the time to try to escape or to use a less lethal option to end the confrontation. 

• Don’t shoot AFTER the threat is over.

The legal justification for deadly force ends the moment the threat does. If the attacker retreats, drops their weapon, or otherwise disengages, you must stop and adopt a less lethal tactic. Many defenders face prosecution for firing a split second too late, often driven by lingering fear or anger. If the danger has passed, continuing to shoot turns self-defense into something else in the eyes of the law.

• Don’t get emotionally hijacked.

Fear and anger are natural in a life-threatening confrontation, but they can lead to fatal mistakes if you let passions dictate your actions. Deadly force is only justified when your response to a threat is reasonable, not fueled by emotion. If you act out of rage or panic, you risk crossing a legal line. In a crisis, staying calm isn’t easy—but it could keep you from making deadly mistakes that cost you your freedom.

• Maintain situational awareness. 

You should always be aware of potential threats in your environment—a state of vigilance many self-defense instructors call situational awareness. It means being aware of your surroundings, assessing risk, and managing unknown contacts. By simply paying attention, you can avoid or de-escalate a potentially dangerous situation before it turns violent. You can stay out of trouble by staying alert.   

• Don’t be the first aggressor.

You can’t claim self-defense if you started the fight. In most jurisdictions, if you’re seen as the first aggressor, you may lose the legal protections that justify the use of force—even if you find yourself in imminent danger later. Prosecutors may frame the incident as “mutual combat,” which undermines your self-defense claim. To stay protected under the law, you must be reacting to a threat, not instigating one.

• Don’t provoke a potential aggressor.

Even if you’re not the first aggressor, you can forfeit your self-defense claim if you do something to provoke the fight. If you escalate a confrontation with taunts, threats, or aggressive behavior, a prosecutor may argue that you instigated the resulting physical conflict. Even if the other person throws the first blow, your role as a provocateur can undermine your legal defense. Self-defense is about avoiding conflict, not inviting it.

• Don’t start needless arguments.

Many self-defense incidents begin with sharp words. Arguments can escalate quickly, especially when pride, ego, or alcohol are involved. If someone’s behavior isn’t a direct threat, and the results of their actions aren’t your responsibility, it’s usually best to mind your own business. Armed defenders have a responsibility to avoid confrontations that could spiral into violence. If it’s not your fight, don’t pick it. 

• Don’t assume an aggressor is rational.

Not every perceived aggressor will be thinking clearly. An attacker might be drunk, high, injured, disoriented, mentally ill, or acting irrationally for reasons you don’t know. If you expect logical behavior, you may misread the danger and escalate a situation that could have been defused. A confused stranger in distress might appear subjectively threatening to you, but your response must still be objectively reasonable under the law.

• Don’t leave a place of safety to confront a threat.

Self-defense is about escaping danger, not seeking it out. If you leave a safe place to confront someone, it becomes much harder to argue that you feared for your life. But if you move to a more defensible position and wait for the threat to come to you, you may gain a tactical advantage, have more time to assess the person’s intentions, and avoid a fight altogether.

• Don’t stand your ground.

Most states no longer require you to retreat from a threat before using deadly force, but the concept of a duty to retreat is still a sound self-defense policy. Even if the law in your jurisdiction permits you to “stand your ground,” any good faith effort to avoid the fight before resorting to deadly force can strengthen your self-defense claim. If you can safely and strategically walk away from danger, do it.

• Don’t return to the fight.

If you manage to escape a confrontation, don’t go back. Returning to the fight—especially if you’ve armed yourself during the interval—can destroy your self-defense claim. A jury will find it hard to believe you reasonably feared the alleged attacker, and prosecutors may argue that, by willingly re-engaging, you became the aggressor the second time around. Walking away shows fear and restraint. Going back shows intent to engage.

• Don’t follow an aggressor.

When an aggressor retreats, let them go. Chasing after someone—whether it’s an intruder, an angry neighbor, or a road rage driver—can transform a justified defender into an unreasonable aggressor in the eyes of the law. The goal of self-defense is to break contact, not prolong the conflict. If you pursue and engage a fleeing aggressor, prosecutors may treat the resulting confrontation as a new incident where you’re the one who started it.

• Respond proportionally to unarmed threats.

The law requires that the level of force you use is proportional to the threat you face. If someone attacks without a deadly weapon, using your firearm may be seen as excessive—even if you genuinely felt endangered. Disengaging or using less-lethal options, like pepper spray, can be tactically effective and carry significantly less legal jeopardy than a firearm. Reserve deadly force for deadly threats. 

• Understand less-lethal options.

Deadly force should always be the last resort—used only when no alternative will safely break contact with the aggressor. In situations where a firearm isn’t legally justified, less-lethal options like pepper spray or martial arts techniques may be tactically effective. Like firearms, these tools require proper training. Knowing how and when to use them gives you more ways to end a fight without deadly consequences.

• De-escalate with verbal cues.

Verbal cues—like asking someone to stay back or signaling that you don’t want to engage—can help you assess a person’s intentions and may prevent a situation from escalating. If someone continues to approach aggressively after you’ve made it clear you don’t want contact, their behavior may help justify your decision to act and strengthen your legal defense if force becomes necessary.

• Don’t brandish your firearm.

Brandishing a firearm—showing or pointing it to intimidate someone—is considered the threat of deadly force under the law. If the threat isn’t imminently perilous, drawing your weapon can lead to serious criminal charges. Displaying your gun out of anger or to gain control of a situation may turn you into the aggressor. A firearm is not a tool for intimidation—it is the self-defense tool of last resort.

• Defensive display is a viable alternative.

Defensive display is the purposeful presentation of a firearm to stop an imminent threat. When used deliberately and lawfully, it may defuse a situation without a shot being fired. This is not brandishing out of anger or with the intent to intimidate, but rather, a controlled signal that force is ready if necessary. Defensive display carries less legal risk than pulling the trigger, but it still requires restraint, judgment, and justification. 

• Don’t detain people at gunpoint.

Holding someone at gunpoint may feel like a powerful way to control an encounter with a potentially violent criminal, but it is more likely to create new tactical and legal risks. A suspect may lash out, escalate, or try to disarm you. Worse, when law enforcement arrives, they may not know who the bad guy is if you’re the one holding the gun. Unless someone poses an immediate danger to others, it’s usually safer to disengage, let them flee, call 911, and be a good witness from a secure position.

• Don’t fire warning shots.

The law treats an unjustified gunshot as the use of deadly force—even if no one gets hurt. Firing a gun into the air or toward the ground can be reckless and dangerous. If you’re not legally justified to use deadly force, you’re not legally justified in firing a warning shot. If you are justified, a warning shot may only embolden your attacker. Regardless of your intent, a warning shot is not a legally viable less-lethal option, and it creates new legal and tactical risks.

• Beware of using deadly force to protect others.

The law may allow you to use deadly force to protect others, but doing so can carry serious risks. If you intervene in a conflict without knowing the context, you might make serious errors in judgment, and your actions may appear unreasonable to a jury. It’s safest to act only when you’re confident that someone faces an imminent deadly threat, and you clearly understand the circumstances. If it’s not someone you’re responsible for, think twice before getting involved.

• Don’t use deadly force to protect property.

The law allows the use of deadly force for the protection of people, not things. Unless someone’s life is in immediate danger, using a firearm to stop theft, vandalism, or trespassing can land you in serious legal trouble. There are limited exceptions, such as a carjacking with someone inside or arson of an occupied home—but those involve threats to human life, not just property. When property is at stake, take a break, call 911, and be a good witness.

• Don’t open the door to trouble.

One of the most dangerous places for an armed defender is at their own front door. Opening the door to a stranger—or stepping outside to investigate a noise—can turn a manageable situation into a deadly confrontation. Many avoidable shootings happen because someone didn’t stay inside and call 911. When in doubt, keep the door closed, stay secure, and let law enforcement handle the unknown. If an intruder tries to get in, you’ll be ready for them.

• Don’t shoot through doors.

Firing through a closed door is rarely justified. Even if someone on the other side is yelling or pounding, you usually can’t see whether they’re armed—or whether they’re even a real threat. As long as the door remains shut, the legal argument that they pose an imminent danger is weak. Stay behind cover, call 911, and don’t use deadly force unless the threat is clearly visible and immediate.  

• Find your hard corner.

If someone breaks into your home, don’t wait for them at the front door—move to a defensible position. A hard corner is a spot just out of the doorway’s line of sight, where you have cover and a clear view of the approach. From there, you can call 911, stay protected, and only use force if the threat enters and presents a danger. This strategy gives you the tactical and legal advantage of reacting, not initiating.

• Call 911.

After a self-defense encounter, call 911 as soon as it’s safe to do so. Tell the dispatcher that you were attacked and had to defend yourself, request police and medical assistance, and clearly state your location. Stay on the line and follow instructions to ensure your safety and to help responding officers quickly understand what’s happening. This call will become part of the police investigation, and what you say could be used against you, so keep it calm and focused.

• Don’t give in-depth statements to police.

After a self-defense incident, you should identify yourself to first responders, claim self-defense, and cooperate with law enforcement—but don’t answer detailed questions without a lawyer. Well-meaning explanations can be misunderstood, misquoted, or used against you, even if you don’t believe you did anything wrong. You’ll have time to tell your full story later with proper legal guidance. In the immediate aftermath of a self-defense shooting, less is more. 

• Claim self-defense.

If you use deadly force to protect yourself, you need to say so clearly. Without an affirmative self-defense claim, homicide detectives may treat your case as a murder investigation. In some jurisdictions, your claim triggers a duty to investigate the incident as a possible justified use of force. Claiming self-defense doesn’t guarantee you won’t be charged, but it helps frame the facts from your point of view and starts the investigation on the right footing. 

• Don’t say foolish things.

What you say—before, during, or after a self-defense incident—can be used against you. Social media posts, offhand comments, or emotional statements to police can undermine your credibility. Prosecutors may use your own words to paint you as reckless, aggressive, or eager to use force. Stay calm, stay respectful, and don’t say, text, or post anything you wouldn’t want read aloud to a jury.  

• Self-defense cannot be accidental.

A self-defense claim is an affirmative legal defense. It means your use of force must be a deliberate act meant to stop the threat of imminent peril. If you claim the shooting was accidental, you undermine your legal defense and open the door to manslaughter charges. There’s no such thing as accidental self-defense. Your actions must be purposeful and justifiable under the law.

• You’re responsible for every bullet.

When you fire your weapon, you are legally and morally responsible for every round. Bullets can miss, overpenetrate, or strike unintended targets—including innocent bystanders. While a successful self-defense claim may absolve you of the criminal consequences of collateral damage, it won’t protect you from civil liability, and it won’t erase the tragedy of taking an innocent life. Always be aware of your surroundings and what lies beyond the threat.

• Avoid the fight.

The best way to stay safe and avoid legal jeopardy is to avoid the violent confrontation in the first place. Most self-defense shootings could have been prevendted if the defender made just one or two better decisions before things escalated. If you can safely disengage, de-escalate, or avoid the encounter altogether, that’s almost always the best choice. You’ll save a life, you’ll save yourself from potential prosecution, and you’ll avoid the psychological turmoil that accompanies even a justifiable shooting.  The most important self-defense skill isn’t shooting—it’s knowing how to safely walk away without firing a shot.