Lesson 7: 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.