Mild chemical weapons OK for home defense?
 

For home defense, my dad has a small squirt bottle of ammonia that can shoot ~15-20 feet when the nozzle is on narrow-spray mode.

This is actually a pretty effective weapon and can easily disorient a criminal if he is hit with even a small bit of the spray. In addition, even if the ammonia only gets onto the criminal's clothes, the smell will waft up and disorient him.

The odds of someone dying from being sprayed with ammonia are very small, but it could potentially cause permanent damage to eyes and mucous membranes. Permanent damage is made more likely since my dad would probably not render assistance to the criminal for fear of being shot/stabbed/whatever. My dad would probably spray the criminal multiple times once he has been disoriented to make sure that he is incapacitated.

My question: Are there any special legal considerations my dad should be worried about if he doesn't help the criminal as he is rolling around the floor in pain (besides calling 911)? If the criminal goes blind as a result, could my dad be sued?

Please don't reply about the ammonia spray bottle being a good or bad idea (pepper spray would probably be much better), but only regarding the legal implications of not aiding an incapacited criminal.

Re: Mild chemical weapons OK for home defense?
 

I read your note but I refuse to follow it because the idea of using a bottle of ammonia as defense from an intruder is retarded. Absolutely retarded.

Re: Mild chemical weapons OK for home defense?
 

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I read your note but I refuse to follow it because the idea of using a bottle of ammonia as defense from an intruder is retarded. Absolutely retarded.

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How is it much different than pepper spray? It will completely incapacitate someone and will not probably affect you (on narrow spray mode).

Re: Mild chemical weapons OK for home defense?
 

Pepper spray is also retarded.

Here's a good test: You have $10,000 in one hand and pepper spray in the other. I am going to try and take $10,000 from you even if you have pepper spray and use it on me. Do you think you will succeed a large amount of the time, even if I am unarmed?

What if I have a gun? A knife?

Tell your dad to grow a sack and get a shotgun.

Re: Mild chemical weapons OK for home defense?
 

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Pepper spray is also retarded.

Here's a good test: You have $10,000 in one hand and pepper spray in the other. I am going to try and take $10,000 from you even if you have pepper spray and use it on me. Do you think you will succeed a large amount of the time, even if I am unarmed?

What if I have a gun? A knife?

Tell your dad to grow a sack and get a shotgun.

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omg... do you have any idea how incapacitating pepper spray or ammonia is? It will IMMEDIATELY blind you (temporarily) and make it impossible to breathe. You WILL NOT be thinking about money at that point.

I was imagining a home invasion situation for an owner without a gun. You hear a noise in the front room and don't have a gun... what are you going to do? As we've just seen from two pointless threads, a bat and knife have limited range. You need a long distance weapon that can work fast. In addition, you can spray a mist of ammonia around a corner and when the robber comes to get you he will be completely incapacitated.

At any rate, I only care about the legal implications.

Re: Mild chemical weapons OK for home defense?
 

Just have him buy a dog and not feed it.

Re: Mild chemical weapons OK for home defense?
 

if someone breaks into your house you can shoot him in the head with a firarm. I'd imagine amonioa or whatever retarded self defense ideas ur dad has are OK

Re: Mild chemical weapons OK for home defense?
 

This is actually not necessarily true. It depends on the state. What state does your Dad live in?

Re: Mild chemical weapons OK for home defense?
 

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if someone breaks into your house you can shoot him in the head with a firarm. I'd imagine amonioa or whatever retarded self defense ideas ur dad has are OK

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I wouldn't call this retarded... it is the same concept as pepper spray.

Re: Mild chemical weapons OK for home defense?
 

California