killing someone who is trying to rob you

[Sponger.]

some background on the question...

i am at a bar last night in nicaragua with some people from my hostel having a good time, and this brittish girl decides to kill the mood by getting political and bringing up this incident and trying to critize people from the US for our violent culture or whatever.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/...sta-rica_x.htm

she said that the guy shouldnt have acted in self defense, and that everyone should have just handed over their money. she also said there was no excuse for killing the mugger, everyone disaggreed, but it got me thinking maybe there are more people out there who think this way.



so, if you were approached by an armed gunman who demanded money, and you could kill him in self defense and escape unharmed, would you?

[Kermit]

EZ kill.

[splashpot]

So knocking him out or incapacitating him isn't an option? It's either kill him or get robbed?

[Raised2Win]

if there's a chance I or someone else might get hurt if I dont kill this guy, then Its an easy kill. But if everybody would get out with 0 chance of getting hurt, then killing is wrong.

[Sponger.]

[ QUOTE ]
So knocking him out or incapacitating him isn't an option? It's either kill him or get robbed?

[/ QUOTE ]

yes. we were under the assumption that when you tried to just knock the person out they kill you

[Kermit]

[ QUOTE ]
if there's a chance I or someone else might get hurt if I dont kill this guy, then Its an easy kill. But if everybody would get out with 0 chance of getting hurt, then killing is wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]

"armed gunman" pretty much guarantees this chance exists.

[adsman]

Wow, a 20 year old taken out by a 70 year old. No wonder he died, he wouldn't have been able to live that down.

As to your question, I really have no idea. I wouldn't plan to kill a mugger if that's what you mean.

As an aside, you should have organised somebody to mug the annoying English girl as she went home.

[Sponger.]

[ QUOTE ]
But if everybody would get out with 0 chance of getting hurt, then killing is wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]

yes. just like killing is an easy choice when you are 100% sure he is going to kill you after he gets your wallet

but you dont know that

[daryn]

if it's kill, be killed, or be robbed, you kill. unless somehow you only have a few bucks on you, and you somehow know that you won't be killed. i'd gladly pay $100 just to NOT kill a guy. however if you're in a situation where you have no idea if he'll kill or whether you give the money or not, then you kill.

[heater]

Stuff like this happens too fast and there are too many variables to know exactly how one would react. I wouldn't want to kill somebody. If the opportunity presented itself to take a robber down, though, my reaction would depend a lot on the combination of anger, fear, and adrenaline running through me at the time.