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04-05-2017, 14:22 #1
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- Apr 2017
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Gun Owner's Responsibility - Hijacking
Hi guys,
My friend just witnessed a hijacking one car in front of him, and the victim assaulted by four armed men. It got me wondering what I, as someone who carries concealed as per the law, can do to help in that situation?
I am aware of the legal stipulations around the requirements for lethal force but since the 3rd party could be a complete stranger - and a car or two away from you - not to mention the ambiguity of threat to property vs life, (being a car theft by definition) I'm not sure at what point I, as a civilian, could engage the would-be hijackers in an attempt to protect the 3rd party/victim.
Can anyone please clarify this for me?
Thanks in advance!
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04-05-2017, 14:40 #2
- Join Date
- Aug 2012
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- Stella
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- 46
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- 10,870
Re: Gun Owner's Responsibility - Hijacking
Stay out of it as good as possible, unless you have really good reason to get involved. Simply because you don't know what truly is happening. What looks like a hijacking might in fact be a gang related retaliation strike. You also don't know where other involved persons might be hiding.
You may act once a life threatening attack has started, or is about to start.
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04-05-2017, 14:50 #3
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- Nov 2014
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- All over RSA
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- 283
Re: Gun Owner's Responsibility - Hijacking
i fully agree with the above statement, but at what point does a life threatening attack start, once the 1st round is fired and the victim is dead, or when firearms are present.
obviously when a kidnapping is in affect yes, but at what point for anything else, cause it takes a split second for him to shoot the victim, and then the attack is over and you cant step in cause there is no other life in danger.
as far as I am concerned, ill stay away as far as possible, but will defend myself/ third party, if it comes to that and I have no other way but forward.
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04-05-2017, 15:23 #4
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- Aug 2012
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- Stella
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- 46
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- 10,870
Re: Gun Owner's Responsibility - Hijacking
I agree - from video material (youtube etc) hijackings happen really fast. An assault is bound to take longer hence one should have time to react. The manner in which one reacts can determine quite a few consequences. Shooting at the assailants is but one way of doing things. One can always drive up to them or shout or start filming them or use pepper gas or think of something else. The trouble is that, once you fired a shot your firearm probably gets taken away; one might land behind bars etc. And then comes the legal costs - simply not worth it unless really necessary.Just reread the OP - facing four armed criminals alone with a single firearm and from a stationary position - one has to rethink it thorouhly.
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04-05-2017, 15:25 #5
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- Oct 2010
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- /\/¯¯¯¯¯\/\
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Re: Gun Owner's Responsibility - Hijacking
Are you willing to spend tens of thousands of Rands in legal costs, and personal kak (confiscation, investigations, etc) .... on a stranger?
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04-05-2017, 15:34 #6
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- Sep 2011
- Location
- Strand
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- 38
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- 10,408
Re: Gun Owner's Responsibility - Hijacking
During the aftermath you will be saddled with the legal process and all that goes with it: stress, lawyers and advocate bills, sleepless nights, anxiety attacks, possible arrest and sleeping in a cell with other criminals while bail is being arranged, etc. It can cost you tens of thousands of Rands, if not hundreds of thousands. This excludes any medical bills you may have to pay if you are injured. You also face disability or death during an intervention. You may lose your current income temporarily or even permanently. You may face a liability lawsuit depending on how the situation goes down and if anyone is accidentally injured by your actions. Nobody else will pay these for you. Nobody else will suffer these for you. Your family will suffer as you suffer. It will take a toll on them as it takes on you. You may lose your wife and children.
There are a handful of people on this planet I would consider paying the above price for. The rest are on their own.
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04-05-2017, 15:53 #7
- Join Date
- Sep 2009
- Location
- Durban KZN
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- 47
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- 5,884
Re: Gun Owner's Responsibility - Hijacking
If it's legal justification you're after, you can always shout "stop, you're under arrest" and then use reasonable/ minimum force required to affect the arrest, since you as a private citizen can arrest for a schedule 1 offense that you are clearly seeing being committed.
Take into account the above statements about unintended consequences though.
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04-05-2017, 15:59 #8
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- Jun 2013
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- Muizenberg, Cape Town
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- 54
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04-05-2017, 16:05 #9
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- Oct 2010
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04-05-2017, 16:18 #10
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- Jun 2012
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