LaPorte man fends off scary clowns

[myhightechsec]

Okay... this is getting serious. Two clowns (one with a knife) attack a man walking down the street minding his own business. Unfortunately for them they have poor victim selection skills as he curb stomps one of them while the other runs away. QUESTION: At what point before the pulling of the knife would it have been acceptable to pull your handgun and shoot one or two of these mopes?


LaPorte man fends off scary clowns | Northwest Indiana Crime and Court | nwitimes.com

 

[T.Lex]

As soon as they got out of their teeny tiny car.

 

[Sylvain]

I knew clowns were a serious threat!
Good thing they got their asses handed to them.

About the OP's question, it really depends on the distance between you and the attackers if they are unarmed (and even if they are armed with a knife).
From the article it looks like one of them already started to attack the victim with his fists prior to pulling a knife.

 

[cosermann]

Picking an "experienced cage match fighter" for a "victim." Ha, ha!

 

[Thor]

One with a (perhaps fictional) knife and one with a (imagined) sledgehammer...yeah that's pretty serious(ly silly). Doesn't sound like they were just there to scare someone (in fact may not have been there at all). Good results though. I'd like to think they got off easy.

 

[HoughMade]

When are you in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury? Does a clown costume change that?

 

[Sylvain]

When are you in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury? Does a clown costume change that?

Scary clown costume! Not just clown costume.
I think it changes things quite a bit.

I know that someone covering their face as they approach me will make me react sooner, doesn't matter what type of mask that is (ski masks, clown masks etc).

 

[Cameramonkey]

When are you in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury? Does a clown costume change that?

Is Coulrophobia a valid factor in this?

 

[Sylvain]

You know the threat is real when they make clown shooting targets ...

Do you pop the balloon with a warning shot first?

 

[Bill of Rights]

...

Do you pop the balloon with a warning shot first?
...

Ask Liberty Sanders about that.

 

[Anima mundi]

No mention of the knife the guy supposedly dropped? This smells like some grandiose nonsense.

 

[Manan]

When a reasonable person (first a cop, then a prosecutor, then a jury) would conclude that his or another life is jeapordy or serious physical harm. Gotta say, if someone pulls a knife or s sledge hammer and they are close enough to use those weapons, I think deadly force is justified.

 

[Sylvain]

No mention of the knife the guy supposedly dropped? This smells like some grandiose nonsense.

Yeah I'm curious if it was a knife that you get at Halloween costume shops, or a real blade.

Was it planned to be a "prank" or a real attack?

If it looks real it's justified to use force to defend yourself though.Same with some kids who sadly get shot by police for pointing plastic guns at them (and I don't mean Glocks, real toy guns).

 

[GunSlinger]

I am surprised no one dressed as a clown and out walking around has yet to be shot. It's all fun and games until someone gets shot.

 

[miguel]

As soon as they got out of their teeny tiny car.

Yeah, but like 20 of them got out!!!

 

[BogWalker]

When are you in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury? Does a clown costume change that?

For many people, yes. I know dozens of people afraid of clowns. A stranger on the street that doesn't trigger as a threat suddenly becomes a terrifying situation when placed in the costume.

Of course in this case there was a knife and a sledgehammer so the costume doesn't make much of a difference. However, somebody will end up shooting a clown that has done nothing more than look menacing, and it won't be a good shoot.

 

[oldpink]

I'm just wondering when this whole clown fad will finally blow over.
Given how long the whole zombie fad has been going on, I'm pessimistic about the clown thing.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

It obviously wasn't Puddles from Puddles Pity Party. The article describes the taller clown as being 6'4". Puddles must be pushing 7'.

 

[HoughMade]

For many people, yes. I know dozens of people afraid of clowns. A stranger on the street that doesn't trigger as a threat suddenly becomes a terrifying situation when placed in the costume.

Of course in this case there was a knife and a sledgehammer so the costume doesn't make much of a difference. However, somebody will end up shooting a clown that has done nothing more than look menacing, and it won't be a good shoot.

The phobias of individuals do not transform the unreasonable into the reasonable. "Reasonable" is an objective standard, not a subjective one.

However, should clown costume attacks become frequent and prominent enough such that the hypothetical "reasonable" man would view the mere wearing of the costume and approaching as a threat to life ....then we'd have an argument to make. I don't think we're quite there yet.

 

[Cameramonkey]

The phobias of individuals do not transform the unreasonable into the reasonable. "Reasonable" is an objective standard, not a subjective one.

However, should clown costume attacks become frequent and prominent enough such that the hypothetical "reasonable" man would view the mere wearing of the costume and approaching as a threat to life ....then we'd have an argument to make. I don't think we're quite there yet.

Thanks! Made my point.

Just like people who are unreasonably afraid of guns just cant have them banned because they are scary.

Just because YOU have an unreasonable fear of something doesnt automatically make it dangerous on its face.