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What is deadly force?
It is defined in Chapter 939 of Wisconsin statutes and similar throughout the United States. "The intentional use of a firearm or other instrument that creates a high probability of death". Very simple if we break it down. When one intentionally uses a level or method of force that places someone's life at a high probability risk of death they do not have to be killed. If someone stabbed someone in the chest with a knife but the victim survived, this is still "deadly force". The outcome of death is not necessary for that action to be considered "deadly force", just the high probability of death.
Also in the legal definition you will note that it states, "The intentional use of a firearm".
Many people think that if you shoot someone in the leg that this is not deadly force. They are wrong, the legal definition of deadly force includes USE OF A FIREARM! You shoot at someone, it doesn't matter where, it will be classified as "DEADLY FORCE" period. It doesn't matter if it was a 22 caliber round and it doesn't matter if the person was only grazed. Think about that as we educate ourselves about what deadly force is so we recognize it as a threat or judge it as the level of force we apply in self defense. Other things that would be deadly force, a brick to the head, a pipe strike to the neck, a car torying to run you over or someon choking you where you are unable to breath or break free. When am I legally justified to use deadly force will be discussed in our next blog post.