"Reasonable Response" means how would a reasonable person respond to the threat, or more to the point, would a reasonable person determine from the threat presented that imminent death or grave injury could happen to themselves or someone else if they don't act?

Lots of folks would say "He threatened me, and I would have shot him!"...but most of them are just blowing hot airl...and if they weren't and were in this situation, they'd be in jail for something much worse than this punk is going to get.

You don't have to respond to a six inch knife with a six inch knife...if someone pulled a knife on you and a reasonable person would conclude that he intends to use it and cause grave harm or death, meeting that threat with deadly force would appropriate. Same with a baseball bat, or an iron bar.

If they are intending to kick your ass, you'd have to make a reasonable determination on where this is going to end up...not an eviable position to be in.

As a general rule...if the situation can be defused or avoided without the use of deadly force, then deadly force is per se not reasonable. If a reasonable person would conclude that it can't be avoided, and that the danger is grave harm or death, then deadly force is justified.

Fish on...

Todd