Regarding weapons.....some basic common sense rules. There are some basic weapons rules but I won't mention them there.

1. You never point a gun at anybody or anything you don't intend to shoot. Even in the dark you have got to be able to see who or what it is.
In hunting you never shoot a bush that is shaking. You find out what is then do what you need to do otherwise you risk killing somebody.

2. You never keep you finger on the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
TV actors do not know what they are doing and too many people think they can learn by watching cop shows. Most of the guys hold the gun wrong anyway.
Steven Segal is one of the few who is an expert. By the way there is not such thing as a warning shot. Police officers do not to that. That is just in the movies.

i.e. you are walking around with your finger on the trigger.....you are startled and you squeeze the trigger accidently....well you just shot something you didn't mean to.

3. If you have never shot a gun take lessons from a professional.
It cracks me up to see so many guys at the gun range trying to teach their wife or girlfriend and they don't know how to handle a gun themselves. This is the blind leading the blind.

4. If you have to shoot know what is behind what you are shooting. There may another innocent life there.

5. Shoot to kill is so wrong.....you shoot to stop. Know the ramifications as you may mess yourself up psychologically for life, be sued for everything your worth in civil court, and oh by the way
you just took human life.

6. When you have done everything to diffuse the situation, your life or family member is in immediate life threatening situation and you can't get away (always better to leave and run)then
you have to decide what you are going to do and live with the consequences.

Basically, 1. is he a threat(is he telling me how he is going to hurt me), 2. does he have a way to do me bodily harm( is there a weapon in his hand), and only if he is 3. acting on that threat(is he coming at me. Some guy yelling at me with a weapon and is coming at me but he has crutches......well I think I can out run him.

I am sure this will inspire a response.