gangs?

[scohen.mma]

If i were to get jumped by a gang, which is common in my area, i was told that i should "expect to wake up in the hospital." In my recent training, i learned a few very easy ways to severely injure and most likely kill someone.

If i got jumped by a gang and i was scared for my life, would it be considered self defense and would i NOT be arrested if i used these techniques and was actually successful with it?

[Wastelander]

If i were to get jumped by a gang, which is common in my area, i was told that i should "expect to wake up in the hospital." In my recent training, i learned a few very easy ways to severely injure and most likely kill someone.

If i got jumped by a gang and i was scared for my life, would it be considered self defense and would i NOT be arrested if i used these techniques and was actually successful with it?

It depends on your local laws but, generally, a group attacking a single person would usually be considered a situation where you would be justified in defending yourself until you were no longer in danger. I am not a lawyer and I am not giving you any legal advice! You should check with local law enforcement or a lawyer.

[MasterPain]

I doubt it's as easy to seriously injure someone as you think. We are not all glass cannons. Besides that, you said you'd only been training there for about 6 months, and had not done much more that kata and set drills. This means you have not yet got to the stage where you can expect to use it reliable against 1 person. I've trained for 20 years, and with a gang, I'd run if I could, and move on to weapons if I couldn't. Even then, I'd expect to be hurt. Point is, never allow yourself to think that you are more dangerous than a group of idiots.

As far as legality, look up your state's self defense law, and study it. As a general rule, if you try to flee, can't flee, cause only as much harm as needed to get away, then flee, you are fine. If you don't really hurt anyone, you can most likely calmly tell police what happened and not be arrested. If you do have to seriously hurt someone, you likely will be arrested. Simply tell them that you want legal counsel before making a statement. And you should be fine. Once again. Study your state's law.

[Groinstrike]

Masterpain is correct on both fronts, whenever we have a new student in class we try to go over many different self defense scenarios just to help them realize what is and isn't necessary force. It is very important for anyone to understand their states self defense laws, especially a martial artist.

[scohen.mma]

thanks everyone, and MasterPain, i'm more than aware of that. I have been in a few street fights, i've gotten my butt kicked before, i know i'm not as dangerous as i could easily picture in my mind. i've only been training in Shorin-Ryu Karate for 6 months, but i have a big history in MMA. (Muay Thai, Boxing, Brazilian Jiu JItsu specifically). On a side note, i was very good friends with an ex-marine, who was also a Krav Maga instructor. he owns a place in Novi, Michigan. if you search "Krav Maga Novi" you'll probably find it. during personal times when we were just talking, i got some very practical advice from him on what to do in self defense, even war situations (i wanted to be a marine at the time). every once in a while, i would attend his classes. and before i moved, i had been training intensely (4 or 5 times a week, 1 - 2 hours a day) for about a month. during all of our side talking, personal training sessions, and regular class sessions, i did pick up a lot of advice and options that would be very street effective. some of which, if i knew i had to do it, i'm confident that i'd be able to do it. certain? no. confident? yes. but thankyou for taking the time to explain those things to me.

[bushido_man96]

I doubt it's as easy to seriously injure someone as you think. We are not all glass cannons. Besides that, you said you'd only been training there for about 6 months, and had not done much more that kata and set drills. This means you have not yet got to the stage where you can expect to use it reliable against 1 person. I've trained for 20 years, and with a gang, I'd run if I could, and move on to weapons if I couldn't. Even then, I'd expect to be hurt. Point is, never allow yourself to think that you are more dangerous than a group of idiots.

As far as legality, look up your state's self defense law, and study it. As a general rule, if you try to flee, can't flee, cause only as much harm as needed to get away, then flee, you are fine. If you don't really hurt anyone, you can most likely calmly tell police what happened and not be arrested. If you do have to seriously hurt someone, you likely will be arrested. Simply tell them that you want legal counsel before making a statement. And you should be fine. Once again. Study your state's law.

I'm coming in a little late here, but I agree with Master Pain here. The human body is really quite resiliant. As far as being jumped by a gang goes, you could probably articulate fear for you life pretty well, and thus justify deadly use of force.

Self-defense rarely happens as it does in the movies, either. Its cool to watch guys like Van Damme kick guys off motorcycles, the hoods of cars, and other cool things like that, and make it look easy, but self-defense rarely is (I know I made an extreme case there, but I wanted a chance to reference my favorite Van Damme movie ).

The final thing to think about is when it comes to using deadly force, it isn't something that most of us can just decide to do. Think to yourself right now, "Am I willing to kill someone if I have to?" If you answer yes, then you have to take it a step further, and think about what that is going to be like. Can you force yourself to visualize what its like to snap a neck? To squeeze a throat until someone stops gagging? Can you hear that gagging in your mind? Can you visualize yourself twisting a knife into someone?

I think many people easily resolve themselves to the fact that they would defend their life by taking another if they had to. But I don't think many think about what will actually take place there. It is very much a mindset thing, and just saying it to yourself doesn't really make it so.

Then, there's the aftermath to deal with once the deed has been done. That's a whole other discussion there.

[yamesu]

Very solid posts from both MasterPain and Bushidoman.

I am sorry to say, that discounting all of the above posts, if you do kill someone, in western countries that is still an offence known as Manslaughter or non-premeditated Murder.

[JusticeZero]

That said, if you're being threatened by a whole bunch of people and one of them doesn't survive your panicked wildcat response while you're trying to not get killed by said gang, it's not likely that anyone could actually convince a jury to convict you for it.

once again on my point that I do not strategize how to do damage in a self defense situation. I strategize how to get away from a self defense situation, bringing any relevant family and friends with me.

It's possible that an attacker might not survive the damage done while in the process of clearing a path and time for said escape, but my intent has nothing to do with how much damage to do or not to do.

[sensei8]

Facing a gang...RUN AWAY FAST!! You might get a few, but the odds are in the favor of the gang, imho.

[Groinstrike]

Facing a gang...RUN AWAY FAST!! You might get a few, but the odds are in the favor of the gang, imho.

Agreed, if running isn't an initial option, take a hostage. If the "gang" continues to advance, leave the hostage in a quivering mass inbetween yourself and the gang. This should atleast buy you some time.

If you choose this tactic however, expect to be arrested.