When should you fire a warning shot to scare off an attacker? The answer is simple: Never. In this reaction video, U.S. Concealed Carry Association Director of Content Kevin Michalowski and noted criminal defense attorney Tom Grieve dissect the case of a confrontation between YouTubers Steven Williams (aka boogie2298 ) and Frank Hassle. Even though Hassle traveled through several states just to provoke Williams at his residence, Williams was the one who went to jail.
00:00 Repeat after me: “NEVER fire a warning shot.”
01:15 Kevin rolls audio captured during the violent confrontation between Williams and Hassle. 02:!5 Every single time Tom has represented a client who fired a warning shot, that person was in need of a lawyer because they had been arrested and taken to jail.
02:47 Tom explains a bit on why Williams felt the need to fire a warning shot in an effort to scare Hassle off of his property.
03:43 Hassle’s pattern of behavior — online harassment, threats of violence and interstate travel to show up at WIlliams’ doorstep — could easily be construed as a serious threat. But what mistakes did Williams make leading up to and including the day of the incident?
05:23 Many times, potential court cases boil down to the defendant’s risk aversion or risk tolerance threshold. Basically, can you afford to have your life uprooted if you are sent to jail?
07:34 Kevin rolls more of boogie2298’s YouTube testimonial regarding the warning-shot incident.
08:05 How does deferred adjudication work?
09:27 If you’re ever involved in a court case, ignore all of the “armchair quarterbacks” who will pop out of the woodwork. Listen to your attorneys. Create a value hierarchy of what you want to prioritize in your defense.
10:40 What are the fundamental problems with firing a warning shot in self-defense?
11:29 If you are facing a deadly threat, a warning shot will not chase it off. If the bad guy does get chased away by a warning shot, it was not an actual deadly threat.
12:38 You alone are responsible for how you react to a stressful situation. Have a self-defense plan, get educated and seek professional firearms training.
13:13 The best tip for staying out of trouble is to not go looking for trouble.
13:38 YouTuber boogie2298 admits to the mistakes he made leading up to his arrest for firing a warning shot in a residential area.
16:07 What original disagreement led to the confrontation between Williams and Hassle?
16:42 What was Williams’ biggest mistake?
17:35 Kevin corrects Williams’ statement. We never shoot to kill. We shoot to stop the immediate threat.
19:22 There is a big difference between firearms training and target practice at the gun range.
20:50 Proper training and planning will help prepare you to make the right decisions during a stressful situation.
22:02 What ruling did Williams receive after spending more than $10,000 on legal fees?
22:34 Kevin and Tom disagree on boogie2298’s decision to accept a plea deal.
24:36 Although we are fortunate to live in a country where the government cannot require firearms training, it behooves every responsibly armed American to seek out the best training he or she can afford.
25:33 How could this unfortunate incident have panned out had Williams just called 911 instead of answering his door with a loaded revolver?