jimnorton,
Not sure about your neck of the woods, but here in Texas, the legal system assumes that if you fired your weapon, you intended to cause harm to someone.
You can display your weapon in an intimidating manner, and you can use your weapon in self-defense if you feel your life is threatened, but only under certain circumstances clearly defined in our penal code…
Texas penal code 9.31 covers the justified use of non-deadly force, and code 9.32 covers the justified use of deadly force.
I am pretty sure most states penal codes follow the same basic guidelines.
You can use deadly force to prevent the theft of livestock, which has a clear definition under Texas law, and to prevent the theft of property after dark, (the established time of dark being the official time as reported by NOAA), but you can also expect the DA in your county to forward your case to a grand jury to determine if you will be charged with a crime.
I have been licensed by the State of Texas to carry a weapon for over 20 years, and have had a concealed handgun license for 15years, since the law that allowed citizens to carry concealed handguns was enacted here.
Please be clear and cite which states, and under what part of their penal codes, are you allowed to fire a warning shot.
By the way, the GCOR, NORAC and the Canadian rule book all prohibit the carrying of firearms of any type, even by licensed individuals, and doing so is grounds for immediate removal from service and possible criminal charges.
My carrier’s general rules also prohibit the carrying of a knife with a blade longer than 3 inches and any knife with a spring loaded mechanism.
