Deadly Force?

Question

I am a armed courier, I ride in an armored vehicle.
My instructions in case of robery are
If your messenger is attacked, drive away to remove the liability
from the scene and prevent the rest of the load from being stolen.
do not ever open the door to any one except the messenger even if the messenger has a gun pointed at them trying to force you to open the door.
My Question is what if my messenger is under attack, an assailent
has a gun pointed at them,
Would I be justified in hitting them with the vehicle to protect my messenger?

Answer 1

There's policy and "legal" justification."

In most states you are permitted to use deadly force to defend yourself or another from an imminent danger of death or great bodily harm. In your example, the messenger is in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm, so you would have a legal defense.

Of course, your employer wants to protect the rest of the load, hence the rule to "get out of dodge." Under the law, you have the right (but not the duty) to use deadly force. You are legally permitted to withdraw or do nothing.

Then it becomes a matter of conscience. What is more important, your job or your messenger's safety, for to protect your messenger might cost you your job (a company policy violation could cause termination). The company has the right to require that you take certain action which, though legal (withdrawal from scene) would result in the death or great bodily harm of another. That, however, is where your own personal ethics and morals come in. Hopefully it will never come to that.

Answer 2

I would think so

people are allowed to use deadly force in defense of others, but only to prevent death or serious injury

If someone held a gun to another person, that is a threat of death or serious bodily injury. You could use deadly force.

however - that just means you are justified in doing it. Does it make it a smart idea? NO! you could put alot of innocent people at risk

In that case, you should get on the radio and call for help

Answer 3

Have the company put a gun slot in the vehicle and shoot the assailant threatening your courier. Anyone who breaks the law using deadly force forfeits their right to live.

Answer 4

dam! i didnt know u couldnt open the door even if your partner is held at gunpoint! thats pretty harsh! seems the company cares more about there money than people.

anyway i doubt u could hit an armed assailant with those slow moving armored cars if u wanted to.
do u think the guys going to just stand there while u run him over??

Answer 5

I understand the policy of your company to not open the door.
if you open the door you give a possible additional hidden assailant the opportunity to get to you and the liability.
then the company would have two dead guards and liability loss.
Those vehicles dont always have a forward gun port. and the assailent my not be to the side where you could use the side gun port.

Answer 6

I was in Iraq, and we hit everything with the truck. You pull out in front of us, you get hit, you are attacking civilians, you get hit. i would ask the company what they advise you to do in this situation. Iraq was a lot different than the real world, or the news says it is.

Answer 7

Ask your supervisor. They will more than likely have a more accurate answer that anyone on Yahoo answers.

Answer 8

no follow your instructions as given by the company...they will repudiate you if you dont and then the liability is on you