Unavoidable Run-in with Violent Stranger

I was targeted by a violent(and possibly homeless) man the day before yesterday. I was walking my dog as I normally do, 6am in the morning, bright out, and this tall skinny crackhead-looking guy was standing in the middle of the grass area I have to pass to get to the big church parking lot I do laps in everyday. I've never seen him before.

As I rounded the bushes at the corner of the grass area, I spotted him immediately since he was wearing a bright gray hoodie w/ hood up, light blue sweatpants, and he was already mean-mugging me hard. What startled me the most was how fast my gut began screaming at me that this was serious. My dog noticed him as well and he rushed me almost immediately as my dog began to bark and snap at him(he was ~10yds from us, on the other side of a low 2ft bush that was inbetween us). He was speaking through his teeth with a hoodrat/gangster accent that he was gonna kill me and my dog so I stuck out my arm, pointing directly at his face, and told him not to come near me as my dog and I kept walking ahead while also holding my dog back from biting him.

He completely ignored my dog lunging and barking at him while advancing towards me, hands tucked, and kept low mumbling the disgusting things he was gonna do to me while following me a short distance through the huge empty parking lot which made me nervous. If he wasn't afraid of my dog ready to attack him, he was 100% ready to fulfill his earlier death-threats to kill us. But I guess since I didn't give him the reaction he wanted quickly enough, he stopped and went back when I acted like I ignored him and shrugged him off as unimportant, as I usually do to POS like him. Unfortunately it didn't end there.

He continued stalking me as we walked down the street and was now waiting for me to pass him on the way home. I turned around to check and he was pacing around back and forth like a rabid animal and still talking to himself right in the pathway we just had came from, repeatedly staring me down and posturing to square up at me(he even ripped the neckline of his hoodie in anger like he was showing his chest). I had a pocket knife on me and a cordless hole-puncher but no way was I gonna let this demon get near me or my dog. He most likely had something on him as well + a disease or two minimum and I can't risk my dog getting hurt or me going to jail.

Even with that being said, I had no other options as that was the only path home so I ended up walking back on the other side of the street as a few cars passed us and he started walking away the same direction to stay in front of us, still talking shit and punching his fists together. He went far enough ahead, maybe thinking that's where I was headed to stay in my current path, that I managed to cross the street quickly in his direction and it startled him. He squared up again ~20yds from us but I gave quick glance and kept moving as we went back through the parking lot and went home, making sure he didn't follow again or see where I live.

My question is what can I do about someone who is now a known threat but an innocent life under your protection is with you while having your hands-tied legally(dogs are property under my state's law and I would be crucified if I took someone's life over them hurting or killing my dog)? I'm not too fond of some lowlife that's now seemingly claimed territory over my favorite place my dog and I like to spend time at, especially super close to home. The "calling the cops" route is useless, they can't do anything until something happens(their own words, almost verbatim).

So far I've just been taking her a different route but the issue still sits in the back of my mind.

Submitted June 23, 2026 at 12:00PM by Eazy_Rider831 https://ift.tt/RJ3eXHn

Romanian Self Defense Gun Laws

Romanian self defense gun laws are so incredibly stupid.

It states that you should store your gun in a separate safe from your ammunition, locked at all times.

My f'in question is; If someone enters my home, wielding a knife or a bat at my family, how much time will he give me to unlock my also locked container in which i keep my ammo, load my gun, or insert a loaded magazine which also should be in a separate locked container from said firearm.

So by the time one can take action you can also start counting how many obituaries you'll have to write if you're still alive that is. (and i'm talking about rubber bullets btw, not even real ammo unless you go through the hassle of acquiring that permit.)

Also i've just had an incident where someone came inside my house, tried to strangle me with no provocation after i tried walking away, I gave him the pacifier (3 punches to the face and a headbutt) and then somehow i got in trouble because i used excessive force, in my own home.

How is this even possible. I have a 9 yr old sister, some 40 year old dude waltzes into my house, attacks me with no prior provocation, and then i'm in knee deep shit because of him. What.

EDIT: if someone is more knowledgeable, please feel free to share your perspective. I talked to a police officer after said incident, he was the one who told me that i have used excessive force (i'm 128 pounds to the other guy's 198-ish)

Submitted June 22, 2026 at 02:37PM by Pitiful_Bit_8924 https://ift.tt/WqlMtoa

Looking for opinion on self defence video - outsider perspective

I have a video & im looking for a outsider perspective on if it appears self defence applies. comment or message & I will send the video

Submitted June 21, 2026 at 11:01PM by zaghandis https://ift.tt/kzgLAGf

how would you view this self-defense scenario?

Looking for legal opinions on a self-defense homicide case.
Hypothetical scenario:
A man gets involved in an altercation at a bar after seeing a family member being attacked. During the chaos, he strikes a woman who he believes is involved in the altercation. The situation is eventually broken up and everyone is removed from the bar.
After leaving, the man goes to his vehicle and sits there for several minutes trying to locate the person he came with so they can leave. He makes multiple phone calls and remains in the vehicle for a period of time.
Eventually he gets out of the vehicle to look for the person he came with. While walking, he is recognized by several people (let’s say 5 people) connected to the earlier altercation. They begin confronting him about striking the woman earlier.
Initially he believes they just want to argue or demand an explanation. However, the confrontation becomes more heated. The group continues closing distance, another person joins them, and he begins backing away while raising his hands. Witnesses and video reportedly show him retreating and creating distance while the group continues moving toward him.
The video ends before the final use of force occurs.
The man ultimately uses deadly force, resulting in a death, and is later charged with murder.
Questions:
Legally, does the fact that the original bar fight had ended and everyone separated matter?
Does sitting in a vehicle for several minutes before the second confrontation help establish that these were two separate events?
How do juries generally view evidence showing someone backing away with their hands up?
Can a person reasonably fear death or serious bodily injury from a group of approximately four people approaching, even if no one has thrown a punch during the final encounter?
Does striking a woman earlier in the night automatically make the defendant the aggressor in the later confrontation?
If the video stops before the actual shooting, how do juries typically evaluate what likely happened next?
Would this fact pattern be more consistent with murder, voluntary manslaughter, or possible self-defense?
Interested in legal analysis and jury-perspective discussion rather than moral opinions.

Submitted June 21, 2026 at 09:00AM by PlumExotic7419 https://ift.tt/smjB2oF

Would using pepper spray on someone who attempted armed robbery…

Be a bad idea? I understand the ability to use proportionate force but what if you don’t have a firearm?

Submitted June 17, 2026 at 06:33PM by Relevant_Conclusion2 https://ift.tt/EfnW7Mh

Throwing elbow at a punch?

I know elbows can be used to block punches, but I was watching Mr Inbetween and there is a fight scene where he throws his elbow at the incoming punches (like his elbow is a baseball bat and the incoming punch is a ball) and he breaks the other guys hand doing this.

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Is this realistic or possible? I imagine it would be difficult to pull off anyway.

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Submitted June 17, 2026 at 09:11AM by BarkingMad14 https://ift.tt/qFQIBs8

self defense for london

im from a rural area and ive never had to worry about my safety going out by myself. im going to the big city next month, and i wouldnt be able to protect myself if i get attacked. i feel like i should get some self defense gear just in case like a rape alarm, pepper spray, taser, or something. im not sure where to start. what should i get and where from?

Submitted June 16, 2026 at 07:33PM by thrushlydeathrally https://ift.tt/5wnSrzG