Deadly Force

Deadly force is a violent action known to create a substantial risk of serious bodily harm or death. Deadly weapons (e.g., firearms, knives, explosives and vehicles) when used during an assault will generally elevate an assault crime from a simple assault to an assault with a deadly weapon. The use of deadly force is often granted to the police or other law enforcement agents to defend the public against a person or people who are exposing the public to immediate danger. For example, if there is a person in a shopping mall firing a gun at random individuals, it is likely that the use of deadly force (e.g., shooting the suspect) by the police force would be warranted.