Use of deadly force to protect property

[Glaug-Eldare]

36. No.

Unarmed petty theft generally isn't a felony, and no, I don't think it's okay to just open fire willy-nilly on somebody stealing a DVD. Use of force has got to be justified, and that force should not be applied without warning, unless there's imminent danger to life and limb.

For instance, a DVD thief can be confronted, restrained, and have police called on him, but there's no excuse for a private citizen shooting him down. A kid showing a fraudulent ID can be confronted and restrained, but there's no sane argument for crushing his skull on the sidewalk.

On the other hand, if somebody's kidnapping a child, I believe bystanders should have the power to confront and stop them, even if they wind up having to brain them with a fire extinguisher to protect the kid. If somebody's about to set a house on fire, I should be able to stop them, even if it means I have to cut his head off with my broadsword and absorb his Quickening.

I'm sure there's a better way to write the rule, but I believe it should be substantially as I described. Many felonies are heinous and harmful enough that they should be stopped by anybody present, with whatever means they have. Anybody using deadly force under that rule had better be damn sure they know what they're doing, and I am all in favor of nailing aggressive vigilantes to the wall.