Welcome to the family and god bless you @Rick_cholmes.
Hey, my very first post. I’d appreciate any feedback. Does everyone here carry a firearm, OC and a knife? Personally, I almost never carry because I’m frequently going on a military base.
To the scenario described. If unarmed, jumping in as he did and help to break up the fight is ok. If armed, (in a jurisdiction that permitted it in the bar) and you draw, I think you could be charged with assault unless you feared for someone’s life and then it could depend on the prosecutor. If the firearm discharges, you could have more serious charges. If armed and you jump in the fight, be aware your firearm could be up for grabs in the tussle. Remember the dancing FBI agent whose firearm came free and discharged?
I do think if the fight became seriously dangerous, in your opinion, you kind of have to get involved. Just be aware of the consequences.
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@Maxbeep As a collective group we think of “consequences” every day, that is why we and you are here.
I carry a firearm, a knife and pepper spray, I also use a heavy wooden cane which would be my first choice at close range. 
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NEVER show your gun until you are ready to kill something. Depending on you state, your legal issues for brandishing a weapon could bankrupt you.
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It is interesting how that varies by state. The legal specifics are also a hint to criminals if they intend to attack/rape/rob someone in states after they leave the restaurant/bar. Did the person have a drink or two? Yes? Great. Less likely they are carrying.
https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/blog/in-which-states-can-you-concealed-carry-and-drink-alcohol/
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You would have affected everyone in that hallway. My cousin was f*cking around with some OC spray in our living room and that shit affected everyone in the room.
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I think the best thing to do is be a good witness. Not my fight, and since I’m sober, I don’t go to bars anymore either. Besides–if you want to find a fight, what better place?
I would videotape the altercation or leave.
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My thought process is to safely get involved without the use of deadly force we outlined the course of actions to take. I am a disabled vet my skill set is good to go ! I’m in class every other month with a USCCA certified instructor, this is in fact my opinion on how I may handle the situation. Depending on the day the outcome might change . My proximity to the occurrence or clear and present danger to me is the mitigating circumstance coupled with the level of aggression displayed by said individual determines my action in the use of force continuum. Not my ego! Use of force is an incline, use of deadly force is a slippery slope indeed. Sometimes in some circumstances it may be fruitful even prudent to observe and get involved the way we carry discreetly
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This is a thinking persons game and your correct no time to be knuckle tussling with with or getting tied up with an individual because some times it’s just best to duck and cover not get up and run . Misidentification is real and perception is skewed in bars I’m just saying
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Welcome to the family @Rick_cholmes and god bless you.
Yes on the firearm and knife. No to the OC. I practiced social distancing before it became mandatory. I have always tried to avoid crowds like they were the plague as much as possible. Haven’t been to a bar in so long I honestly can’t remember the last time. I did my partying when I was a lot younger and in the military.
If a situation a rose like the one above at beach, camp ground or something…if unarmed I might try to separate them. If armed greatly changes things as you are responsible for the gun no matter what happens. If I could discretely give to my wife as I got her safely out of the way…I would. Then I could help intervene. I would never pull the gun unless it was too the point of death or serious bodily harm for either myself or someone in the fight.
One thing about intervening is you never know who else might be armed possibly with a knife or gun.
Welcome to the club and stay safe.
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NRA article below, weighs in on this loaded (no pun intended) topic. I try not to mix any amount of liquor with CCW. If I CCW, I’m designated driver and not drinking. If I’m drinking, I’m not CCW, or in the safer confines of my home. Helps me also stay legal in my state, where there’s also a law about CCW if the establishment’s income is from a certain amount of liquor sales:
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2021/1/22/should-you-get-involved-when-a-stranger-is-attacked/
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Good read @Burdo
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You said “when I saw the owner’s daughter take a punch to the face”. Things are not always as they appear. Years ago a few of us were in a bar when a drunk guy walks in, walks up to a lady sitting at the bar and without saying a word hauls off and punched her square in the face. Broke her nose and sent her sprawling. She’s now on her back in the middle of the floor, he then grabbed her by the throat and pulled back to punch her again. I bum rushed him knocking him on his azz. Next thing I know that woman is on my back, beating me about the head and shoulders for fighting with her boyfriend.
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Just ordered some of this for the locations I can’t carry 
.
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We have people here under the distinct impression that they are trained “enough” or “knowledgeable “ enough in the way of the gun to be captain saveahoe
Or his side kick Manny beetdacase . I know all to well how sideways the world around you gets skewed. You get left with no bearings , everything we as a gun collective have done the right things getting training but because it’s a perishable skill we truly must be t the top of our game even if that game is keeping a level head and telling 911 accurate facts
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You have to use what’s at hand. In my younger days I’ve used everything from a pool cue to a crutch (the cripple wasn’t happy but thats another story). Back then the only one carrying pepper spray was the riot cops.
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Happened to my nephew and worse, he was knocked out cold, he had to spend a night in the hospital.
No good deed goes unpunished.
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These days anyplace in public could be the wrong place. I’m carrying, if not…I don’t go there.
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@David411 has a point. Sevral of you guys have said you don’t go to bars anymore and so don’t expect that kind of trouble. But do you go to Chili’s or Appleby’s for dinner? Or to any other bar/restaurant-type establishment? If so, where alcohol is on the menu there’s always the chance of ending up dealing with an angry drunk. Prepare accordingly 
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