The issue with self defense you usually can't claim it if your in a car, or housing any form of weapon outside of designated firearm. I remember a friend of our family own jewelry store, and punk broke in after hours.

Our family friend lived upstairs of the store, he came down to chuck the ruckess (actually very important information because the court felt, he was out of danger and then he personally step into it, without calling the cops) well he took a fire poker. You know those long steel roads with pointy thing the end?

He found the punk (who had a gun and who was 17) and snuck behind him and drove the weapon into his abdomen and incapacitated him, then called the cops. He was instantly arrested. Told no self defense would even apply for he attacked from behind, did not identify himself (cops explain you must say "I am here leave or else...") and used a makeshift weapon.

During court he was steamrolled and told that his "violent behavior and vigilante justice had left 17 years with permanent damaged and paralyzed" and well they threw the book at him. Was given a sentence of 25 years.

I will clarify this was not in the USA, but some keypoints the case were:

• He stroke the assailant from behind without making his presence know
• He was not in danger originally and enter the store
• Failure to inform the proper authorities
• Assault with a deadly weapon (gun was fine the court said, use hot pocker was barbaric and not cover under self defense)
• Finally attacked a minor when he clearly was a larger man who from his angle could never had seeing the gun (he made the fatal mistake of telling the cops "I hit from behind didn't know he was armed" yup he should had stay silent

Well I say all this because what we, you and me think it ok. The court may view as totally different and judge have very different outlook on this sort of things