Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Could you kill someone?

299 replies

psychokillerornotkiller · 19/05/2023 14:49

I was at a social event where a we were talking about gun crime in America. One woman said she had lived in America and was talking to an American women who had a gun which she said was for self defence. The woman at the social do said she said to her, ' But could you really kill someone with it?' To which the American woman apparently went silent, and the British woman at the social do declared, ' It was like she have never really thought about that!'.

The clear implication of the British woman's argument was that, of course no right minded person could shoot anyone, so there is not point in having a gun.

But I thought, ' I could kill someone. If someone was coming to kill me, and they were fair minded enough to give me time to reach into my bag and retrieve my gun, I would shoot them. And if they were coming for my child I would definitely shoot them. |I might be traumatised afterwards, but I would shoot them.'

I'd always assumed everyone was like me. But the British woman obviously assumes everyone is like her.

So, in genuine curiosity as to find out whether I am an outlying psycho, I thought I would put it to the vote.

YABU - I could never kill anyone
YANBU - I could kill someone.

OP posts:
StillMedusa · 19/05/2023 16:09

To save my kids or grandchild, yes I think I could shoot, or wield a baseball bat at someone's head.
I would finish off my Mum, dh or children if they were dying a terrible death and begged me to (euthanasia, not a baseball bat!) That would have to be pills tho.

But in daily life I cry if my car hits a rabbit, so I don't have any murderous feelings generally!

ChiefWiggumsBoy · 19/05/2023 16:10

I think if it was me, no I couldn't. I was raped when I was 20 and it was definitely flight rather than fight for me!

I'd like to think if someone threatened or hurt my kids I could and would be their greatest defender - but I'm not sure if that extends to killing someone. I hope I never have to find out.

Daisythecat15 · 19/05/2023 16:10

I don't really know. My initial reaction is to think I probably could in the right situation. If it was kill it be killed, or if someone I love was at risk, I imagine instinct would kick in and I'd do it. But I don't know for sure. Maybe I'd panic and freeze? There'd always be that moment of doubt, of 'is this the only option right now?'

It's an interesting question to ponder. I hope I never have to find out the answer!

finallygotospeaktoSky · 19/05/2023 16:12

Yes I would kill someone, I have no problem with it. I'm not bothered about the outcome for myself personally.

Sarah2891 · 19/05/2023 16:13

I don't even like killing insects! But I think in the right situation I could yes. Defending family or myself.

lemmein · 19/05/2023 16:15

StillMedusa · 19/05/2023 16:09

To save my kids or grandchild, yes I think I could shoot, or wield a baseball bat at someone's head.
I would finish off my Mum, dh or children if they were dying a terrible death and begged me to (euthanasia, not a baseball bat!) That would have to be pills tho.

But in daily life I cry if my car hits a rabbit, so I don't have any murderous feelings generally!

euthanasia, not a baseball bat!)

Grin
Mylifehasimploded · 19/05/2023 16:16

I would have said no, that I could never kill anyone. Then I found out my father abused my daughter, and my stance has changed. I could and would kill him if I could get to him

Serena73 · 19/05/2023 16:16

If I was about to be imminently killed or my children were then definitely. But the likelihood of having a gun close at hand in that moment, even if I owned one, seems remote.

bakewellbride · 19/05/2023 16:16

If anyone was attacking my children I'd kill them without hesitation.

WiddlinDiddlin · 19/05/2023 16:17

Could I do it in the heat of the moment, believing I needed to do so.. yes.

Would I want to live with having made that decision, particularly if it turned out I'd been wrong.

No.

We could all do certain stuff, horrible stuff. But can we live with ourselves later on... thats I think, the more important question.

TheFluffiestHobo · 19/05/2023 16:19

Part of me believes I could kill if required amd wouldn't hesitate to protect myself or my kids. Another part of me does an excellent Mr Bean impression when startled by non-threatening attackers (seagulls, wasps, my own reflection) so who knows?

TripleDaisySummer · 19/05/2023 16:19

In self defence or in defence of my kids I could likely kill someone - would depend on many things as I think I flit between fight/flight and freeze it's not under my control but I assume context, hormone and other stuff driven.

The clear implication of the British woman's argument was that, of course no right minded person could shoot anyone, so there is not point in having a gun.

How would I ensure the any gun I owned was safely locked away as often required by the law and for minor safety and also in my hand/control when I needed to suddenly respond by killing someone.

LakieLady · 19/05/2023 16:19

I think I probably could, which is partly why I'm glad we have strict gun control in the UK.

sandyhappypeople · 19/05/2023 16:19

quite an interesting topic, I think it's like when you're in your 12 year old car that you know is going to fail it's MOT and some twat pulls out in front of you.. Your brain automatically takes over to avoid the crash, but afterwards you think.. bloody hell, could have had a new car out of that! Your instinct overrides your thought process so it's hard to say for sure.

Saying that though, a dog ran over and attacked my old dog a while back, his legs weren't too good bless him and he immediately fell over, he was on the floor and no threat but the dog kept going at his neck.. the owner just stood there! I got hold of her dog by it's fur, dug my nails into it and twisted it in my hands to cause maximum pain and threw it as far as I could.. I know I could have killed that dog in the moment if it didn't back off, I've never felt rage like it!

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 19/05/2023 16:20

As many pps have said, yes if they were coming at me or my child. Wouldn’t even think probably.

I couldn’t cold blooded kill someone.

If I was in a war I’m sure I could - I’d be crap in a war as I’m very impatient and lose interest in things so sure I’d be killed quickly - going from laser tag type games experience!

Changechangechanging · 19/05/2023 16:23

I think we all have it in us, given the right set of circumstances.

there is a tv series with david tennant as a vicar where it almost comes to him killing someone....a really interesting watch in terms of one thing leading to another leading to another...

Gettingbysomehow · 19/05/2023 16:23

None of us know how far we would go in an actual situation. Lots of very ordinary men and women have killed others during wars.
The only time I might be tempted would be if someone was in agonising terrible pain and begged me to kill them and there was no other option.

Lwrenagain · 19/05/2023 16:24

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 19/05/2023 15:06

If someone asked me to push the button on Levi Belfield, I could do it.

I'd take him with my hands given 5 minutes 😂

merryhouse · 19/05/2023 16:25

Lots of different provisos here.

I absolutely could, emotionally, pull the trigger in a "fuck this is it" situation. (I think.)

I've never been trained but I'm fairly certain I couldn't kill somebody in that way because my aim is shit. My eyes are 2 dioptres apart, which doesn't help. Every time we do archery or pool I am reminded of this. Sometimes I can't even judge the washing line properly first time. So that's one thing.

There's no way I could strangle someone or similiar, even in the unlikely event I turned out to be stronger. I don't have the tolerance for unpleasantness.

I think I could bring myself to poison. If I'd convinced myself the world would be better without that person; but then I'd have to spend ages morally mulling.

Shintyhappypeople · 19/05/2023 16:26

I think I could, but who knows. As with most other posters, only in a certain set of circumstances.

Chesneyhawkes1 · 19/05/2023 16:27

I think I could shoot someone. It's less personal. Just point and press the trigger.

Stabbing someone to death I don't think I could do. Unless they were going to kill me. Maybe then I could.

BethDuttonsTwin · 19/05/2023 16:28

Yes if my children or I were in real danger and I wouldn’t feel a moments guilt over it. I’m ex army though so maybe that helps me think more clinically.

CheshireCat1 · 19/05/2023 16:29

I don’t think that anyone really knows how they would react in certain situations.

Lwrenagain · 19/05/2023 16:29

I'm a fight not flight person so its definitely possible if it was life or death for someone I loved or a child.
Would I live with it after depends entirely on who I'd killed.

If I protected a child from a killer or sex offender, I'd get over it I suppose.
If I killed a burglar because I owned a gun I'd never forgive myself.

Hard to say really.

momtoboys · 19/05/2023 16:29

I have given this thought before. If someone were coming after a member of my family, I could without a doubt.