“Can I shoot someone if (hypothetical scenario then provided by questioner).” I suspect that is the most common question posed to classroom trainers having legal expertise or law enforcement agency risk management responsibility. My usual answer sounds like that of a smart aleck lawyer, but actually it isn’t: “I don’t know, can you?” If prior to the question I have not explained my use of deadly force paradigm, I do so then. It is framed by four words which identify concepts to be examined seriatim: