Lesson 9 – Use of Force in Defense of Others
Minnesota law allows you to use reasonable force — and, in some cases, deadly force — to defend another person, but only under the same strict legal conditions that apply to defending yourself.
📜 MN Statute 609.06 Applies:
Reasonable force may be used… when used by a person in resisting or aiding another to resist an offense against the person.
🔍 Requirements for Legal Use of Force:
- You must reasonably believe the other person is facing an imminent threat of death or great bodily harm
- The force used must be proportionate to the threat
- You cannot use force on behalf of someone who is the aggressor or committing a crime
- You step into the shoes of the person you are defending — meaning you inherit both their rights and their legal limitations
This law exists to allow you to defend others from unlawful deadly threats, but it does not give you permission to escalate or enter disputes that don’t meet legal standards for defensive force.