Lesson 9.7: Physical and Psychological Effects of a Critical Incident
A critical incident can affect the body, mind, memory, speech, perception, movement, and decision making.
This is not a medical course and it is not a psychology course. The practical point is simple: a violent encounter may not feel calm, clear, organized, or easy to explain in the moment.
Common Stress Effects
During or after a violent encounter, a person may experience shaking, rapid breathing, tunnel vision, sound distortion, time distortion, confusion, delayed pain, emotional numbness, fear, anger, guilt, sleep trouble, or an emotional crash.
Those effects do not prove the force was lawful. They also do not prove the person did anything wrong.
Memory and Statements
Memory after a violent encounter may be incomplete at first.
Some details may be clear. Some may come back later. Some may remain unclear.
That does not give the permit holder permission to invent details, fill gaps, exaggerate, or guess.
Give basic emergency information, request police and medical aid, point out obvious witnesses or evidence if possible, and ask for legal counsel before giving a detailed statement.
Stress Does Not Replace the Law
Physical and psychological effects do not replace the legal standard.
Being afraid, shaken, overwhelmed, confused, or emotionally affected does not automatically justify force.
The legal analysis still comes back to facts, reasonableness, necessity, and the applicable legal standard.
Davey Defense Standard
Stress effects are real, but they do not replace the law.
After the incident, get safe, call 911, request medical aid, follow lawful commands, do not lie, do not guess, do not post, and wait for legal counsel before giving a detailed statement.