Pepper spray in DC?

[unarmedinDC]

Hi,

I own a firearm for the home. But, concealed carry is not legal in DC.

Batons/Tasers are also not legal in DC.

To own pepper spray in DC you have to register it. They allow some chemicals, but don't allow others. I called the office and the guy literally did not know or would not tell me which chemicals/pepper sprays are legal in DC.

1) Does anyone happen to know which pepper sprays are legal in DC?

2) What is the best pepper spray in general for urban self defense?

3) Is there some other self defense tool that I'm not thinking of that might be useful to have?

 

[unarmedinDC]

Pepper Spray in DC?

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Merged threads of same exact material. Double postings/threads is considered spamming.

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[unarmedinDC]

Sorry, didn't mean to "spam." Just thought my question might get answered faster if I put it both places.. My apologies. Won't happen again!

 

[WalkingWolf]

Canes are legal in every state and territory in the US. They can be very effective, you do not need a prescription for a cane. Hickory is a heavy strong wood for self defense. Not sure about the pepper spray though.

Note take the rubber bumper off the tip of the cane and have it fitted with a stainless or brass tip.

Of course DC is home to every federal law enforcement agency you should have no concerns with crime...(cough, cough):uhoh:

 

[unarmedinDC]

Canes are legal in every state and territory in the US. They can be very effective, you do not need a prescription for a cane. Hickory is a heavy strong wood for self defense. Not sure about the pepper spray though.

Note take the rubber bumper off the tip of the cane and have it fitted with a stainless or brass tip.

Of course DC is home to every federal law enforcement agency you should have no concerns with crime...(cough, cough):uhoh:

Wouldn't such a cane be considered a deadly weapon in court though? Especially if outfitted with a metal tip?

 

[CCinMaine]

Wouldn't such a cane be considered a deadly weapon in court though? Especially if outfitted with a metal tip?

Wouldn't a gun in your home, or your fists or feet, or a rock be a deadly weapon if you wanted to make them be? Not sure the self defense laws in DC, but most places stopping a threat on your life is legal. Anything can be a deadly weapon. And if you feel the need to use such a weapon use all the force you can muster until the threat is no longer a threat. That's how I see it. Follow all applicable laws in your area. IANAL.

 

[WalkingWolf]

Wouldn't a gun in your home, or your fists or feet, or a rock be a deadly weapon if you wanted to make them be? Not sure the self defense laws in DC, but most places stopping a threat on your life is legal. Anything can be a deadly weapon. And if you feel the need to use such a weapon use all the force you can muster until the threat is no longer a threat. That's how I see it. Follow all applicable laws in your area. IANAL.

That is about the jist of it, if you are in a situation where you need to defend your life, a bucket of water could be deadly weapon. If you hit your attacker lopside the head. A cane is one of the best self defense tools a person can carry, much better than a knife, which might be illegal in DC. A cane used properly can disarm a attacker with most weapons. In some states weighted canes are illegal, they are in NC, but hickory does not need to be weighted.

I managed to find this DC cite, but I do not know how current it is. I'll dig some more.

7
-
2502.14
Self
-
defense sprays
are lawful if used or possessed by a person 18 or over “in the exercise of
reasonable force in defense of the person or the person’s property only if it is propelled from an aerosol
container, labeled with or accompanied by cl
early written instructions as to its use, and dated to indicate its
anticipated useful life.” When purchasing such a spray, the buyer must complete a standard registration form,
and the vendor must forward the form to the Metropolitan Police Department.

 

[unarmedinDC]

Thanks for the cane suggestion.

My point was (and I don't practice criminal law) that if someone is attacking you with their fists, you can't respond with "deadly force" despite the fact that being struck with a fist has caused death.

So I was wondering if the officers would charge me with assault with a deadly weapon or consider me the one who "escalated" the situation to the level of deadly violence by breaking out the cane, etc.

I remember when those teen girls jumped the counter at the McDonald's and the employee defended himself with a metal stick if I'm not mistaken he faced numerous charges (but was acquitted per google).

 

[WalkingWolf]

Thanks for the cane suggestion.

My point was (and I don't practice criminal law) that if someone is attacking you with their fists, you can't respond with "deadly force" despite the fact that being struck with a fist has caused death.

So I was wondering if the officers would charge me with assault with a deadly weapon or consider me the one who "escalated" the situation to the level of deadly violence by breaking out the cane, etc.

I remember when those teen girls jumped the counter at the McDonald's and the employee defended himself with a metal stick if I'm not mistaken he faced numerous charges (but was acquitted per google).

If I am attacked with fists, I can guarantee you, or them that I will use whatever force I deem necessary INCLUDING deadly force. Hopefully USER will come along and explain it to you in legal terms. But if you are not actively engaged in the fist fight, or you are retreating and only covering, and you did not start the fight, IF the onslaught continues you have the right to use deadly force to prevent great bodily harm or death. For a single punch NO, but if you are disabled in my case, YES. If you are healthy but unable, or unwilling to fist fight YES, if the aggressor does not back off.

 

[CCinMaine]

If I am attacked with fists, I can guarantee you, or them that I will use whatever force I deem necessary INCLUDING deadly force. Hopefully USER will come along and explain it to you in legal terms. But if you are not actively engaged in the fist fight, or you are retreating and only covering, and you did not start the fight, IF the onslaught continues you have the right to use deadly force to prevent great bodily harm or death. For a single punch NO, but if you are disabled in my case, YES. If you are healthy but unable, or unwilling to fist fight YES, if the aggressor does not back off.

This ^^

Its obviously to your advantage to be sure you are within the law when/if you must defend your life, but it all really comes down to doing what you must to live. The old saying "I'd rather be judged by 12 then carried by 6" really says it all.

 

[cirrusly]

Last I checked a blade of 3" or less was legal to carry in DC, if not carried with "intent to harm others." This was before Obamunism, so I don't know what information is being passed to officers on their row calls.