I just got into a fight.

[Tyrsmann]

Tonight I was walking to the store up the street. When I had some dude come up to me. He was tall, lanky, and smelled bad. I asked him " Is there something I can help you with?""Can you spare a buck?" when he opened his mouth I could see his teeth were rotted to hell and misshapen. I'd seen it alot, some call it meth mouth. Iowa at one point was known for the high amount of Meth labs in the state, so tweakers in the Des Moines area aren't that uncommon, even in the Suburbs.
I must grimaced or something because next thing I know the guy shoved me back and yelled " You got a problem fucker," Startled I said " Sorry dude, I didn't mean to offend you," He nodded " Give me all your money," Now he was lanky, skinny and looked really unhealthy, plus he didn't look he was armed, so I said "no," Not the smartest response now that I think about it. But I wasn't thinking straight at the moment either.
Next he swung a haymaker, he was slow and stumbled forward as he threw the punch. I just backed up, he missed. I had small flashlight on the inside pocket of my coat.
I took out and brought the fatter end down on his forehead. I hit him hard enough to leave a gash in his head. Not big but blood started leaking out in his left eye. He just looked at me with his open right eye, said "**** this," and crossed the street towards the woods on the other side.
Legally speaking, I know I overreacted, but I paniced and just did the thing that first came to mind. That was hiting the guy with a flashlight.I'm not here to say how cool I am. I'm just recounting something that happened to tonight. Also to say this was the first time that I made someone bleed on purpose. So feel a tad guilty, I guess I'm alittle too emotive for my own good. I wished I had just given the guy a buck and be done with it.

[golsa]

You were totally in the right to defend yourself. You certainly didn't use more force than was necessary to do it either. No need in harping on about the 'what if he had a knife' situation since you're already well aware that could have been the case.

I guess on the other hand, microexpressions (and gut instinct) may have told you that he didn't have a weapon but ya never know!

[AMH]

You did the right thing. You used enough force to end the threat. I don't think you went over board.
I don't give money to pan-handlers either.

[Worldchampion!]

I'm going to have to break it to you. When faced with totally unprovoked attack by meth addict, you are totally allowed to defend yourself.

[It is Fake]

So, you looked at someone funny and he thought it gave him the right to rob and swing on you?

You even apologized?


**** him.

It is easy to second guess what you did right or wrong. You feel bad, it means you have a conscience good. Let it go. You defended yourself nothing wrong with that.

[JP]

slapped a meth-head with a flashlight

Dude, you did fine. But I understand that guilty feeling. It means you're human. I mean you showed quite a lot of restraint. You didn't jump him and keep beating him with the flashlight did you? He got a little boo boo and you got to go home.

I'd say its win-win. And that you're both fucking lucky.

[Wounded Ronin]

Phil Elmore flashlight fu wins!

But, seriously, it's lucky the situation was resolved relatively safely.

[RunningDog]

he didn't look he was armed

Neither did you. But you were. You can't really tell from looking at someone.

[jvjim]

Did you get any of his blood on you? Were you in a populated place where people could misconstrue you not calling the police after the fact? Glad things turned out okay and no one was seriously hurt.

[Sharkonis]

Sounds like you handled it properly, but as another member stated, " he didnt look armed" yet you were with a flashlight. So then the question is

What does an armed person look like ? Glad you were not hurt. Peace.