Which statement best defines deadly force?

• A. Force that creates substantial risk of death or serious physical injury
• B. Force that is authorized by a supervisor
• C. Force that is used to establish dominance
• D. Force used to protect property

Answer: (A)

Deadly force is defined by the potential outcome it creates: force that has a substantial risk of causing death or serious physical injury. That threshold is what distinguishes deadly force from other kinds of force. In practice, deadly force is only justified when there’s an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm to you or others, and only after considering whether non-deadly options could suffice. The other ideas—force simply because a supervisor says so, force used to establish dominance, or force used to protect property—do not meet the defining criterion, since they don’t hinge on the actual risk of death or serious injury to people.