MEDFORD, Ore. – Days after a fatal shooting in Medford, where police say someone shot a man who broke into a home and came at a resident with a knife, Oregon’s self defense laws are again in the spotlight.
The Jackson County DA’s office can’t speak to what happened specifically in that case, but said it would talk to us generally about Oregon law.
Senior Deputy DA Michael Cohen says you can use deadly force if you reasonably believe your life is in danger.
If someone’s trying to break into your home, or has broken into your home. If someone is about to use deadly physical force on you; gun weapon. If a reasonable person believes that that’s what they’re doing to you, coming at you with, that’s a situation which deadly physical force is allowed to be used in self defense.
He says the amount of force used in self defense must be proportional and within reason.
Each situation is handled on a case by case basis.
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