“In Arizona, under ARS 13-408, a person can use reasonable physical force to prevent theft or criminal damage of property that’s currently under their control and possession,” tobinlawoffice.com reports. And so we turn to azcentral.com . . .
[Tucson Mayor Jonathan] Rothschild was walking toward the Prius at about 11 a.m. when a man approached him, pointing a gun at him, Dugan said. The car was parked near Tucson Boulevard and Fifth Street. The suspect is described as a man in his 30s or 40s and approximately six feet tall, according to Tucson police.
The man demanded the keys to the car and fled after Rothschild handed them over.
Now you could say that no lethal force was necessary in this situation; Mayor Rothschild emerged from this violent crime (a gun was pointed at him) unscathed. And it’s certainly true that a human life is worth more than Toyota Prius, no matter whether it was leased or purchased. That said . . .
Anyone carjacking while armed is a lethal threat. So if Mayor Rothschild had been armed — home carry people — he would have been well within his rights to end the imminent, credible threat by force of arms. And it should be said that the carjacker remains at large, ready, willing and able to continue preying on innocent citizens, assuming you agree that a politician is an innocent citizen.
This is the same Mayor Rothschild who’s fighting the state tooth and nail to continue Tucson’s practice of destroying confiscated firearms. I doubt the event will change his position.