Here in Texas, if you use a gun to defend yourself, but purposely try to wound or scare only, you can get in trouble. For example, if you raise your gun and shoot into the air to scare someone away, you can be fined for shooting within city limits. If in that same instance you shoot and kill someone, you get a kudos. The idea is if you have the time to avoid a kill shot, you weren't really in a life threatening situation. I'm no lawyer, nor do I play one on TV, but that is what they taught us in our concealed carry class.