I just read through this. I've been carrying here in Arizona since they first adapted concealed carry. Which was sometime in the mid 90's. They have since allowed concealed carry without a permit since 2009. I just got my permit renewed last week.... (Until 2026). (There are still many advantages to having one). I carry all the time. But I have to admit, I'm getting more and more nervous about it with each passing year. Not because of the increase in crime. But the increase of expensive legal activity if you are ever forced to use a firearm in self defense.
This legal fear is now bleeding down to police officers in the field, in the way they respond. We have seen officers today being pushed and shoved, spat on, and even had water, drinks, and other fluids thrown on them, all without taking ANY defensive action. All for fear of dismissal or legal action taken against them. Today we hear the question asked, "Who the hell would want to be a cop today!" It's a tough one to answer. Sadly this is what our society has descended into in many locations. Add citizen concealed carry into this type of environment, and it has become far more risky to the individual who carries a weapon.
Some years back on Tom Gresham's syndicated radio show, "Gun Talk", he said that when all is said and done, if you are involved in a, "clean shoot", (legally just in discharging your weapon in self defense), you could expect to shell out in the neighborhood of $25K in attorney fees before it all went away. I have no way of knowing if that's true or not. But as I said, that was several years ago. Our legal system has been off the rails for years regarding frivolous law suits. I would be willing to bet that figure is much higher today. As is the risk of being charged with a crime, as Astro pointed out.
Unfortunately the legal climate is constantly changing against gun owners. In some states it is much worse than others. But make no mistake, even if you are legally just in dropping the hammer, you could be facing financial ruin by doing it. Perhaps even prison.... Regardless of how "right" you are or were. That of course isn't how it should be, but unfortunately, that's the way it is. Today the perp has become the victim.
I think the hidden danger in all of this, is if a responsible individual who is carrying, is put into a dangerous self defense situation, fear of what might legally and / or financially happen to them, might just cause a fatal delay in their response. And that defeats the entire purpose of what concealed carry is all about.