“Yeah, like pulling a gun and lobbing fire bombs is showing his desire to settle the matter peacefully.”
Pappy, the guy was probably pretty distressed. He did a dumb thing but people tend to do dumb things when they feel there’s no hope. Hell, even when you’ve paid your house off and have the title in your hand you don’t own it. If you don’t pay your taxes you lose your property and if you resist your life. If a bureaucrat wants to give your property to one of his developer buddies you lose your property.
Myself, I would have saved my life for battles I could win.
I think this is more than distressed. It sounds like he was prepared for battle.