If you, LevinFan are frightened and feel you have the right to defend yourself against a flash mob - the judge will look at your experience with criminals ( probably zero experience) and factor that in to his decision. Most likely you'll go home - even if you shot someone. For a police officer it's the opposite. He's had lots of experience with criminals and the standard for him shooting a citizen is much higher. Higher with the courts, higher with 'the community', higher with his bosses.
Cities have burned because one policemen shot one black criminal. That would NOT happen if YOU shot one black criminal while defending yourself.
The solution is to change the incentives. If a person is part of a flash mob they lose the right to any state benefit for 2 years. No driver's license - no SSI, no disability, no food stamps. So people don't starve they can be issues a card to receive food at a food bank - no chips, no sodas etc.
If these incentives were in place, things would change quickly.
In the UK, that's what Cameron threatened to do. Did he implement it against the arrested criminals already?
Good question.
F 'em, let the bastards starve.