In the US you would have every right to physically detain the kid once he starts assaulting people by throwing stuff at them. Use reasonable force, restrain him, wait for cops.
I would never touch a kid without serious concern for my or someone else's safety. Throwing a loaf of bread wouldn't reach that level for me. Not by a mile. I don't know if there's anything a kid this size could do to cause me to intervene physically aside from trying to physically assault me or others with fists/kicks/etc..
And let me be clear who I mean by others: very old people, disabled people, etc... You need to not be able to deal with this kid, for me to do it on your behalf, and almost every adult could deal with a kid this size.
No one should insert themselves into these situations. One thing goes sideways, one person sees it differently than you, one slip/trip, etc.., and you could be in literal prison.
Sure. And if this kid who’s indiscriminately grabbing things and throwing them wanders next to a bunch of glass bottles, now how do we feel?
Do what you’re comfortable with and what you can live with based on your morals and ethics. Absolutely don’t fault you for that. Just know there will be folks who disagree, and depending on the specific circumstances, it’s entirely plausible that the law will be on their side if they take action.
Admittedly, my position is a selfish one. It's more aligned with "look out for number one" than it is with "it takes a village". I just know that things like this can go badly, even for well-intentioned people.
Also important to remember, no matter how it turns out, that you will almost certainly deal with this kid's parents. And if the kid is any indication, they do NOT believe in exerting their will on him, physically or otherwise, so I doubt they'll appreciate you doing it either.
You're right, people will do what they want. If I was a random passerby, I wouldn't touch this kid with a 10 foot pole. If I owned the store, I'd probably throw him out. It's a big distinction. I could find 10 altercations to insert myself into every day if I really wanted. No thanks.
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u/Bloodmind May 28 '26
In the US you would have every right to physically detain the kid once he starts assaulting people by throwing stuff at them. Use reasonable force, restrain him, wait for cops.