In a bar situation, once you decide that you will start throwing cue balls over who is next in line at the table- at that point anything goes- and so it did.
However, once the other guy swung a cue stick at someone's face- in states like here in Florida- now you go to a whole new level, the first guy could have easily stepped back after being hit by the cue stick and pulled a licensed pistol and fired- he was - according to Florida law- at risk for great bodily harm at that point- and could have legally stood his ground by firing the weapon- no way he would be prosecuted here in Florida for shooting; once a cue stick was being used against his head.
Actually, both guys should feel fortunate here, the guy who threw the cue ball acted way too aggressive over a turn at the table and the striker reacted dangerously using a cue stick as a weapon. Either one could have ended up dead or possibly blinded. Wonder why pool gets a bad rep?
However, once the other guy swung a cue stick at someone's face- in states like here in Florida- now you go to a whole new level, the first guy could have easily stepped back after being hit by the cue stick and pulled a licensed pistol and fired- he was - according to Florida law- at risk for great bodily harm at that point- and could have legally stood his ground by firing the weapon- no way he would be prosecuted here in Florida for shooting; once a cue stick was being used against his head.
Actually, both guys should feel fortunate here, the guy who threw the cue ball acted way too aggressive over a turn at the table and the striker reacted dangerously using a cue stick as a weapon. Either one could have ended up dead or possibly blinded. Wonder why pool gets a bad rep?