Using a knife against someone is classified as what type of force?

Using a knife against someone is classified as deadly force because it involves the use of a weapon that can potentially cause serious bodily injury or death. Deadly force refers to any force that is intended or likely to cause death or serious physical injury to another person. A knife is a lethal weapon, and when used in a confrontational situation, it is typically viewed as an extreme and dangerous level of force.

In contrast, options such as minimal force, non-lethal force, and intermediate force refer to levels of force that do not have the same potential for causing fatal harm. Minimal force would involve the least amount of physical contact necessary to maintain control, non-lethal force encompasses techniques designed to incapacitate without causing permanent harm, and intermediate force includes methods that may involve physical restraint but are not likely to result in death. Thus, in the context of using a knife in a confrontational situation, the classification as deadly force is accurate and reflects the serious nature of using such a weapon.