There are various levels to different assault allegations. If someone accuses you of assault, your charges depend on the type of assault and outcome. When it comes to aggravated assault, the FBI explains it as any unlawful attack to cause someone severe harm or injury.
In 2017, over 810,000 aggravated assaults occurred in the U.S. Understanding the charge may help understand the standard set down by the FBI for aggravated assault cases.
The use of threat
In general, aggravated assault either causes severe injury or has the potential to cause death. You may also face attempted aggravated assault charges if you threaten someone with grave bodily harm. The same charge may apply to those who display a knife, gun, or weapon. Any object you can use to inflict damage on another person can serve as a weapon in the eyes of the law.
The use of weapons
One of the main details that separate aggravated assault from simple assault is the weapons. Aggravated assault tends to involve some knife, firearm or dangerous weapon. Likewise, after an assault, most victims have serious injuries. Your hands and feet can also serve as weapons, particularly when they cause severe damage to the other person in the fight. Additionally, if an aggravated assault occurs when committing theft, this counts as a robbery.
In the U.S., about 25% of all aggravated assault offenses occur with firearms, whereas 25% include personal weapons like your feet or hands. The other 17% of aggravated assaults occur with a knife. Aggravated assault can carry higher sentencing and penalties than a simple assault.
