That was not the case with my Great-Great-Grandfather.  He had to kill 3 Indian braves while traveling on the Oregon Trail.

He was proclaimed a hero by everyone in his wagon train.   No other man had managed to kill more than 1.  In fact, he killed as many as all of the rest did.  

People need to stop acting as if Native Americans were some sort of idealized natural people, who were always peaceful.   They were often very savage by western standards, with primitive morals and values.  

If I had been in my ancestor's shoes  that day 163 years ago, I'm sure that I would have acted no differently under the circumstances that he faced.

Fortunately, though, we now live in a civilized nation, and there is no longer any legitimate reason for anyone to own guns., much less shoot anyone.  But that was not at all the case back then.  My Great-Great-Grandfather had to safeguard the wagon train's horses.   They were way too vital and important to their survival, to allow them to be stolen.