Well, what did he do?
They just asked for his cash, nothing show any sign in danger in that. Would you pull out a gun because someone asked you for food too?
Was there a threat? Which kind of threat? Did it look like these guys had the means to carry that threat and did it look like they actually were going to carry that threat?
I wouldn't kill a guy in hope to get a few thousand dollars. There are cars that are worth much more than I could steal and risk much less than a homicide sentence (which I guess is pretty high in Arizona).
I don't believe his life was in danger, but I'm also not living in a country where people think their life is constantly in danger and they have to carry gun for their safety. That mentality is dangerous in itself and may justify itself sadly. Having a gun in any interaction escalate way too quickly any risk.
Yeah, that's all they said. I'm sure there was no threat in their words or mannerisms at all. Certainly, if the victim had merely given these gentlemen a firm "no," they would have just shrugged their shoulders and walked away.
It changes if they come up and demand money.
Losing a couple thousand bucks would suck, and if that was guaranteed to be the end of it then I'd rather that be the end of it. The problem is you are dealing with people who are already willing to commit robbery, there is any number of ways that situation could get violent. Once it does then who knows what happens.
1. He just has to justify that he had a reasonable fear for it. 2. Anyway he was protecting his property
In fact, he did a very honest thing: he brandished his gun. Which means he showed the would be criminals that he was packing.
Steps to shoot a would be assailant legally:
1. Show that you're packing 2. if the would be assailant doesn't leave, aim 3. if the would be assailant doesn't leave, shoot.
Its a very fast, but choreographed dance. The point of it being that you don't just get to shoot anyone right away, you have to give them a chance to bugger off. Which they did.
EDIT: I've never owned a gun and don't really want to own one (shooting is a lot of fun, but I don't want to be a gun owner). I might buy a .22 rifle (hardly relevant for this story)