I don’t think he does it for deterence. I believe he’s thinking in terms of a bullet shield. Did you ever see that movie New Jack City and the shootout scene at the wedding?

This is the part that comes to my head every time I see him with that kid (Watch Wesley Snipes 35 seconds in): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSDVsG3dciU&ab_channel=VeeXXL