Saw this in the news yesterday:
SAPD: Homeowner shot fending off car burglar
SAPD: Homeowner shot fending off car burglar
A man was shot fending off a car burglar in east San Antonio early Wednesday morning.
So if you read the story, I see several things wrong, bad decisions that the victim choose that led to his being shot.
1) His car alarm went off at 3 AM and he went outside armed with a pistol to investigate.
2) He began firing shots at the guy breaking into his car.
3) He missed with every shot.
4) The burglar was armed and shot back, hitting the victim in the stomach.
I can understand the victim's frustration. His truck had been stolen the week before, he had just gotten it back. Now someone is breaking into it.
However, when someone breaks into your vehicle and you're not in it, typically your life is not in danger. By going out to confront the burglar, he put his life in jeopardy, because you don't know what you're going to have to face once you get out there. So I will call that 'Bad Decision #1.'
When he saw someone actually breaking into his truck, he opened fire on them. I don't know if the laws where he lives permits him to use deadly force on a person who is not putting his own life in danger or not, but in general, property theft is not grounds for use of deadly force (I am not a lawyer, this is not legal advice). I will label this 'Bad Decision #2'.
And although apparently he fired multiple shots, he missed the bad guy. That's bad for a number of reasons. First, because, well, bad guys who get shot at and missed might just be armed, as apparently this one was, and may not cringe in horror but instead fire back, as this one did. Worse, in my opinion, is the danger he put his neighbors in. Bullets that miss their target have to land somewhere. Sometimes where they go hurts or kills innocent people. I can't imagine how horrible I would feel if I shot at a car burglar and killed my neighbor's child instead. The man was a menace to his neighborhood. I will call that 'Bad Decision #3' although really, it's more a consequence of 'Bad Decision #2', because apparently he is a lousy shot.
The burglar then shot the victim in the stomach and ran away.
The man's truck did not get broken into. However, he suffered life-threatening injuries and is in the hospital now.
Was this wise, in retrospect? He keeps his 8-track tape player, but loses a couple yards of large intestine and has to poop into a bag on his hip from now on? Doesn't seem like a good trade to me.
People who choose to arm themselves need to do several things, none of which this victim apparently did.
1) Learn how to use their weapons, including extensive and continuing target practice.
2) Learn the laws of deadly force where they live and understand what they mean and when they apply.
3) Have a lick of common sense, enough to realize that a car break-in is not worth your life to stop.
Comments?
SAPD: Homeowner shot fending off car burglar
SAPD: Homeowner shot fending off car burglar
A man was shot fending off a car burglar in east San Antonio early Wednesday morning.
So if you read the story, I see several things wrong, bad decisions that the victim choose that led to his being shot.
1) His car alarm went off at 3 AM and he went outside armed with a pistol to investigate.
2) He began firing shots at the guy breaking into his car.
3) He missed with every shot.
4) The burglar was armed and shot back, hitting the victim in the stomach.
I can understand the victim's frustration. His truck had been stolen the week before, he had just gotten it back. Now someone is breaking into it.
However, when someone breaks into your vehicle and you're not in it, typically your life is not in danger. By going out to confront the burglar, he put his life in jeopardy, because you don't know what you're going to have to face once you get out there. So I will call that 'Bad Decision #1.'
When he saw someone actually breaking into his truck, he opened fire on them. I don't know if the laws where he lives permits him to use deadly force on a person who is not putting his own life in danger or not, but in general, property theft is not grounds for use of deadly force (I am not a lawyer, this is not legal advice). I will label this 'Bad Decision #2'.
And although apparently he fired multiple shots, he missed the bad guy. That's bad for a number of reasons. First, because, well, bad guys who get shot at and missed might just be armed, as apparently this one was, and may not cringe in horror but instead fire back, as this one did. Worse, in my opinion, is the danger he put his neighbors in. Bullets that miss their target have to land somewhere. Sometimes where they go hurts or kills innocent people. I can't imagine how horrible I would feel if I shot at a car burglar and killed my neighbor's child instead. The man was a menace to his neighborhood. I will call that 'Bad Decision #3' although really, it's more a consequence of 'Bad Decision #2', because apparently he is a lousy shot.
The burglar then shot the victim in the stomach and ran away.
The man's truck did not get broken into. However, he suffered life-threatening injuries and is in the hospital now.
Was this wise, in retrospect? He keeps his 8-track tape player, but loses a couple yards of large intestine and has to poop into a bag on his hip from now on? Doesn't seem like a good trade to me.
People who choose to arm themselves need to do several things, none of which this victim apparently did.
1) Learn how to use their weapons, including extensive and continuing target practice.
2) Learn the laws of deadly force where they live and understand what they mean and when they apply.
3) Have a lick of common sense, enough to realize that a car break-in is not worth your life to stop.
Comments?