Nobody in here is defending the actions of the intruder. A few are questioning the actions of the mother (wrongly so, in my opinion), a few more are marvelling at the amount of spasmodic glee which seems to lubricate this thread.
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Mother (18) kills intruder breaking into her home while on phone with 911
- Thread starter Barack Lesnar
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Nobody in here is defending the actions of the intruder. A few are questioning the actions of the mother (wrongly so, in my opinion), a few more are marvelling at the amount of spasmodic glee which seems to lubricate this thread.
Late to the show here but I support what the mother did in this situation. This is the risk of burglary, especially when you know that someone is home. He brought a knife not knowing that there was a gun. He got shot. He died. Not a lot of tears shed in this thread as expected.
I have contemplated many times of purchasing a firearm. The safety of my family is the most important thing for me.
I have contemplated many times of purchasing a firearm. The safety of my family is the most important thing for me.
sixteen-bit
Member
Better safe than sorry.
If you do, be very careful where and how you place it in the house, and make sure those who plan on using it know how to do so. Accidental deaths by family firearms happen more often then what they're intended for.
Manos: The Hans of Fate
Banned
It's not expensive and it's a worthy investment. Just make sure you invest in means to keep access limited to you or for a shotgun (or any rifle), the ammo separate and locked (except for an amount you keep in your pocket.
It's so easy to judge what this women did, and yes, in certain contexts it's sad that the guy has died - but I'm sure every one here would do the exact same thing if they were thrown into that situation, I know I would.
(well, I wouldn't, because owning a gun is illegal here)
My main concern would've been... what if it's someone you know playing a practical joke? I certainly don't know anyone who'd do that, but what if... I don't know, you thought you had an intruder in the house, panicked like crazy, adrenaline pumping, gun in hand... they come through the door, you shoot, and you know the person? Damn.
(well, I wouldn't, because owning a gun is illegal here)
My main concern would've been... what if it's someone you know playing a practical joke? I certainly don't know anyone who'd do that, but what if... I don't know, you thought you had an intruder in the house, panicked like crazy, adrenaline pumping, gun in hand... they come through the door, you shoot, and you know the person? Damn.
depths20XX
Member
Do most people actually keep the ammo seperate and locked? I dont own any guns but I feel like that would make it difficult or near impossible to get to it if someone did break in while you were in bed (one of my worst fears).
I remember swinging my friends golf club into the side of the booth, causing it to twist a little - I bought a new one and threw that away... on hindsight I wish I'd held onto it, as it would've been perfect to have under the bed in case such a situation arises.
Manos: The Hans of Fate
Banned
You keep excess ammo separate. Any shells or charged mags, stay on your person, and locked when you're not there and not bringing the weapon with you. Still you also teach gun safety rules at a young age to demystified the weapons in the kids eye. You never depend on just one method.
She should have practiced restraint and waited to see if he cut her and her child up. No man brandishing a hunting knife breaks in and charges at a teenager with an infant in her arms without good reason. There is obviously more to this story. Even if he did by some stretch have evil intentions, this man still could have likely been rehabilitated by doing community service and gone on to cure cancer. What a tragedy...that I didn't have the opportunity to swell up with pride by proving how enlightened my opinions are. The victim's family should sue the woman into oblivion and the state should lock her up and take her child away because anyone who owns a gun obviously has some screws loose unless they are a misunderstood criminal.
don't gun owners families have like a 2,000 times higher chance of dying by gunshot than the families of non gun-owners? just something to consider before you bring a deadly weapon into your house for "safety".
IntelliHeath
As in "Heathcliff"
I'm amazed with the story. I felt bad for her husband. RIP
Just curious, did anyone noticed that she have german shepard. Where was the dog during the guy breaking into house. That dog have potential to scare him away.
Just curious, did anyone noticed that she have german shepard. Where was the dog during the guy breaking into house. That dog have potential to scare him away.
Evil Benius
Member
This is why you make sure people in the household understand the dangers and learn to respect the weapon(s). Also while I keep my handgun unloaded in my nightstand with the loaded magazine right next to it, the same will not be true when I have kids (We do not have kids visiting our home either before someone brings that up).
lol, its like some of these people aren't human! 2 crazy guys pounding on the door, breaking in to my house, past a barricade, into my bedroom, lunging at me with a 12 inch blade? It's me or them. I wouldn't hesitate. Talk about sheer terror. Hell I'd shit my pants and probably keep firing until I absolutely knew it was over.
Manos: The Hans of Fate
Banned
That particular study I've never even seen the soruce and apparently it compared a US and Canadian town, and was full of methodological issues.
This one was more recent and the answer is no.
http://www.outdoorlife.com/node/45611
People can poo-pah on it being from the National Review, but Volokh has legit credentials
Regardless, what Evil Benius said is very true too.
I'm sure families who live in high-rise apartments also have a 10,000 times higher chance of dying by accidental fall through windows than families who live in a house. Just something to consider before you decide to live in a.... wait what are we talking about?
Extra Sauce
Member
That poor baby will never have any leverage in arguments with his mom, ever.
"I killed a person for you, clean up your room!"
"I killed a person for you, clean up your room!"
Mammoth Jones
Member
This.
No children in my home. Just myself and my lady and I purchased a 12 ga the same month we purchased our home. Do I imagine myself grabbing it and being Rambo while I mow down an army of home invaders? No. It's not something I fantasize about, it's something I fear.
In case shit goes down, I want the *ability* to defend myself. Of course as an adult I realize the awesome responsibility that owning a gun entails. Research, reading up. Learning to operate, discharge, clean my weapons. It takes time and costs money at the range to be comfortable with it.
I don't need society to protect me from myself. I'm a free individual and I can makes my own choices just fine. Until such time I prove that I can't, I don't want anyone advocating I don't own my own weapons.
Bumblebeetuna
Banned
Amazing. What a great story.
I wonder what happens next though. She might want to move to a better neighborhood.
I wonder what happens next though. She might want to move to a better neighborhood.
"over 100 million Americans keep guns in their homes" ...right...
your sarcasm detector is on the fritz
1 in 3, really doesn't sound that crazy to me.
Pretty sure he got the sarcasm and was "lol"ing in agreement, and decided to elaborate a bit on the people being mocked. But even if he missed it, it's hard to blame him when there are multiple people in this thread who are scarily close to that level of idealistic lunacy.
Dreams-Visions
Member
get the fuck out with that nonsense.
Going by the way you're arguing your point in this thread it's pretty clear that you either don't have a family of your own to take care. And if you do then I honestly feel bad there are people in this world who would depend on someone with your attitude and outlook to protect them.
I also like how you say it's not wise to assume I know anything yet this entire thread all you've been doing is assuming on part of the teenage, windowed girl and her child in a life-threatening situation. Can you be a bigger hypocrite?
Vincent Alexander
Member
Not that I agree with a lot of what Surly is saying, but we've all been doing this part.
If the banker breaks into a house with a knife then no, I don't think the thread would have turned out any different
Jason's Ultimatum
Member
The intruder deserved to die.
Vincent Alexander
Member
But his funeral sure would've been classy.
Not everyone is judging the girl for her actions nor being a hypocrite.
Vincent Alexander
Member
I dunno. I'm not even sure if this is against her or TV news in general. And even it was against her, it's not something I'd dismiss the rest of Surly's arguements over.
I'm heading to work right now, but the reason I'm saying all of this is because I'd rather keep the discussion/arguments on the issue and not personal attacks, no matter how justified some may or may not seem. I'm afraid that this discussion has gone on so much now that personal attacks are getting to be all that is left.
To Far Away Times
Member
Glad that she was able to protect herself. Judging based on the 911 call, she was absolutely in the right to shoot him.
My extended family has had some issues with guns in the past that makes me hesitant to support firearms, but I understand the need for protection. If you're going to have a firearm make sure you absolutely need it, and exercise extreme caution.
My extended family has had some issues with guns in the past that makes me hesitant to support firearms, but I understand the need for protection. If you're going to have a firearm make sure you absolutely need it, and exercise extreme caution.
Most people do. That's why we have laws that make it an offence to not wear a seatbelt while driving, to drive too fast, to drive while drunk, to drive while using a phone etc. People are fucking idiots generally and need to be protected from their own stupidity. Giving them guns isn't a particularly good idea.
I'm from the UK. Nobody owns guns to protect themselves here. We're missing the FEAR that you guys have I guess.Hero said:
I've already said that I didn't have a major issue with her shooting the guy. My gripe is with her posing on TV while looking down the barrel of a gun into the camera. Either she suggested that or she was asked to do it, but if it was the latter she could have said no. It was fucking tasteless. The sort of thing that the "I'm glad someone is dead!" crowd get semis over.Hero said:
LightofRohan
Member
Haha, that's a pretty good point.
But I do know a lot of families that will only live in 1st story apartments because of that fear.
Dreams-Visions
Member
actually almost all of those you mentioned are laws designed to protect RESPONSIBLE people from THE FUCKING STUPID. Eg.: Driving while drunk laws aren't designed to protect the drunk; they're designed to protect those who may have to share the road with someone who is drunk. Most laws are designed to protect everyone else. If you want to do dumb shit, okay...but the minute you put yourself in a position that can harm others, it's a problem. There are exceptions, but most of the laws are exactly that.
I worry about the mental state of people defending the criminals...
Mammoth Jones
Member
Yet we don't ban alcohol or cars, do we?
99.9% of legal gun owners are law abiding citizens that wake up, go to work, eat, sleep, shit, fuck and that's it. The notion that you or I know what's best for everyone is ridiculously arrogant. I choose to be armed for my protection. As a law abiding citizen I know the rules, I signed on the line which is dotted and I am accountable for my actions. I also know that I can be accountable for my inaction, hence I thought about it and made the decision to own a gun.
I take offense to this. I'll have you know I get a full-on, hard-as-a-diamond-cutter rager from this story, not some weak ass little semi chub.
Neither of those exist primarily as a means of injuring or killing things.
you are displaying that evil American "individualist" attitude Technomancer hates so much.
Togglesworlh
Banned
Oooh, touchy, aren't we?
Sadness heals. Death doesn't. Anyone in his family will eventually heal, and are better off without his shitty influence, anyway. A dead mother and child can never heal.
Regarding the bolded? You are a moron. I never even came close to implying anything like that. Get over yourself, Sparky. You're wrong, and you'll always be wrong.
You're right, the only way a gun can be used is murder. Anyone that buys a gun is a future murderer.
Of course not, they can be defensive in nature or offensive. Same as that knife that the guy charged her with could be used to cut chicken, or to threaten her with it. Knives are solely designed to cut or stab things, right? Let's outlaw those too.
What are you talking about? I have already said that I didn't have a problem with her shooting the guy, although I personally would have warned him first, but if people disagree with that then fine. It's her posing on TV looking down the barrel of a gun that I took issue with.
And as for me being a moron, clearly I was just taking the piss out of you. I wasn't literally implying that you think there's an "evil criminal gene", LOL. I'm surprised to see an American that's not very good at spotting sarcasm. They're usually soooooo good at it.
Not this tired old bullshit. I didn't buy any knives to use them for a defensive or offensive purpose. I bought them so that I could cut up food and eat it, or cut electrical tape, or slice open a box. There's no good alternative for a knife. Some people in this thread are buying guns solely in case they might have to shoot people with them, so it's not quite the same thing is it?andycapps said:
Yes thanks. I was responding to his sarcasm. I knew it was sarcasm
Your own radar is off
Togglesworlh
Banned
Dreams-Visions
Member
every time I read these comments from you, I wonder how these situations must unfold in your imagination such that it becomes the go-to strategy in any home invasion or defensive scenarios.
Togglesworlh
Banned
If he has any actual marksman training and maybe military* (or something like it), such that he remains cool under pressure, then it's believable.
But if we turn him into an 18-year-old mother, scared shitless for herself and her baby, possibly without any real marksman training, let alone the experience needed to remain cool under any such situation (she's fucking 18 years old?)... yeah. Good luck with that logic.
*Then again, if he's military-trained, he would probably know better than to give any potentially dangerous people the opportunity to do more than come at him with a knife. What if they also have a gun, but just haven't pulled it out, yet? They back off, like, okay, okay, we're leaving, then come back in more intelligently, this time with a gun.
Fucking stupid to take chances when your child's life is at risk.
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