[Pittsburgh] Homeowner shoots [armed] teen robber, ends up in jail

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | September 2, 2007

[TC Rider]

No but there is in Kansas. A cop told me years ago if I shoot someone breaking in to be sure and drag them inside before calling the cops.

Bad advice today. You will be caught in the lie, it all goes downhill from there.

[lakeman]

Yes that is key. No imminent threat.

[Doc Savage]

Let me see if I can somehow set you straight (although you seemed taxex to death!)! These mutants BROKE into a man's home. There is no assurance that these two genetic miscreants WOULD NOT HAVE killed him with the BB bat. Since they brought a weapon that was easily seen as an actual gun, had they pointed it at him or his family they could have HELD immobilized at bay while they RAPED his female family members.

These rectail cavities should be arrested and sentenced to life in prison. I follow the law,...I expect all others to do likewise. When they don't, seek maximum injury and revenge!

[FreePaul]

It would be nice if a LEO chimed in to put a finer point on it. showed up to arrest the criminals.

But we can't expect law enforcement to do everything (or is it anything). Maybe they could have written a report.

[Oberon]

You may very well be ethically correct...but the law in Pennsylvania says that if the perps are fleeing, you’re not allowed to shoot them. That’s the case whether we like it or not.

[Deguello]

“Grabbing a 12-gauge shotgun, he fired at the fleeing teens.”

There is nothing in the story that states if the actors were inside or outside the home when he fired upon them.

A good statement from the homeowner would have been: 'As I was chasing them out of my house, one pointed his firearm back towards me and I feared for my life.'

[EEDUDE]

As a CCW holder that rarely goes unarmed, I believe that it is neither legal OR ethical to shoot someone that is not directly threatening your life.

This guy was wrong. Period.

[Postman]

and that’s why we need “undocumented people”....to do the jobs Americans won’t do.

[Oberon]

This guy was wrong. Period.

You're correct, but I didn't want to distract him from my main point.

[mountn man]

If this does go to trial, hope the jury consists of former robbed homeowners.

Prosecutors will probably weed them out.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

I believe it is the same in PA...however, in the case mentioned here, the perps were FLEEING (in retreat, leaving the property) and the homeowner fired as they were running away. Big difference.

[rednesss]

And what's wrong with that???

All kidding aside though he was stupid for shooting someone in the back while fleeing, most people know that there needs to be an imminent risk to life or property to justify the use of deadly force. And yelling, "He's coming right for us!" doesn't work.

[taxed2death]

“Let me see if I can somehow set you straight (although you seemed taxex to death!)!”

1.Spell check is our friend.

2. You can’t “set me straight” I have a CCW and obey the laws of my state. If you have an argument...take it up with whomever changes the laws, not me.

3. I don’t argue with “had they’s.....” and hypotheticals. I responded to the article.

4.”I follow the law,...I expect all others to do likewise.”

OK chief, the guy who shot the kid did not follow the law. Can’t you understand that simple fact?

[Ouderkirk]

are police allowed to use deadly force to stop fleeing violent felons?

There is his defense, I was making a citizens arrest and used necessary force to apprehend the suspect.

[vigilence]

The key word is “fleeing”. If the robber(s) were outside when shot at then the guy is sunk. But, I suspect, the police questioned all parties and the perps said they were leaving because they heard him returning or maybe the homeowner admitted they were leaving, but, if one or both were still in the house, even with their backs to him, I think he could argue that they were merely seeking cover from him and were obviously armed themselves and he got the drop on them before they did on him.

[Red Badger]

My guess is that they weren’t “fleeing” until after the first shot..........

[Bat_Chemist]

Or, “It was dark. I thought he turned to aim at me, so I fired!”

[Lurking in Kansas]

If they are in fact fleeing, they pose no threat of grave bodily harm or death.

Yeah, even though I feel for the guy, he was wrong.

...and I'm sure the 'teens' are getting lawyered up. :-(

[weegee]

Different laws for different states. I believe that you could still fire in Texas.

Perhaps a perp might have even more firepower or “muscle” waiting back at the getaway car.

[weegee]

And what if you don’t KNOW the motive for the break-in?

There was a case this week where a man smelled something and found an intruder in his son’s bedroom.

Wrong place to be.