Posted on 07/03/2010 10:26:32 AM PDT by marktwain
Denton County investigators are looking into a possible case of vigilante justice.
Authorities said two men were stealing an air conditioning unit, when the owner of the property shot them. It happened at a race car driving school at Texas Motor Speedway near Justin where the owner lives.
Mike Starr was sleeping inside his home, which is a warehouse-looking building on the property of his business, Team Texas High Performance Driving School, when he was rudely awakened.
A few hours before most people started showing up for work, a concrete truck driver drove past Starr's home.
"He just said the man came out, had the gun in his hand, in his boxers, and asked him to call police because somebody had been shot," said Kathy Saenz, office manager of Gateway Concrete down the street.
Investigators said Starr heard noises outside, went out, confronted two men in their '50s, and then shot them with a 12-gauge shotgun.
"It's Texas, so everyone has a gun," said Kelly Worthington, owner of nearby Worth Printing.
The pair had stolen Starr's A/C condenser and put it in the back of their pickup truck, according to the Denton County Sheriff's Office.
"It's pretty serious to steal a man's air conditioning in the summertime in Texas," said Tom Reedy, public information officer.
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcdfw.com ...
I just hardly care. The police don’t take crimes like this very seriously and the public is sick and tired of being victimized. This is what you get.
Cosmic justice would be if illegals steal the DA’s air conditioner tonight...
Another entry in the “Don’t Mess With Texas” file!
A specific Texas law covers this: Mischief at night = clean shoot.
Idiot reporter...

Shooting criminals in the act of committing a crime is not "vigilante justice".
“Denton County investigators are looking into a possible case of vigilante justice. “
So now it’s ‘vigilante justice’ to protect your home and property?
The reporter-ette is an idiot.
LOL!You are so right this heat is a killer..
In full agreement with the shooter, Mr Star the 12ga is the preferred method of disposal. My personal choice is the Remington 870 Tactical.
They wanted his air conditioner. He gave them air conditioning.
One in serious condition, the other in critical.
That was the first thing I noticed too.


( ADVICE TO CRIMINALS ) MOVE TO CHICAGO, YOU WILL BE SHOT IN NORTH TEXAS!!!
It’s pretty evident how much intelligence the reporter has- the article is showing a handgun, when the owner used a 12 gauge.
http://www.wfaa.com/news/crime/Two-men-shot-in-Denton-County—97590044.html
Love the comments on WFAA’s coverage.
For the copper. Put the unit on the roof if you can.
Hey Mr. Comedian, Where did you get the photo of my little brothers and me?
If they are in the act of stealing it, it's not vigilante justice, it's justifiable use of deadly force to protect property.
Sorry NBC-DFW "reporter", you might take a look at the law, as it exists in Texas, not New York City or other left wing eastern hell hole that you might have come from.
Only the MSM would put up a picture of a semi-auto handgun, when their own story clearly says the defender used a 12 gauge shotgun.
In this case it would be "theft" during the night. Might also be burglary (which can be justification for use of deadly force anytime)
Wherever did you get a quaint idea like that??
It's difficult to see where this property owner could be found at fault. And, as Gato and others have pointed out, he should be fully backed by Texas law.
And in East Texas, South Texas, Central Texas, and West Texas as well.
Up in Chicago, the mayor is doing his best to protect you from those nasty law-abiding citizens, however.
Not that I see a problem with "vigilante justice" that is not what this sounds like. Sounds like he caught them red-handed, on his property, stealing his property. Assuming he is not a commissioned peace officer or subject to the Laws of Warfare, he has no legal obligation to take prisoners.
“Those men just needed killin’.”
He may later regret NOT killing them, but I hope it works out well for him as is. I also hope those two find another line of work. Their old one seems to be getting too hazardous.
I like the Chill Wills’ character’s response about the James Dean character in GIANT: “We shoulda’ killed that boy a long time ago. He’s too rich to kill now.”
In this case the law concerned was not changed by the Castle law. Texans could use deadly force to prevent burglary and theft during the night well before that 2007 law. I renewed my CHL in November 2008, meaning I first got it in 2003. The law was, in that respect the same in 2003 as now.
You might recall a case from Dallas, about the time the CHL law was being debated, where a gentleman shot a bunch of teenagers who were stealing his rims. Not only did he shoot some who were actually taking them off his vehicle, he shot into their vehicle which contained yet more young hoodlums. Result, grand jury returned a "no bill", meaning no crime was committed, and his use of force, an SKS IIRC, was justified under the law.
Note to self. Remember Denton County investigators do not believe the people will ever rise up to oppose this stupid investigative behavior. Denton County investigators are therefore ignorant.
I say kill any motherf**ker who tries to steal from you. I’d further venture to say that 85 percent of all criminals are demorats; maybe higher.
I say kill any motherf**ker who tries to steal from you. I’d further venture to say that 85 percent of all criminals are demorats; maybe higher. THIS BEARS REPEATING
It's probably not the Denton County investigators, but rather the DFW reporters. They do have to "investigate" enough to show that the facts are as related. IOW, that they really were making off with his property.
But given that they were, the Denton county DA and Sheriff know which way the wind blows and aren't about to prosecute the defender.
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