How did the homeowner know his/her life was or was not in danger? The cops aren't supposed to shoot first and ask questions later... Why should regular citizens be allowed to?

Now someone might die - yes, obviously this burglar did something stupid and illegal and may have harmed the homeowner (or may not have!), but did the burglar deserve to be shot and possibly killed for it? No. Prison time? Absolutely. Dead? Uh, no.

The fact that people - cops and citizens - seem so trigger-happy is a frightening problem. Innocent people sometimes die too when there are guns in houses and in the hands of of the people. Countries where gun ownership is illegal (except for hunting) have much lower murder rates than the US. Our 2nd amendment was written in a time that simply does not exist 300 years later.

When are people gonna wake up and get it?

Bexy-

If someone breaks into your home you might feel a little different. Also if someone breaks into your home I don't think they are innocent, and obviously are not doing it with any sort of good intent.

America is a very violent nation. It was founded based upon violence and expanded with violence - just ask the Mexicans. We are a warlike people. We celebrate cowboys and their taming of the West. It is one of the aspects of our culture which separates us from Canadians. We won our independence at the point of a sword, while the Canadians only became their own nation in 1982 (really), and there was no violence involved. Americans are very quick to use violence if they (we) feel their (our) independence has been circumscribed. Looked at through this lens the present level of violence in our country should not be surprising. It is most likely low by previous standards. I am not decrying this warlike spirit; unlike the French we have never been conquered. The baggage of our fierceness is unnecessary killings, many of them. While we approach 4,000 American military deaths in Iraq, how many Americans were victims of homicide back home in the same time period - five years - 200,000? Few people seem to understand that it is a cultural thing. We probably can ameliorate it with a reasoned, bipartisan approach without robbing people of that spirit of independence.

Uh, when did I say the burglar was innocent? I did mention that as a result of the US allowing citizens to arm themselves, innocent people die. I did not say the burglar was innocent. I said a burglar deserves to be in prison.

I've never had someone break into my home. That's true. Sure, my mind might change. But I know that no matter what, I do not want to ever be responsible for another person's death, by any means.

I doubt that an 18 yo who breaks into an occupied house will get any prison time. Anyone who is carrying a gun and committing a crime (I'm not suggesting that this recent incident involved an armed intruder) is likely to shoot the gun. He isn't carrying the gun to hammer in nails or skip rope. He's going to use it to shoot at police while escaping or scare a victim into compliance.

Anyone who breaks into an occupied home isn't delivering flowers or cookies. If my family or I do not have a reasonible means of exiting our house, I would rather protect myself and family than wait and see if the intruder is going to do more than steal something. I wont seek him out, but if he winds up where I am after I tell him to leave, I will assume he will do harm. Nor will I wait for the police to show up. Police are only charged with enforcing the law and are not required to immediately protect the life of a citizen.

The police are allowed to shoot and ask questions later. Any lethal act such as driving a car towards or throwing an object at a law enforcement officer (including police horses and dogs) can result in an officer using/shooting his gun. Even running up to an officer in an aggressive manner with empty hands can get result in an officer firing his/her weapon.

I think there are a few problems. Such as: Why are the rates of home invasion and other violent crimes so high and why can't the rate be lowered? Why aren't the steps needed to aquire a gun in this state harder and more responsible? How are people raising such stupid kids that think it is okay to rob, steal and murder.

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time or face other consequences.

If that person doesn't do prison time, that is a problem with our judicial system. Then again, since there's no room in our over-crowded prisons, perhaps if they released some of the people who are sitting in prison because they took drugs - hurting only themselves - perhaps then an 18 year old burglar would go to prison.

I do wonder what the statistics are regarding people who break into houses armed with a gun and what percentage of the time they actually use the gun. My guess is, if the occupants are sleeping, etc., the burglar takes what he wants and leaves.

Oh yeah. You're right. I think what I meant when I said police aren't allowed to is that I think if, for example, there's a bum in 30th St Station who has a chair he appears to be using as a "weapon," the cops should not shoot at him, possibly killing him (well, actually killing him when this really happened a few years ago). I just feel like unless they have a good reason to think someone is armed with a gun/knife/real weapon (not a chair), they shouldn't shoot. And a smelly bum is not likely to have one of those things, especially when he is wielding a chair. (http://www.wsws.org/articles/2000/ju...phil-j20.shtml)

Yeah, there are problems. I don't know how much adding more steps needed to acquire a gun will make cities safer. Obviously many of the murders from gunshots are from guns obtained illegally. There's only so much you can do to battle that. Making handguns illegal (or at least machine guns, for God's sakes) would be a big start. Unfortunately, for reasons I cannot understand, this country is not ready to do something like that. I just wonder how bad it will have to get before it is.

sigh....

O YOU KNOW THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN! UNREAL!

__________________

ohhh, please. Save it. You're the same kind of person who would be begging someone- armed- to save you in this same type of situation. The homeowner was absolutely right and justified, and should be applauded. The burglar put HIMSELF in that position, and if it's shoot first and ask questions later or risk the life/safety of myself or my family- and that's exactly what you'd be doing by waiting and, I dunno, asking his intentions or chatting about the weather- than I say shoot. Seems like you're the one who needs to 'wake up and get it.'

Is there any particular reason you had to be so rude in your response? Also, please refrain from assuming you know what "kind of person" I am. You have no idea.

I'm the judgmental one now? Weren't you calling for the homeowner- who was, as far as he knew, protecting his/families' life- to go to prison, aka, with view exceptions, the Worst Place on Earth? I suppose he *should* have rolled the dice that the guy wasn't armed, wasn't high on some F'ed up drugs, wasn't violent, or would have left "with just taking some of his belongings." And, if for no other reason, re: my response, I'd say "Jury of his Peers", etc., I sure would hate to have you on mine.