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verti89 · June 19, 2009, 08:41 AM

Well after reading all the comments and doing some more searching around. There still is not a whole lot of details that I can find. BUT I did read that another neighbor claims they confronted this same kid with a gun and he laughed at them. The neighborhood had had a varying degree of crime including dogs being poisoned etc. There also seems to be a good deal of racial tension in the area, and of course the family claims their boy was an angel. The sister said something like I dont know what he was doing over there but he was probably just defending himself. What? well even if he was defending himself, he wouldn't have had to if he hadn't been trespassing.

After some time thinking about it I still find myself about where I was yesterday when I first read it. If I see anyone I do not recognize on my property (a average house in a quiet neighborhood), and who is not obviously a cable guy type, I am going to make sure I have my pistol in hand and, without displaying the pistol, ask them what they are doing. If I catch the person already engaged in some sort of mischief, breaking into my car or garage, I am calling the cops first, then probably yelling out that the cops have been called and watching from inside. HOPEFULLY the guy runs off without taking anything. How I react if I see him taking something depends on what it is he is taking and honestly I don't know how I would react. I think the best thing would be to just let him have whatever it is he is taking and then go from there, and really anything outside my home isn't worth getting into a confrontation with someone over.

HOWEVER, one I am a 25 year old in reasonable condition not a 70 year old oxygen tank toting gramps. Two I am not a frustrated citizen who has been taking it from the BGs for some time. That DOES change things. On one hand the guy is 69 and should have the sense to not confront a 17 year old. On the other I can understand an older man being tired of being disrespected and going out to yell at the young man. Once that decision was made a second time it would have been foolish NOT to go out with some sort of weapon. (Im not saying this was the right decision, just saying confronting someone, especially for a second time, unarmed is an even worse decision)

It would appear at this point that we know the young man was unarmed, but there is no way the shooter would have known this. AND if you suspect a guy is a crackhead AND he has returned after being told to leave AND he decides to come back at you after seeing your gun, I think it would be downright foolish NOT to assume he was armed.

I feel for the young mans family, but I also don't begrudge the old man for anything. Would I have probably stayed inside, yes, would it have been better if he stay in side, probably. But the way I look at this, he didn't shoot the young man for trespassing or even stealing. He confronted him verbally for these things, and shot the young man only when the young man started walking towards him while he was clearly armed, thereby giving him reason to fear for his own safety.

June 19, 2009, 08:41 AM	#73
verti89 Senior Member Join Date: November 10, 2008 Posts: 157	Well after reading all the comments and doing some more searching around. There still is not a whole lot of details that I can find. BUT I did read that another neighbor claims they confronted this same kid with a gun and he laughed at them. The neighborhood had had a varying degree of crime including dogs being poisoned etc. There also seems to be a good deal of racial tension in the area, and of course the family claims their boy was an angel. The sister said something like I dont know what he was doing over there but he was probably just defending himself. What? well even if he was defending himself, he wouldn't have had to if he hadn't been trespassing. After some time thinking about it I still find myself about where I was yesterday when I first read it. If I see anyone I do not recognize on my property (a average house in a quiet neighborhood), and who is not obviously a cable guy type, I am going to make sure I have my pistol in hand and, without displaying the pistol, ask them what they are doing. If I catch the person already engaged in some sort of mischief, breaking into my car or garage, I am calling the cops first, then probably yelling out that the cops have been called and watching from inside. HOPEFULLY the guy runs off without taking anything. How I react if I see him taking something depends on what it is he is taking and honestly I don't know how I would react. I think the best thing would be to just let him have whatever it is he is taking and then go from there, and really anything outside my home isn't worth getting into a confrontation with someone over. HOWEVER, one I am a 25 year old in reasonable condition not a 70 year old oxygen tank toting gramps. Two I am not a frustrated citizen who has been taking it from the BGs for some time. That DOES change things. On one hand the guy is 69 and should have the sense to not confront a 17 year old. On the other I can understand an older man being tired of being disrespected and going out to yell at the young man. Once that decision was made a second time it would have been foolish NOT to go out with some sort of weapon. (Im not saying this was the right decision, just saying confronting someone, especially for a second time, unarmed is an even worse decision) It would appear at this point that we know the young man was unarmed, but there is no way the shooter would have known this. AND if you suspect a guy is a crackhead AND he has returned after being told to leave AND he decides to come back at you after seeing your gun, I think it would be downright foolish NOT to assume he was armed. I feel for the young mans family, but I also don't begrudge the old man for anything. Would I have probably stayed inside, yes, would it have been better if he stay in side, probably. But the way I look at this, he didn't shoot the young man for trespassing or even stealing. He confronted him verbally for these things, and shot the young man only when the young man started walking towards him while he was clearly armed, thereby giving him reason to fear for his own safety.