Posted on 12/13/2021 7:35:47 AM PST by Red Badger
SPANAWAY, WA – In what he states was a self-defense situation, a Washington man opened fire against a pair of armed home intruders, killing one.
Jerahme Smith - screenshot, local media report
On Thursday, December 9, 2021, according to Pierce County Sheriff’s Department (PCSD) spokesperson Darren Moss, rental home resident Jerahme Smith, 31, called 911 at approximately 4:20 am to notify police of a home burglary and a shooting.
Smith later told Fox 13 that he and his sister were in the house when two suspects kicked in the back door.
'I have the right to protect myself:' Washington man shoots, kills suspected home burglar https://t.co/RSJvXorRfZ
— Deborah W (@Deborah80868801) December 11, 2021
Fox News reports that:
“One of them had a weapon, prompting Smith to open fire in self-defense.”
There is no further information at this time on the weapon that the suspect allegedly held.
Even in the moment of crisis, Smith took the time to collect himself and reflect on making what he thought was the correct decision.
He told Fox:
“When everything first started, the first thing I had to do was take a few breaths and calm myself down because I knew it could have gone one of two ways.”
He continued:
”I didn’t know who they were, I didn’t know what they had, but the first thing I did–and it’s the honest to God truth–is I took a few breaths to myself.
“That way I knew I was calm enough to make a proper judgment decision.”
When deputies arrived at Smith’s residence, they found a 24-year-old unidentified male suspect unresponsive in Smith’s front yard. Medics declared the suspect deceased when they arrived on scene.
Deputies searched for the other suspect, but they were unable to locate him.
Smith and his sister were not injured in the incident.
'I HAVE THE RIGHT TO PROTECT MYSELF': Deputies said Jerahme Smith shot at the two suspects as they kicked in his back door. The intruders then ran into the front yard where deputies later found one of the suspects dead. https://t.co/feNy2X8XmP
— FOX 35 Orlando (@fox35orlando) December 10, 2021
Smith has been renting the home for the past 3 years with his wife and children.
He told King5 News:
“This is, for all intents and purposes, my property, and I will protect it.”
He continued:
“I took action upon that, which was unfortunately taking one life, and the other one ran.”
Reflecting further on the decision-making process necessary at the time of the shooting, he added:
“You get to talk about it a lot with your friends, or you get to talk about it with your family and go, yeah, we all carry, but you know, this is what I would do, this is what you would do.
“It’s way different when it actually happens.”
Homicide Investigation in Spanaway. This morning a homeowner shot at 2 suspects breaking into his house near A St E and 165th St E. One of the suspects died from his injuries, the other suspect is not in custody. Detectives and Forensic Investigators are on scene. pic.twitter.com/BBeX1wnbp6
— Pierce Co Sheriff (@PierceSheriff) December 9, 2021
Smith also told King5 that he felt the shooting was “justified,” adding:
“I have the right to carry and I have the right to protect myself and I have the right to protect my property.
“We practice. You never want to put it in action because it’s still a human life, but my life is more important to me than theirs is, and me going home to my family and my kids is more important than theirs is.
“I don’t know what they wanted out of this house, and I don’t know what they were doing, but I don’t care.”
Jerahme Smith, 31, claimed he was at home with his sister when the two potential robbers kicked in his back door at around 4:20am He noted that one of them had a weapon, which i what made Smith open fire against them to defend he and his sister pic.twitter.com/47VJNOdsR4
— Space-reporter-news (@Spacereportern1) December 11, 2021
Smith has “no plans on moving” from the neighborhood, despite being a crime victim, saying he “won’t be scared away.”
According to other residents, the area has seen increasing crime.
One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told Fox that he recently purchased security lights and a surveillance camera for his home. He added:
“If it ain’t one thing it’s another.”
He continued:
“That kind of upsets me that we have this kind of crime going on in the neighborhood.
“It’s not a good feeling because we don’t know—it could be something happening tomorrow, tonight, you know? Same old thing.”
At this writing, no charges have been filed in the case.
King5 reports that detectives were investigating the incident as a homicide, but PCSD spokesperson Darren Moss stated that “it could be determined the homeowner was using self-defense.”
Heck, even if they aren't armed, it would be 2 against 1 and you could be physically overpowered in the instant it takes them to cross the space between you and them. That's a risk nobody should be expected to take.
Don’t give more than minimum info to police either. Get a lawyer and let him do any talking. And I dislike most lawyers.
“my life is more important to me than theirs is”.
The wokesters won’t like that.
There is that. Where was the wife and kids? How often do random criminals break into random houses?
King 5 news shows up on my porch, I shoot them too.
I sure as hell don’t talk to them.
Leftist propagandists with an agenda.
Stop the threat, kill shot stops it..
Center mass, double tap
Gun laws and use of deadly force laws in the State of Washington are just about the least restrictive in the country.
As you may know, private citizens in Washington have greater authority in the use of deadly force than law enforcement officers. The legislature was so intent on making sure this was established, they included the following statement in the defense of use of deadly force within the statute.
This is directly from the RCWs.
“Legislative recognition: “The legislature recognizes that RCW 9A.16.040 establishes a dual standard with respect to the use of deadly force by peace officers and private citizens, and further recognizes that private citizens’ permissible use of deadly force under the authority of RCW 9.01.200, 9A.16.020, or 9A.16.050 is not restricted and remains broader than the limitations imposed on peace officers.” [ 1986 c 209 § 3.]”
This change was made in response to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Garner v. Tennessee 471 U.S. 1 (1985).
King5 reports that detectives were investigating the incident as a homicide, but PCSD spokesperson Darren Moss stated that “it could be determined the homeowner was using self-defense.”
~~~~
Hello? It was a homicide, AND it was self defense. Homicide is defined as one person KILLING another person ....as happens both in murder and in lethal self defense.
Homicide does NOT equal murder.
Yep, which is why I said that.
I’ve wondered what would happen if a defendant in Washington in a criminal case was prosecuted for shooting someone asked the prosecutor if a cop would have been charged under same situation.
If the prosecutor said the cop would not have been prosecuted, then why is the defendant being prosecuted if a private citizen has broader authority to use deadly force?
I’m sure it wouldn’t be hard to find many cases in which cops were not prosecuted under similar circumstances.
It’s also smart to keep a throwaway piece at home, in case that armed intruder doesn’t happen to be armed. If a mistake is made there was an invader in your home; drop the piece and shut up. Make no statement and answer no questions without a lawyer’s ok.
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