TEEN MOWED DOWN (SHOT) OVER LAWN Just killed a kid, man tells 911

The Winnipeg Sun ^ | March 21, 2006 | AP

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Have you checked the seat of your pants yet today? Clean underwear?

If the old geezer had gotten to a psychiatrist and was taking his meds the kid might be alive.

[Buffettfan]

I think it's safe to say that his a$$ is grass.

[rabidralph]

LOL!

[OXENinFLA]

He [the lawn owner] has no outs.

I can think of one right of the top of my head, AUTOMATIC LAWN SPRINKLERS. The kind that are set of by motion detectors.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

The next time you hear an old guy say "Hey you kids, get offa my lawn!" remember that he MEANS it.

[TalBlack]

--all neatly trimmed with wood to look like a plain old mailbox...


I recall exactly such a story and as I recall the homeowner was sued or jailed for some kind of dangerous overkill, believe it or not.

[Shalom Israel]

...you are a moron. I have OCD and I take medication.

I'm with you. I did think there was one valid point hiding in all his offensive characterizations, though: it's entirely possible that this guy was in fact obsessive over his lawn, so what the neighbors thought was just "having fun with that cranky old coot" might have been perceived as a life-and-death struggle on his end.

Which underscores the moral, pointed out several times on this thread: don't go around provoking people for the fun of it. You never know which one is loaded and cocked, with the safety off.

[OXENinFLA]

Also, from the story, it appears he shot the boy in the chest. That indicates something other than the man threatening the boy and the boy running away. If the truth were known, the boy and man were facing each other and were competing for "Most Disparaging Comment" awards at the time of the shooting. I've seen teens like that. More needs to be brought out about this for everyone's benefit.

Good point.

I wonder if the kid's last words were "What are you going to do, shoot me!?!"

[rabidralph]

I'm not flaming you--you're right. If this had gone to court as a simple case of harassing behavior by the kid, the media would have laughed at the old guy as intolerant, ultraconservative, mean-spirited, etc. After the trial, every punk in town would be walking across the guy's lawn.

[Shalom Israel]

I recall exactly such a story and as I recall the homeowner was sued or jailed for some kind of dangerous overkill, believe it or not.

Wow, that's unbelievable. But sadly, it's believable after all. I still treasure the mental image of a hot-shot hick wrapping his pickup around my mailbox...

[durasell]

...the media would have laughed at the old guy as intolerant, ultraconservative, mean-spirited, etc.



Yes, now the entire world is laughing at him as an "out of his mind, raving lunatic murderous wacko." That's soo much better.

[BruceysMom]

Again your ignorance is breath taking. Few who have OCD ever see or need psychiatric care it is a physical disorder. Just as diabetics may appear to have mental problems,once their body chemistry is in control they are fine. Your lack of intellect is showing and my underwear is none of your business . I'm sure your undergarments are clean as you seem to be storing your bodily waste in an entirely different orifice.

[TalBlack]

I think it was Upstate NY. After a rash of mailbox driveovers some homeowner put in a mailbox that could stop a car. It did. The trial I remember may have been the lawsuite. I don't recall who won. I side with the home owner.

[Shalom Israel]

I can think of one right of the top of my head, AUTOMATIC LAWN SPRINKLERS. The kind that are set of by motion detectors.

I like the way you think!

Another of my someday-projects is to build a phased array of motion sensors and a microcontroller that will point a spotlight at whoever's in the yard, and follow them around. IF that works well, the next two enhancements will be: multiple spotlights for up to three bogeys; and replacing the spotlight with a laser pointer.

And oh yeah--setting up a webcam to capture the fun.

[OXENinFLA]

Martin: I shot him with a 410 shotgun twice.

Twice?

[uncitizen]

Being originally from Ohio, i can tell ya that many people in Ohio take their lawns WAY too seriously.

[from occupied ga]

Don't deliberately provoke people you know are crazy.

Don't deliberately provoke anyone - They might be having a bad day, be crazy or all of the above. Goading people is always dangerous - something that this kid found out too late unfortunately.

[durasell]

They actually sell those for theater. I don't recall if the person tracked by the light needs to have a special device, but I don't think so.

[albee]

That's what the kid gets for ignoring the KEEP OFF THE GRASS" sign! (/sarcasm)