Posted on 08/30/2006 12:09:36 PM PDT by kiriath_jearim
(AP) FORT COLLINS, Colo. Fort Collins police haven't decided if charges will be filed against a homeowner who shot an intruder early Monday as he was trying to flee.
Steven Ray, 58, armed himself with a .45 caliber handgun and confronted David Ebner, 28, in Ray's backyard, according to police.
They said the two men struggled before Ray shot Ebner as he fled.
Officers found Ebner in a vacant lot about 100 yards away from the home. He was transported to a hospital where he is being treated for his injuries.
Colorado's "make my day" law allows occupants to use deadly force when they have reason to believe an intruder might harm an occupant of the home.
"...Authorities Mull Charges"
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That should be painted on the side of many police cars in this country: "To Serve And To Mull"
I was always taught that I could shoot if the intruder was facing me, but not if he was running away. At that point he isn't an immediate threat.
Was the victim shot in the back? If so, the homeowner should have turned him around and shot him in the front. :)
You know the media is looking for some bad facts to dip its broad brush into.
Maybe they found it.
And he shouldn't have left the intruder out there. Should have carried him back inside.
Misleading title and opening.
The story is homeowner shoots intruder in self-defense.
The side issue is that the investigation isn't complete. It's perfectly routine to consider whether to close the case outright or refer it to a grand jury for further consideration of all the facts and defenses.
Crappy piece of writing.
Once he's out of my house, I'm upstairs calling the police. If he comes back in, I have a clear field of fire and permission. :-)
"Officer, as he was running away, I thought he was trying to draw a weapon from his baggy pants."
I hope this homeowner has his insurance premiums paid. Lawsuit incoming!
Homeowners credo: "Shoot, shovel, shut-up!"
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I love it. :)
In West Texas, people have been known to drop them down old wells.
This is not very Christian of me, but I enjoy reading about the death of a thief. I don't care what they were trying to steal. Once someone on my property breaks the law, they are no longer protected by the law. It's only fair.
How convenient that when he turns around to run you can no longer see his hands. He could pull a firearm out of his pants and turn around and kill you.
Such nitpicking is ridiculous in these situations. The perp deserves whatever he gets from a victim.
That's a little simplistic. What if they're running away and firing over their shoulder back at you? Do you say "Turn around and fight like a man!" or do you just fire away even if you might hit him in the back instead of the front? A person with his back to you can still be a threat, in other words, thanks to something doctors call arms and hands. :)
That old wives' tale is just about the most foolish thing a person could do. Modern forensics would show what happened before sundown the same day. You'd be much more likely to get in trouble.
The thing to do is to leave everything just as it was, and tell the first cop on the scene: "He didn't give me any choice. I was afraid he was about to kill me! Now I need to speak to my attorney." Then shut up and don't say another word.
-ccm
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