Intruders Pay Price For Home Invasion (Successful Gun Use)

Columbus Dispatch ^ | December 14, 2006 | Holly Zachariah

[shekkian]

Alright!! That's my kind of girl, one who knows her way around a gun!

[Gritty]

Killed was 29-year-old Jonathan L. Carson, a former basketball star at Springfield South High School

Maybe Midnight Basketball isn't the answer...

[relictele]

A UC basketball player acting in a criminal enterprise? SHOCKING!!!!

[Neo-Luddite]

Went to a University and so stupid he decides to rob two 19 year old kids who are living together,and probably have little personal wealth other than the clothes on their backs.
And a 9mm :-)

What I don't get:

1) Area is described as affluent
2) Do the kids own the house? Is it a relatives?
3) Are they married or just shackin'up in this expensive
house (OK, not a big deal to many anymore).
4) Who owns the pistol she used? In many places a 19 year
can't. This isn't to say she wasn't within the law
using the weapon.
5) Taken as a whole there is something missing from this
story.

Sorry if I'm a dumb-a$$. Just wondering.

[FreedomPoster]

I do believe I can give my >18 yo child a handgun.

[shekkian]

Bah! Multiple shots on the first perp and he did not go down for good. She needs a better gun.

You forget the first rule of a gunfight. Have a gun!!!

[bvw]

She fired several times, apparently grazing her boyfriend in the back and hitting Carson once in the back.

Woah. No further comment.

[Vinnie]

Killed was 29-year-old Jonathan L. Carson, a former basketball star at Springfield South High School who played the 1997-98 season with the University of Cincinnati Bearcats, averaging 3.1 points in 17 games.

He was trying to earn extra credits before enrolling at Ohio State.

[Retired COB]

It's interesting to note that you must be 21 to purchase a handgun (from an FFL), which begs the question, how did these two come by the 9mm?

I don't think you are required to be 21 to OWN a pistol. If I wanted to give one to my 19 year old child, it's legal.

[bvw]

I knew a fella who took three-four rounds of a 45 to the torso and survived. The other fella in that robbery took five rounds of a 9 mm (iirc, maybe a 38) and survived. Point blank range, firing across the store counter.

[shekkian]

Something else to think about -- if her boyfriend ignored the knocking the thugs would have went to someone else's house and destroyed someone else's life.

I doubt the thugs would have moved on to the next house. My advice would be that if someone's pounding on your door at 10:30 at night it's probably not a friendly visit, and you might want to have gun in hand.

[Bigh4u2]

"I wish I knew what the driver in the getaway car thought when he heard shots ring out"

Probably really scared the crap out of him when he saw one of his buddies drop DEAD on the front porch.

Hate to have to clean that car out!

[Gum Shoe]

"...probably have little personal wealth other than the clothes on their backs."

And a 9mm semi-automatic handgun!

[SJSAMPLE]

I'm waiting for the Brady Campaign to call that young lady and offer their congratulations.

After all, they don't have any qualms about bathing in the blood of murder victims.

[Disambiguator]

I was simply implying that they either bought the piece from a private party, or it was given to one of them. 18 is the legal possession age, but you have to be 21 to purchase from a licensed dealer.

These kind of laws are silly, IMHO, as the same 19 year-olds can legally purchase a .300 Weatherby Magnum rifle if they so desire.

[GrandEagle]

She needs a better gun.
Well, I agree sort of - when carrying a 9mm I feel underarmed for sure. My choice sidearm is my trusty 1911 - .45.
HOWEVER, it did seem to do the job. It sounds like to me she did a good job, under stress, probably her first draw on a live person, and she took out two perps, one of which was engaged in a fight with her boyfriend. Not bad IMHO.
The "best" weapon is the one you can handle well - she did a good job.


Cordially,
GE

[marktwain]

"It's interesting to note that you must be 21 to purchase a handgun (from an FFL), which begs the question, how did these two come by the 9mm?"

Some one could have given it to them, or they could have bought it privately. Many states have no age limitation for owning a handgun (as it should be IMHO). This case rather shows that a 21 year old limitation on purchase is too high.

[GrandEagle]

No matter what the circumstances are to take anothers life is not something a healthly person would ant to experience.
You have to have been there to understand this though.

[marktwain]

"I was simply implying that they either bought the piece from a private party, or it was given to one of them. 18 is the legal possession age, but you have to be 21 to purchase from a licensed dealer."

The minimum age to own a handgun is determined by state law. Many states have no minimum.