Posted on 11/27/2008 7:41:41 AM PST by marktwain
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Metro police said the victim of a home invasion turned the tides on his intruder.
Rather than running, the homeowner shot the burglar.
John Lewis is sick and tired of being the victim. He said burglars have broken into his home four times this year.
Lewis said it was about time the suspect got the raw end of the deal.
"You got to be able to protect yourself," he said.
To a thief, Lewis may look like an easy target. On Sunday, the 69-year-old Air Force veteran shot a hole through that reputation.
"I mean I'm not going to sit here and let somebody rob me over and over and over again," he said.
Around 10:30 p.m., he heard a crash.
"So he started kicking on the door. He made more noise than anybody I've ever dreamed of trying to break into a house," he said.
What he saw was a man holding a flashlight and a pickax.
Lewis was packing a 357 pistol.
"And the pistol went off. I had it cocked. It had a hair trigger and I touched it and it went off," he said.
The bullet hit suspect Jerry Watson in the leg.
Police said Watson, who has a lengthy criminal history, limped to the home next door and lost consciousness.
"What's there to think about? I mean he was going to hurt me or I was going to hurt him. One of the two," he said.
And rather than getting angry, neighbors are celebrating the story.
"I think it's wonderful. Yeah rah for Mr. Lewis. Yeah Rah! You got my vote. Maybe they'll stay away now," said Sarah Pannell.
As the suspect recovers at a local hospital, John wonders if the intruder learned his lesson.
"I don't know. Maybe he did with me. I hope so. Like I said if he didn't I'll teach him again," he said.
No matter the outcome, this pistol packing homeowner has no regrets.
This is the second time Lewis has shot an intruder. He said the first incident was 11 or 12 years ago.
During that break-in he came home and found a man inside his house. Lewis shot the intruder.
That suspect also lived and was later arrested.
Police said Watson has 26 criminal convictions ranging from burglary to drug offenses.
something to be thankful for
I thought the Air Force motto was "Aim High"...
“That suspect also lived and was later arrested. Police said Watson has 26 criminal convictions ranging from burglary to drug offenses.”
No doubt planning his upcoming lawsuit with some ACLU lawyer...
26 criminal convictions and he’s still free to continue his life of crime. What am I missing here?
26 prior convictions and he’s still walking the streets.
I wonder how many raps he beat? Probably twice that many.
Too bad he aimed low.
An Army of one?
“Lewis was packing a 357 pistol”
Me too! :)
I live in Nashville. I also commend Mr. Lewis and he’s done his immediate neighbors a great service by making it clear that his block might not be the best place to thieves and burglars to ply their trade. The intruder here got off easy with only being shot in the leg and only being shot once. Under similar circumstance, lots of folks would just keep firing until the gun went “click” - not because they want to kill anyone, but just because they’re damn scared.
My thoughts exactly. The gentleman ought to find out what jurisdiction he has the most convictions in, or rather where the last felnoy conviction was and sue the state for mental anguish and gross negligence. Maybe he could personally sue the judge who last sentenced him.
The advice a sheriff gave me years ago if I found a burglar in my house at night. “Shoot to kill. Dead men don’t sue.” This was in Pennsylvania.
At least he used enough gun.
"And the pistol went off. I had it cocked. It had a hair trigger and I touched it and it went off," he said.
So far so good, except for admitting the hair trigger, probably not a problem in Nashville though.
The bullet hit suspect Jerry Watson in the leg.
Center of mass Chief, center of mass.
Watson, who has a lengthy criminal history, limped to the home next door and lost consciousness.
Too bad the emergency services folks must have responded quickly. Sounds like the guy might have bled out, given a little more time.
Maybe next time, and with this scrote, there will be a next time.
You bet. I’ll bet the home owner is thankful. Well done. If the dead dirtbag isn’t to damaged, send it off to a med school as a training cadaver. At least former home and hearth- terrorizing dirtbag will have served some good. Happy Thanksgiving one and all. God Bless America. No one else will.
You know, I am really feeling all these “shoot till they don’t complain” posts this morning :)
I was thinking of putting the head on a spike at the entrance of the subdivision to warn off others.
Opps, my bad. He lived. Didn’t read that part. Oh well, still a happy ending.
OOHH! I LIKE that! Got that kind of “Vlad the Impaler, Gothic horror’’ thing to it. Nice touch, seriously.
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