Man Shoots Intruder In Self-Defense(FL)

News4Jax.com ^ | 8 July, 2009 | na

[marktwain]

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- William West was asleep in his bed when he got an unusual call from his neighbor at 4:30 in the morning.

"I called him back, and he was like, 'Somebody in your house right now. How asleep is you? They in your house right now," West's neighbor said.

That's when West said he got up and armed himself with a 12-gauge shotgun, taking matters into his own hands.

"I didn't really have time to think, you know what I'm saying," West said. "Didn't have time to think to be scared or not. I just know I had to try to protect myself. That's it."

West said he shot the intruder who was later identified as 25-year-old Gerald Wright.

According to the arrest report, Wright came in through West's window armed with a silver handgun and was standing in his living room.

"I couldn't really see because I wear glasses, so I just shot because I had buck shots, and I know they would spread," West said.

According to the report, Wright was able to climb back out and run a couple blocks away, where he was found lying on the ground near the dorms at Edward Waters College.

Five days later, you can still see a trail of blood from the suspect leading from the window down the stairwell.

"I was trying to protect myself," West said. "That's all."

This marks the third incident in the last couple of weeks where victims are no longer waiting for police and instead utilizing Florida's stand-your-ground law.

The law gives victims the right to use deadly force in self-defense situations.

"I don't think it should have to come down to this," West said. "I really don't."

[marktwain]

"This marks the third incident in the last couple of weeks where victims are no longer waiting for police and instead utilizing Florida's stand-your-ground law." ------------------------------------------------------- Is this reporter really this naive? Was "waiting for the police" a realistic option when you have an armed man who has invaded your house? Perhaps the homeowner could have barracaded himself in the bedroom. It might have been better tactics. It is hard to argue with success.

[Joe Brower]

And now here is an example of a gun that went off when it was supposed to.

Florida Freeper

[monocle]

The law dosn’t give him the right to self defense. The law merely acknowledges the innate right to defend one’s self.

[rstrahan]

When seconds count, the police are minutes...or hours...away

[SJSAMPLE]

That's when West said he got up and armed himself with a 12-gauge shotgun, taking matters into his own hands.

What a retarded statement.
That "matter", at that time, belonged 100% to Mr. West.
Not to the 911 operator.
Not to the local police.
TO MR. WEST.

There was a time, long ago, when Americans were expected to "take matters into their own hands" because they were a) the ones on the scene, b) had the most to lose and c) had a DUTY to protect themselves, their families, friends, neighbors and property.

Now, such actions are seen as unusual and even undesireable.

[Krankor]

The Shooter

[stuartcr]

Maybe reporters get paid by the word, and there’s more money in saying stupid stuff, then just saying it was the 3rd incident...who wants to read just that? This way, it gets people upset, and draws more attention.

[Stentor]

"I don't think it should have to come down to this," West said. "I really don't."

Word gets out, it will have to come down to "this" less and less. Congratulations to Mr. West on successfully protecting his own life.

[mrsdeb]

I love these heartwarming stories.

[sig226]

"This marks the third incident in the last couple of weeks where victims are no longer waiting for police and instead utilizing Florida's stand-your-ground law."

I'm amazed that they're still trying to break into houses. Have all the thugs in our state been living under a rock?

[Oldpuppymax]

The law dosn’t give him the right to self defense. The law merely acknowledges the innate right to defend one’s self.

Exactly. The right of self defense is just that...a RIGHT. A God given right over which the state has no authority. At least no legal, proper authority. Just as the 2nd amendment does not “grant” the people the right to keep and bear arms. That right already exists and has nothing to do with the state. The 2nd amendment simply GUARANTEES the already existing right.

[GladesGuru]

Interestingly, the shooter is young, black, and almost surely a Democrapic Partei voter.

I wonder if he will finally accept that the Democrats have been the party of oppression of blacks. Since we are on the subject of 2nd Amendment, the sad fact is that it was the Democratic Party in the South which created gun control in America for the first tiem in America’s history.

They invented gun control because the KKK night riders were getting shot, Gun control was invented so that freed slaves could be intimidated, abused, even hung without risk to those who wanted to oppress them.

In any case, welcome to America and the 2nd Amendment, Mr. West.

PS In home defense situations, #1 buckshot is more effective than 00 buckshot.

[stephenjohnbanker]

BUCK SHOT bump

[Stentor]

"I couldn't really see because I wear glasses, so I just shot because I had buck shots, and I know they would spread," West said.

Box O' Truth

That spread is generally overrated at home defense distances.

[rsobin]

My eyes are welling up.

[Last Dakotan]

'Somebody in your house right now. How asleep is you? They in your house right now," West's neighbor said.

Can somebody translate? I can't understand such Amish dialects.

[TChris]

That spread is generally overrated at home defense distances.

Yeah, but a shotgun makes a REALLY big hole at home defense distances!

[jimt]

His weird hairstyle doesn’t detract from his right to self defense.

I don’t like his glasses either. So what ?

[Krankor]

His weird hairstyle doesn’t detract from his right to self defense. I don’t like his glasses either. So what ?

Ummm....I just posted his picture. You made the comments about his appearance

[TangoLimaSierra]

The Shooter

That man should NOT stand by that particular door.

The Shooter