Posted on 12/17/2009 4:58:55 PM PST by Red in Blue PA
A southwestern Illinois man claims he shot in self defense when a 17-year-old gang-banger attempted to break into the home where he was staying Tuesday night.
Law officers, however, tell another story. They say the 38-year-old shooter fired at the teen from a distance of 75 to 100 feet away. And -- they say -- the teen wasn't trying to break into the house. He was shot while spray painting graffiti on the garage in the backyard.
The incident occurred unincorporated Collinsville just down the street from the Fairmount Park race track. The teen was found a few blocks away near the intersection of Collinsville Road and Black Lane and rushed to a St. Louis hospital with a wound to his chest and back.
According to the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department, the teen is a member of the Latin King street gang and a resident of St. Louis who's known to frequent St. Clair County. The sheriff's department says the teen purchased three cans of spray paint earlier that day in Collinsville. He's currently listed in stable condition at the hospital.
Sheriff deputies have arrested the 38-year-old man who fired the shot on charges of aggravated battery with a firearm. They say he is not the owner of the residence, but rather friend of the homeowner who was staying at the home.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.riverfronttimes.com ...
Pathetic.
IMO, it should be open season on any gang member involved in gang activity.
The guy was shot for taking out the trash
Meant to say:
The guy was Arrested taking out the trash
And the problem with shooting a tagger is?
That’s one way of looking at it. Another way would be to say he was arrested for being stupid. when you shoot from that distance, it’s kinda hard to claim self defense afterwards.
ON THE INTERNET - LATIN KINGS (Gang):
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/latinkings/index
Another case of the police aiding and abetting criminal activity. Shame on all of them for siding with the useless human waste gangbanger instead of someone who really did not want to be bothered with graffiti cleanup.
When I lived out in the country, I came to the conclusion that I should be able to shoot poachers. Didn’t act on it, though.
Surely, he heard the banging on the door first and that’s when he got his gun and went outside.
It was only one.
Silencers are your friend.
Further indications would be that the bullet didn't properly expand and expend it's energy. He needs to accept recommendations from his local gun shop for different ammunition for that caliber.
Vandalism is not a capital offense.........
LOL—So friendly, in fact, that they will give you a free ticket to federal prison.
> And the problem with shooting a tagger is?
This year in New Zealand a homeowner chased, stabbed and killed a tagger for tagging his property in South Auckland. The homeowner went to gaol.
The case split public opinion neatly in two.
Gangs are a cancer on this nation. Until people wake up to this fact and ACCEPT things like this shooting (meaning no jail), the problem will only get worse.
What real disincentive do gang members have in this country to partake in their activities?
NOT GUILTY!
And the problem with shooting a tagger is?
Vandalism is not a capital offense.........
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Yes, but a gang-banger getting shot while commiting a crime should simply be looked at as an occupational hazard.
Nothing to see here. Move along.
> Vandalism is not a capital offense.........
Spot on!
I think it is cases like this that give Armed Homeowners a hard rap for Credibility. Nobody ought to die for vandalism, and it can’t be seriously argued that they should.
Vandalism should be punished by hard labor. Lots of it. A few years on a chain gang cleaning up graffiti and vandalism should do the trick nicely.
In this case the right move would have been for the homeowner’s friend to hold the perp at gunpoint for the cops and, if local laws permit, perform a citizen’s arrest. Then, if the perp counter-attacked, that’s a different matter — self-defense comes into play. If counter-attacked with a weapon, all bets are off, fill him full of lead.
I expect the jury to bring in a Guilty Verdict for murder, and for the Judge to impose a fairly lengthy sentence of imprisonment.
Which is how it should be.
murder == aggravated battery with a firearm or attempted murder. The scroat didn’t die.
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