Bedridden homeowner shoots burglar who entered his room

The Tacoma News Tribune ^ | Published 12:01AM, June 3rd, 2003 | STACEY MULICK

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

As his back door was kicked in Monday afternoon, a South End homeowner - confined to his bed because of a disability - called 911 with one hand and grabbed his 9 mm Glock handgun with the other.

Within seconds, a burglar was in the bedroom and inching closer.

"He didn't stop coming toward me until he was looking down the barrel of a 9 mm," said the 64-year-old homeowner, who didn't want to be identified out of fear for his safety.

The burglar, disguising his face with a handkerchief, backed off several steps and called out to someone else.

"I thought he was going to take off, but he turned back around and he said, 'I'm going to get you,'" the homeowner said. "That's when I shot him."

Injured and bleeding, the burglar and his accomplice ran out of the house. Police had not found him late Monday.

Investigators have alerted area hospitals and clinics to be on the lookout for a man with a gunshot wound to the hip, Tacoma police spokesman Mark Fulghum said. The suspect is described as white, in his 20s and about 6 feet tall.

Officials suspect at least two men broke into the home on South 88th Street about 12:30 p.m. It appeared the homeowner fired his gun in self-defense, Fulghum said.

"He's bedridden, and a guy came around the corner and he felt threatened," Fulghum said.

The homeowner said he has kept a gun in his home for years for protection. He had not fired it outside of the range before Monday.

"I didn't shoot him to kill him," said the homeowner Monday evening as he lay on his side in bed. "I'm thoroughly convinced this guy would have killed me."

The homeowner said he first heard a loud noise behind the house shortly after his wife left to run errands. He thought she might be moving the garbage cans around.

"I never know what she's doing," he said.

Moments later, someone kicked in the back door. The homeowner grabbed the phone and dialed 911. As it rang, he searched for his gun. He called out.

"Is that you?" he said, asking for his wife.

A man's voice responded. Then the man entered the room and moved toward the homeowner.

"He came at me like he was going to choke me," the homeowner said.

He fired a single shot.

"I didn't say a word," the homeowner said. "If he'd grabbed a gun, it would have been me."

A 911 dispatcher answered the homeowner's call moments after the shooting. The dispatcher called the man's wife and told her to come home.

"He thought he had a helpless victim," the homeowner said of the man he shot. "All of a sudden he realized he wasn't in charge any more."

Stacey Mulick: 253-597-8268 stacey.mulick@mail.tribnet.com

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

The other article on this story was a TV news piece

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

This was just updated in a TV story that said the shot criminal died 12 hours later. I didn't hear if he ever made it to a hospital.

[kevao]

The burgler will now probably sue this man.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Notice the 911 dispatcher answered the phone call, AFTER the victim had to shoot to LIVE.

which freeper is the one who always posts the "dial 911 and die" stuff?

I think this is what the GLOCK co. means by safe action, not that cop that shot himself in the ass the other day adjusting his holster in the Toys are Us parking lot.

[Arkie2]

Glad to hear it. When I read the story I was afraid the poor guy ( homeowner ) made a mistake by not finishing the guy off thereby leaving himself open to the inevitable lawsuit.

[Bigg Red]

Good for the homeowner!

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

They just said on the TV that the perp died 12 hours later.

What's the line in the Toby and Willie song? Send a few of them to their maker, that'll settle them down.

[WoofDog123]

""I didn't shoot him to kill him," said the homeowner Monday evening as he lay on his side in bed. "I'm thoroughly convinced this guy would have killed me." "

Why bother to shoot at all? A wounded enemy is still a potential threat, and certainly a future litigation hazard. Is this place one of those weird states where you have duty to retreat, or criminals' right to live, or something like that?

[Kenton]

He fired a single shot.

"I didn't say a word," the homeowner said. "If he'd grabbed a gun, it would have been me."

That's why Glock was nice enough to provide you with a gun that holds more than one shot. So you can keep shooting him until he isn't able to grab the gun away from you.

[RW_Whacko]

"A 911 dispatcher answered the homeowner's call moments after the shooting. The dispatcher called the man's wife and told her to come home."

This is why we have the 2nd Amendment, "after" usually means dead, unarmed, victim.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

No duty to reteat in this state anywhere anytime, as long as "a reasonable person would have done the same thing".

He is smart to say he didn't shoot to kill because there is a chance some scumdog lawyer will convince the dead vermin's family to sue.

You always say "I shot to live" not I shot to kill.

You can admit you used deadly force but it was to save your life, not take his.

That's just the legal world we are all living in.

Unless you in Texas of course.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I think he meant that if that guy had a gun when he entered the house he would have shot the homeowner.

Thank God the stupid ass CEASEFIRE folks haven't gotten their "safe storage" law passed the last 5 years.

[Squantos]

Agree....911 sucks pond water but a 1911 leaves sucking chest wounds !

Funny part of this was I never know what she's doing.......:o)Stay Safe !!

[Uncle Miltie]

Well a man come on the 6 o’clock news
Said somebody’s been shot, somebody’s been abused
Somebody blew up a building
Somebody stole a car
Somebody got away
Somebody didn’t get too far yeah
They didn’t get too far

Grandpappy told my pappy, back in my day, son
A man had to answer for the wicked that he done
Take all the rope in Texas
Find a tall oak tree, round up all of them bad boys
Hang them high in the street for all the people to see that

Justice is the one thing you should always find
You got to saddle up your boys
You got to draw a hard line
When the gun smoke settles we’ll sing a victory tune
We’ll all meet back at the local saloon
We’ll raise up our glasses against evil forces
Singing whiskey for my men, beer for my horses

We got too many gangsters doing dirty deeds
We’ve got too much corruption, too much crime in the streets
It’s time the long arm of the law put a few more in the ground
Send ’em all to their maker and he’ll settle ’em down
You can bet he’ll set ’em down ’cause

Justice is the one thing you should always find
You got to saddle up your boys
You got to draw a hard line
When the gun smoke settles we’ll sing a victory tune
We’ll all meet back at the local saloon
We’ll raise up our glasses against evil forces
Singing whiskey for my men, beer for my horses

Justice is the one thing you should always find
You got to saddle up your boys
You got to draw a hard line
When the gun smoke settles we’ll sing a victory tune
We’ll all meet back at the local saloon
We’ll raise up our glasses against evil forces
Singing whiskey for my men, beer for my horses

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Attencion por favor

[Slings and Arrows]

"G-d made Man, but Col. Colt [and Gaston Glock] made him equal."

B.A.S.S. BUMP!

[joesnuffy]

The infirmed ,the disabled, the single mom, the elderely...are easy prey to young gang bangers and thugs looking for an easy score...

The handgun is the only means whereby these potential victims can defend themselves their loved ones and their property..

It amazes me how the hollywood thugs and media thugs and govt thugs seek to disarm decent citizens in need of protection.......

God bless this man for being armed and willing to protect his wife and his own life...by firing on one of these thugs

The good citizens of his town including the police and mayor should give him a medal..unless he wishes to remain as anonymous as possible...

[Lee Heggy]

Police officer told me after we had a break in that if you're confronted and armed, shoot and keep shooting until the magazine is empty and the perp is down. The bad thing about shooting bullets is that they can go through walls and cause unintentional death or wounds to others. Shotguns are best for home protection.

[Kenton]

Shotguns are best for home protection.

Personally, I prefer a swivel gun loaded with a whiff o' grape. Hard to find a good source of grapeshot these days, tho.... ;)

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

The good citizens of his town including the police and mayor should give him a medal..unless he wishes to remain as anonymous as possible..

The Police Chief is busy. He shot and killed his wife and them himself two weeks ago in front of his kids. The Mayor is busy because he hired the Police Chief (now deceased) after he knew that the Chief was accused of raping a civilian worker, a childhood friend and fellow officer of the (eventual) Chief turned him in after he admitted he did it.

The Prosecutor's office is busy because they nixed taking his badge and shield the day before the murder suicide against the P.D.'s recomendation because of domestic violence charges.

Of course the P.D. never sent a memo on paper it appears because the Pros. office denies that they ever received the recomendation.

Welcome to Tacoma, The City of Destiny.