[beaversmom]

I don't think this guy should have fired his gun at a door knocker. What say you?

I agree with you.

"What is so important that you are defending that you need a gun?"

First off this is the most stupid comment in the whole article. With that, I would say that this guy was way in the wrong to shoot the boy. The boy was silly to be out ringing door bells at his age but he didn't deserve to die for it. If the boy had been inside his property that would have been a different matter but you don't just start shooting because of a late night knock at the door even if you think that the person is holding a weapon. I think the homeowner should have yelled out, "I've got a gun that I'm not afraid to use in one hand and a phone that I'm using to dial 911 in the other--get off my property now!" Then he could have called the police at that point.

Even though he was not too smart to do what he did, I do feel sorry for the homeowner as well as the boy's family.

[longtermmemmory]

the proximate cause of this whole stupidity is the boy. The boy caused this whole event. He is SOL. This should be for the civil suit too. If the family sues the man, I hope the man countersues the boys estate and parents (who have liability in fl) for an equal amount. In fact he should sue them anyways to recover the cost of any criminal defense bills he has to endure because of this kids stupidity.

[FairOpinion]

"The boy was silly to be out ringing door bells at his age but he didn't deserve to die for it."

===

As an earlier poster aptly pointed out: "jay walkers don't deserve to die for it, but sometimes they do".

The point is the "kid" (I am actually getting tired of that excuse -- a 16 year old should know better and Malvo was a a 17 year old "kid", when he committed his deliberate sniping murders) could have lived a long happy life, if he didn't go knocking on the door in the middle of the night. And if he just "knocked and ran", he would have been long gone, by the time the homeowner opened the door. He engaged in something that put his own life at risk, and he lost. He made a wrong choice. Lot of people die for making the wrong choice at the wrong time. It's too bad, but it's a fact of life.

[xusafflyer]

"I think the homeowner should have yelled out, "I've got a gun that I'm not afraid to use in one hand and a phone that I'm using to dial 911 in the other--get off my property now!"

You never do this. You just gave away your position if the burglar is armed. Your house walls will not stop the bullet coming towards you.