I don’t see the confusion. Rivers, no doubt under the influence of some chemical, tried to gain access to the interior of the homeowner’s dwelling. He failed to do so, and began destroying exterior furniture and trying to use the furniture to break a window and gain entry. He wasn’t dissuaded from this until he got shot, whereupon he decided to try next door.
Sounds like a combination of a methhead and their odd fixation on repetitive movements or tasks, and a homeowner that was terrified out of his mind. It’s one thing to shoot on a well lit range, where the target isn’t moving and trying to hurt you. It’s another to shoot at someone in probably poor light, when you weren’t expecting to have to use a gun that day, when the target is obscured and moving, and pounding on your house.
Cops miss all the time, and they’re supposed to be somewhat prepared for this sort of thing. I think the homeowner did all right, at least from the limited facts we’re given.
I’m sure the homeowner was very frightened. Home invasions are the reason I keep guns in three rooms of my house. There’s not much time to respond when someone is trying to kick in a door or window.
Do what you want, but if you aren’t foreign (often deal in cash, won’t usually go to the cops) or involved in crime, home invasions are spectacularly rare. Like, make sure your lightning protection is up to date before stashing guns in every room of the house.
Further, have some means of slowing people down that want to enter your home. Gates, fences, hedges under windows. Pets that will alert on the presence of a stranger. You could go full Ducati and have proximity alarms on the driveway. All of this is to buy time to alert you to deal with this new person seeking to enter your home.
From last month in Duffield, Virginia, a man forced his way into an apartment (whose resident is described by local law enforcement as “really badly handicapped”). The homeowner shot and wounded the intruder, who is now in custody. The shooter will likely face no charges.
From a couple of weeks ago in Burlington, North Carolina, a man used an axe to try to break down the door of a house one Sunday morning. The axe-wielding would-be burglar fled upon being confronted by the homeowner, who was wielding a shotgun. The suspected axe burglar was subsequently arrested.
From last week in Belle Mina, Alabama, authorities say a fatal shooting appears to have been in self-defense: A local man reportedly attacked the resident of a home when that man came home after midnight and discovered an intruder inside the home; the resident then fatally shot the intruder.
From a couple of weeks ago in Taylors, SC, a man forced his way into a woman’s home, grabbed her by the neck, and threw her to the ground. When the woman drew a pistol, the man fled (and is apparently still at large as of last report).
From a couple of weeks ago in Benton Township, Michigan, two masked men, at least one of whom was armed with a handgun, forced their way into an apartment on a weekday night. They threatened the people in the front room of the apartment (including two adult men, one adult woman, and three children) but the renter of the apartment, who was in a back bedroom, confronted the intruders after arming himself with a rifle. In the ensuing shootout one of the would-be home invaders was fatally wounded; although the attackers reportedly returned fire, none of the occupants of the apartment were injured. The second perpetrator fled, and it does not appear that any arrests have been made.
From a few days ago in Chicago, two men, at least one of whom was armed with a handgun, attempted to rob a man outside a Chicago business on Sunday afternoon. The victim of the attempted robbery, who has a concealed carry license, drew his own handgun and opened fire; one of the would-be robbers was apparently hit and wounded.
(That article also details another armed robbery from that same day–the two robberies don’t necessarily seem to be related–but which is worth mentioning because the victim in that crime reportedly complied with the robbers’ demands and handed over his property. One of his attackers shot him in the neck anyway, and the victim in that case is now in critical condition at a Chicago hospital.)
From last week in Ellenwood, Georgia, a delivery truck driver stumbled onto an armed robbery at a local fast food restaurant; after seeing employees running out the back door and hearing a woman screaming for help, the driver got his gun from his truck and went inside the restaurant, where he shot and wounded the would-be robber. The wounded man fled and was later arrested.
From last week in Chicago, a bystander witnessed two men arguing aboard a CTA train, with one of the men then punching and kicking the other and taking some of the other man’s personal items. The bystander, who has an Illinois concealed carry license, then drew his handgun and held the apparent aggressor until police arrived.
The man who was held at gunpoint was still in custody pending charges as of that report. Interestingly enough, although it is illegal to carry on public transit in Illinois (even with a valid permit), the police reportedly released the CCL holder without criminal charges.
First thought I had when I read your story. I wouldn’t have gotten involved were I the CHL holder.
Stunned they’re not charging him.
Over/under on the time before robber’s back on the street? I’ll bet a few days at most, with eventual disposition of the case resulting in less than two year’s prison time.
From a week ago in Moore, OK, three men reportedly stole a bunch of stuff from a local Best Buy. A bystander observed two of the men fleeing the store, while the third would-be thief was tackled at the door by store employees. The other two thieves then got in their car and drove at the employees. The bystander reportedly “believed they missed, then reversed, and it looked like they were going to charge again”; the bystander (who has a concealed carry permit) then drew his weapon and pointed it at the driver, who then stopped and drove away. The man who had been tackled is apparently in police custody, while the police reportedly have an idea of who the other two men are and are attempting to bring them in.
From last week from CNN, in Philadelphia a man with a gun confronted a delivery truck driver and not only robbed the driver but also shot and wounded him. However, the driver was also armed and returned fire, killing the armed robber.
From yesterdayin Las Vegas, a man reportedly broke into a house in the middle of the day (a Saturday). The woman who owns the house confronted the man with a handgun; then, when he allegedly lunged at her, she shot and fatally wounded him. Police are still investigating but the shooting appears to have been in self-defense.
From the news article: “A gunman walked in to a North Texas church and opened fire Sunday morning, killing one person and critically wounding another before being fatally shot by parishioners, authorities said.”