- NEW!
by George Dufferin on November 27th, 2007
Here's the story -- it's out of Texas. Note that the burglars were unarmed. This man is a hero???
Neighbor who shot potential burglars 'petrified' POLL
04:51 PM CST on Friday, November 16, 2007
KHOU.com staff report
11 News reporter Kevin Reece talks to the shooter and his attorney
The Pasadena homeowner who gunned down two alleged burglars Wednesday told 11 News that he is "petrified."
Police released the 911 call from Wednesday’s fatal shooting of two suspected robbers who he claims were ripping off his neighbor.
In the recording the man, who we are only referring to as Joe, opened fire when he confronted two men who thought was breaking into a neighbor’s home.
The dramatic call to police has the unidentified shooter telling the Pasadena police dispatcher, “I won’t let them get away with this.”
Soon after you can hear the distinct sound of the cocking of a shotgun and repeated shots being fired.
The call started off calmly enough.
"(There are) burglars breaking into a house next door," the caller is heard on the 911 tape telling a police dispatcher.
Pasadena resident reportedly shoots suspected thieves
Should the Pasadena man who shot two alleged thieves be prosecuted?
Yes, he broke the law when he shot the men.
No, he did the right thing.
I don't know.
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"I've got a shotgun do you want me to stop 'em?" The dispatcher was quick to respond.
"Nope don't do that. Ain't no property worth shooting somebody over OK?," the Pasadena dispatcher said as he called out officers to the scene.
But the caller, whose name 11 News is withholding because police said they fear for his safety, grows antsy and decides to take matters into his own hands.
"I'll be honest with you I'm not gonna let 'em go I'm not gonna let them get away with this (expletive)," he tells the dispatcher.
Then a short time later: "I can’t take a chance on getting killed over this. I’m gonna shoot. I’m gonna shoot."
That's when the police dispatcher makes an urgent call to officers.
"This guy's got a shotgun if we don't get there he's gonna shoot their asses," the dispatcher radios to responding officers.
Too late.
On the 911 tape the distinct sound of a shotgun pumping and then a shot, then again and 10 seconds later one more shot. Three shots in all can be heard on the recording.
"The last thing Joe intended, knowing him the way I do, was to get in a violent confrontation with these people," said attorney Tom Lambright, who is representing the man who fired the fatal shots. Lambright said his client, a good friend, didn't want to kill anyone.
But the confrontation was violent. And it was fatal. Both of the unarmed men who were supposedly burglarizing the man's neighbor were shot dead.
The shooting may become a test of the state law that allows someone to use deadly force to protect one’s property. But does that right extend to protecting the property of your neighbors?
"They were bad guys, they were doing a bad thing. But the penalty for that is not to be shot," said 11 News legal expert Gerald Treece. "The penalty for that is not the death penalty. That's what I'm saying. If law enforcement officials had shown up and done exactly the same thing these law enforcement officials would also have trouble
by Sally-The Redhead on November 27th, 2007
This is just plain wrong. the shooter wasn't doing the right thing, he was using the incident as an excuse to shoot someone. I hope he doesn't get away it.
by Stronghart on November 27th, 2007
O, man, this sounds so good--but it is really very bad. Vigilante justice is primitive justice.
It's what is keeping the Middle East in ferment--even before we got there. Old school makes the point about errors, and when we had lynchings there were plenty of cases of the wrong man being hung...in fact, even today, we make plenty of mistakes in our relatively sophisticated criminal justice system.
The shooter had no legal right to shoot someone not endangering his life--
He should be arrested forr this.
by Old School on November 27th, 2007
I'd be *very* upset if said neighbor shot my friend who forgot his/her key to my house and was trying to sneak in through the window he/she knew that I left unlocked.
The problem with vigilante justice is that people assume that they have precise knowledge of a situation in circumstances where precise knowledge is almost impossible to attain.
by LJAllen on November 27th, 2007
He wasn't "helping" his neighbor. He was killing un-armed men. We don't do that in America..
by anglrckx on November 28th, 2007
I would love to have this person as my neighbor and you should not be breaking into other peoples houses. protecting yourself and your neighbors is not the crime, burglary is. and yes i think crime would decrease.
by Anonymous on November 27th, 2007
I only have one problem, with the hero. its called civil liability.
You cannot shoot a burglar, in a property crime, unless the burglar presents a direct threat to someone. in other words, the burglar must be armed with a weapon or present a major threat to another human, before deadly force can be used.
I expect a lawsuit out of this situation.
by Malevolence on November 28th, 2007
I would prefer if my neighbor just called the police.
by BrokeDog on November 28th, 2007
Where I live, you can only use "deadly force" if the burglars were breaking into YOUR home, or if they threatened you with violence, (for example, one burglar sees the neighbor on his porch and says "if you say a word we WILL come over, or come back and kill you".
Unless that guy was in fear for his life, (which it doesn't sound like he was), then he will probably be arrested.
by Bitto on November 28th, 2007
Killing them was unnecessary, he could've aimed at their balls!
by Jade on November 28th, 2007
It reminds me of the times I have forgotten my keys and had to climb in my window. No, I would not like to have this person as a neighbor. A neighbor who would call the police and wait for them to do something would be my preference. Sidenote: Why didn't he just shoot up in the air to scare them, or hold the gun on them to make them stay till the cops got there. Shooting them is unacceptable.
by Lady Alathia of Vulcan on November 28th, 2007
Self-righteous redneck bastard.
Sounds like something my family would do.
Look... if they want the TV, let them take the f*king TV. It's NOT that damned important. They were unarmed, and didn't get so much as a warning shot.
I'm all against scaring them off if you want. THAT is protecting your neighbor. But taking someone's life for the sake of a little fame? This guy needs to be jailed.
by Chaysgirl24 on November 28th, 2007
I think that was some good looking out...I'd like to have him as my neighbor!
by Amorphous Blob on November 28th, 2007
You ARE allowed to help, but usually the only good way to help is to call police. You aren't allowed to shoot unarmed burglers. Even a law like "you can shoot people breaking into your neighbor's house if they're armed" would lead to a lot more innocent deaths than burgler deaths, due to mistakes and untrained people ready to fire guns. Besides, death isn't a fair punishment for burglarizing a house. Finally, a lot of homeowners don't wake up when their own house is broken into, so it'd only be by chance that their neighbors would notice anything.
by Paulski on May 11th, 2009
These are spineless, folks who will use any excuse to NOT defend their neighbors, I'm glad they are not my neighbors. Move to New York city were spinelessness is more acceptable. your a discredit to Texas Ps. check Texas and California death row info. sites and see how many 'brutal' murders are committed by these 'simple' burglars. Statistics show that an encounter with a home burglar is one of the most dangerous encounters you can have with a criminal. The man watched them break in and watched them leave with a sack of loot. That fact seems to be conveniently missing from this site. So is the fact that this elderly gentlemen has NO history of violence. And the most important fact that you have neglected to cite in your rants, he was acting within the law--called the castle law.. Paul Ski
A neighbors tree fell in my yard and hit my house, can I move the tree debris back onto their property to avoid the cost of removal? This is a Florida property.
by gatheringrm on June 27th, 2011
| 1 person likes this
what is the difference between buying real estate from a family member or non relative in new york state?
by Birdy_B on April 11th, 2011
| 1 person likes this
We have someone staying with us. Not the best situation. Came here with hardly any warning. We are giving him 3 nights and 3 nights only.
by michelleelise444 on September 12th, 2011
| 2 people like this
Should it be legal to kill a man for flirting with your wife, provided he's given fair warning in the form of the question "do you want to
by Have A Nice Day on August 15th, 2011
| 2 people like this
what can i do get back a washer/dryer that was "sold" to a neighbor, but never paid for? i dont have receipts
by Anonymous on July 9th, 2011
| 2 people like this
You're reading Did you hear about the neighbor who shot & killed burglers that were breaking into his neighbors home? Would you like to have him as your neighbor or do you think crime would decrease alot if we were allowed to help our neighbors in a situation like that
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Comments
ty I'm glad you found that, I remember reading about it but our papers didn't have all that. ty for the print.
by lizizhere on November 27th, 2007
Thanks for finding the whole story....You deserve triple points.
+
The neighbor is far from a hero--he's a self-righteous jerk. He just wanted a chance to shoot his shot-gun. Prosecute to fullest extent of the law --
by pathfinder on November 27th, 2007
sounds like it, especially after reading all of it.
by lizizhere on November 27th, 2007