Another heartwarming story about a senior citizen defending his life and property
It took one shot for an East Texas senior to put an end to a would-be robber's crime spree. The story began around 2am Monday morning at Southside Bank in Hawkins. The branch is located inside Brookshire's, right off Highway 14. That is where police say 19-year-old David McWhorter was spotted, first. We spoke to the homeowner whose one shot landed the alleged burglar in the ER. … One shot through the window was all it took. Our homeowner didn't mind an on camera interview, but asked his name not be released. He suffers from a hip injury and was sitting in his chair when the suspect broke into his screened porch.
It took one shot for an East Texas senior to put an end to a would-be robber's crime spree. The story began around 2am Monday morning at Southside Bank in Hawkins. The branch is located inside Brookshire's, right off Highway 14. That is where police say 19-year-old David McWhorter was spotted, first. We spoke to the homeowner whose one shot landed the alleged burglar in the ER.
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One shot through the window was all it took. Our homeowner didn't mind an on camera interview, but asked his name not be released. He suffers from a hip injury and was sitting in his chair when the suspect broke into his screened porch.
Good for him. Self defense is a right that many out there would love to see made as impossible to exercise as they can. A 19 year old is generally in much better shape physically than a 78 year old man with hip issues. Unfortunately for little David, a blast from even something as small as a .410 shot puts our hero on equal footing.
This gentleman gets it
"Everything I worked hard for all my life...no one's just going to come in here and take it if I can help it," said the homeowner.
Unfortunately, the government is definitely working on taking it nonetheless, but that's another post altogether.
Now, to someone who doesn't get it
"If you can't retreat, you have every right in the world to protect yourself," said Hawkins Police Lieutenant A.J. Randell.
Lt. Randell, you're an idiot, plain and simple. Under every circumstance, you have every right in the world to protect yourself. The concept of requiring retreat is a tacit admission that criminals somehow have the right to attack you. In your house, at the park, in a government building, at the local grocery store, it doesn't matter. Every man, woman, and child on this planet has a natural right to defend themselves that exists without preconditions.
When it comes to the house, once the sanctity of your domicile has been breached, deadly force is always warranted. This is why I detest no-knock entries. If a homeowner shoots a cop who barges in, the homeowner is morally in the clear. Very rarely do you have the luxury of discerning an invader's intent, but it is generally safe to assume that someone inside your house is there to do you harm.
There are those who claim you should retreat, even in your own home, as if an intruder who had no problems breaking into the house is suddenly going to stop when they run into a flimsy, inside door with the most basic of locks. Once inside your home, there is no logical place to run as it is. The concept of being required to at least attempt to get away is repulsive.
This is not to say you should always attack back. If I am at home by myself and there is a break-in, I would probably hole up in my room, call 911, and wait for the cops. The intruders may be armed as well, and to put my own life at risk when the tactical advantage would be to stay put in a defensible position doesn't make sense. I do have children that require my continued existence. However, if my family is there, all bets are off and my life is worth defending theirs.
In essence, the choice to retreat should be left up to me, not some jury being lead by the nose by a peckerwood prosecutor looking to score an easy 'win'. Anyone who considers retreat as your duty is immoral.