A man in Houston shot and killed two thieves. Justifiable?

Question

A man called 911 and informed the operator that his neighbors house was being burglarized. He informed the police he had a weapon and might use it. He then told police they were leaving with a bag of loot and went outside to confront them. On the police tape you can clearly hear the man tell them to stop. Then you hear the gun go off. The police where were they when all of this was going on? They show up later and make a statement that this incident will go to the Texas grand jury. What will that outcome be? The police operator said no property is worth shooting anyone over. do you agree or disagree? All responses welcome. I want to hear the Christian,the Muslim and the Jewish response as well as anyone else.

Answer 1

Deadly force may be used to stop a felony. It may ALSO be used to stop felons from fleeing the scene of a (felony) crime.

"no property is worth shooting anyone over"? I'd have to disagree. This statement gives a thief license to come and steal. THAT'S not acceptable.

EDIT: NOT an "urban legend". This happened a couple of days ago in Pasadena (close to Houston). I live in Houston. Link to Channel 2 news article below.

(begin quote)
Police said the armed neighbor then went next door and tried to get the burglars to stop.

When they tried to run, investigators said the neighbor fired two shots.

Both burglary suspects were killed.

"At least one of the two suspects was carrying some property which was dropped in the front yard of the residence that was being burglarized," Corbett said.

Police said the burglary suspects were wearing matching gray work clothes, possibly a uniform.

They have not yet determined if the men were armed.

Residents said they believe their neighbor did the right thing.

"We stand behind the man for protecting his neighbors and his own home," neighbor Lauren Malone said.

"It's important to note that the neighbor isn't in the same position as the homeowner," KPRC Local 2 legal analyst Brian Wice said. "The neighbor does not have the same right to use deadly force."

Wice said he does not believe charges are likely.

The case may be referred to a grand jury for possible charges.
(end quote)

Answer 2

This has been a problem for many years. The victim or bystanders (neighbors) actually become the criminals, and the criminals become the victims. It is sheer nonsense.
Many states recently passed laws protecting the home or car owner from prosecution in such cases. In my state I have to legal right to shoot, with intent to kill, anyone who attempts to enter my property, even automobile. Even if it turns out to be a mistake, and the intruder was just lost or disoriented. The state protects the homeowner from prosecution. By law, we can shoot first, and ask questions later.
Texas may have this law. As far as a neighbor doing this on someone elses property-that may be debatable.
If the neighbor can be prosecuted in this case-then the police should be held responsible-because they were not doing their job.

Answer 3

This is a Texan response, not necessarily a Christian one...when a Texan tells you to stop, you better do what he says! Because it was not his house being robbed, he may get charged. If the theives had weapons though, he will get off on self defense. I don't believe that any property is worth dying for or killing to protect. I would have shot them in the leg and held them at gun point until the police arrived. I would not have just let them go because they would then know where I lived and that I was a witness, and I would fear for the lives and safety of my family.

Answer 4

cops can kill suspects holding wallets,unarmed and running away. why are citizens held to a different standard. they say policeman are trained, but some of what i see is billy bob's uncle is the sheriff and after six weeks of training his nephew is a cop. my degree took a lot longer than that to get employment. it you ever have been burglarized, cars stolen if feels like you've been totally violated. when the cops investigate your burglary and tell you to go check the pawn shops to find your belongings( isn't that their job?), you lose faith in them.those guys won't be coming back for his stuff next time.too bad criminals, the cops were too slow and shoot they might have killed the burglars themselves. felons get what's coming. rednecks don't play. it's not like the guy didn't try the cops first.

Answer 5

This is truly a "gray area". I don't think they have passed the no retreat law in Texas yet...the standard is that you don't enter an area of risk or pursue someone fleeing.

However, the man is in my own mind at least somewhat justified--he tried to call the police to take care of it. He had no way of knowing that they thieves weren't coming to his house next. Once he was in their sight or they realized he had witnessed their crime, he would certainly have been a target for their retaliation. The grand jury in Texas will most likely no-bill unless the race card gets played somehow (I don't know the race of the shooter or the burglars, just thinking out loud here.) If they turn this into Jena 6 II Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, et al will make it somehow a "hate crime"!

Answer 6

It may be helpful if you linked to an actual news report which may contain more accurate details of the incident. (Not trying to say you are inaccurate or that the media is necessarily more accurate.)

But morally it is clear. If someone is a threat to someone's life, then one is morally obligated to stop them, even to the extent of using lethal force. This can conceivably happen during a robbery as well. If this was the case, then what the person did was correct. Otherwise, no.

Answer 7

If it's not his property and no one's life was in danger, it's a tough call but he may be punished for it. But I'm curious about your question.... "The police, where were they when all of this was going on?" Exactly where should they have been? The shooter was on the phone with 911 when it happened, it's not like the police just materialize out of thin air when someone calls for them. Or were they supposed to have psychic abilities and just know that something was going to happen there so they could be there first to prevent it? I don't understand people's logic sometimes. I'm in the fire department and I have to say I get sick of people saying "My son was shot, where the hell were you?!" I'm sorry, I guess I left my crystal ball at home and didn't realize ahead of time that I needed to be standing by when your son got popped!

Answer 8

I'm from Houston and also a Christian ... that man is going to jail, probably for the rest of his life.

Here in Texas you cannot shoot someone over property (athough an old law says you can hang someone who steals your horse lol). You cannot shoot anyone unless 1) they intend to harm you physically, then you can respond in like kind, and 2) they are in YOUR house.

A guy down the street from me shot and killed a man who was breaking into his home. He was down the street at the store and his wife called him, screaming that a man was going from window to window trying to break in. They had a toddler and a newborn kid too. So he ran home and found the guy had broken out the front pane of the window in his door and was reaching in to undo the lock. The homeowner shot the man. He went to jail because the man wasn't technically in the house.

Another man in my mom's neighborhood shot a man who was after his daughter. The man was two feet into the house and the father shot him. He didn't go to jail because the man was in the house.

This man will go to jail; he did the wrong thing, he shot and killed someone over property.

Answer 9

It was cold blooded MURDER!
I heard the 911 tape,and the guy seemed a little too eager to leave the safety of his home to go outside and shoot the suspects. He was repeatedly warned not to go out or to shoot anyone! He was NOT in any immediate danger. The victims were unarmed and not threatening anyone. Oh yeah they were black and he is a fat white guy! I'm sure at least one of the victims will be found to be shot in the back!

Answer 10

No he should not be prosecuted. He was personally approached by two big men after breaking windows in his neighbors home. Definitely up to no good. The fact that they were illegals is just the icing on the cake. We all could use caring neighbors who look out for our interests and safety.