In case you missed this

[LCHIEN]

I find Lorings comments a bit naive. There is a lot I wouldn't expect the paper to go into. For one, the police would be investigating and shouldn't be releasing their results to a newspaper (finding out his intentions). For another, I would expect a lawyer, or a friendly cop would tell her not to answer access questions. (whether she told the daughter where key or combination access was, etc), let alone training. She could also be under, required investigation for child endangerment/neglect, for leaving the child at home, even if some single parent families, have no real choice when having a sick kid.

This is just off the top of my head and doesn't bring up how my fathers generation, there was more access to things (dad was blowing up rock and stumps with dynamite at 5, at parental orders), or other reasons a firearm may have been in homes.

I'm not claiming the paper should have told us these things, altho it would be nice. I'm simply pointing out that these are things we don't know , however, so its hard to make a complete judgement.

[sweensdv]

I don't think its hard at all to form an opinion or judgement about this particular incident. Guy commits a criminal act by breaking into home, guy gets shot by a resident of said house while inside that house, guy is in the wrong and the resident is in the right.

What is hard to understand is that more than likely this felon will be back out on the street in far to short a period of time. The thing is that he will probably serve a very small amount of jail time for burglary but not on single minute for traumatizing that little girl. She will be a victim twice!

[Black wallnut]

I feel sorry for the victim here. Her actions IMHO prevented a horrible circumstance from getting worse. Because the dirtbag perp choose ther house now they may also have to put up with more invasions on the part of the LEA and possibly the perps civil attorney. That is all I am going to say so as to keep this thread within the bounds.

[jackellis]

When we moved in together nearly 30 years ago, my (now) wife and I discussed keeping a handgun in our bedroom for protection against burglars. Both of us traveled a lot and we'd often come home late at night. I'd had an apartment broken into in Atlanta while I was away (nothing stolen, the perp was apparently looking for female "companionship") a few years earlier and was still spooked by the whole thing.

We quickly decided that loaded gun would be a bigger danger to whichever one of us walked in late at night. The only string of burglaries in the 23 years we lived in that neighborhood occurred a few years before we moved up here, and by that time at least one of us was always home and the windows had all been replaced with dual glazing, which is harder to break.

The only real burglary threat we have up here is bears. They typically stay away from inhabited homes and we're heavily discouraged from shooting them in any event. they can also be kept away by "marking territory", which has become one of my household chores.

[TB Roye]

A little to the left and there wouldn't be a tax payer problem either. Probably better this way, would have been to much trama for the young lady to have fired a fatal shot.

Tom

[jseklund]

Honestly, I have been thinking of getting byself a concealed carry permit. In MA you are required to conceal any firearm and have a concealed carry permit. One of my big concerns is that of responsible storage - when I have the gun with me, I am in control. When I leave it at home, it needs to be secure...which is a cost many gun owners overlook. People don't do good things with stolen guns.

I'm glad this case turned out the way it did. A responsible gun user is responsible regardless of age. She called for help and took the steps she needed to defend herself in her home. She is a good citizen in my book.

[chopnhack]

jseklund, they make many small safes that you can bolt to your home all the way up to vaults. Some are concealable. IMHO, its the only safe way to store your weapon when not in your personal possession.

[cabinetman]

jseklund, they make many small safes that you can bolt to your home all the way up to vaults. Some are concealable. IMHO, its the only safe way to store your weapon when not in your personal possession.

Some of those home security "safes" would be a PITA to access in a rush.

.

[chopnhack]

True, but they also make quick access safe if you only intend to keep your firearm in that safe overnight while sleeping. Some are fingerprint with backup comboination lock, etc.