Break and Enter

[whip_it_out]

At around 6 am, a friend (he lives very close to me, but I'm not that good friends with him) is shot.
At the bus stop this morning, it's all we knew. The police wouldn't tell us anything, but we knew it was bad.

I now learned that he broke into a house across the street from mine, and the house owner shot him in the lower abdonminal, out of self defense of course. The kid "disappeared" out of the house, ran home, and told his parents he was shot in a drive by, and the parents called 911.

He is out of intensive care now, and will be fine, but probably won't be back to school the rest of the year because of recovery, and going to S.O.R.E or juvy.

It's so weird because we live in a really quiet neighborhood that nothing bad happens in, ever. And I wonder why a kid broke into the man's house. The homeowner is heartbroken because he shot a kid, but there wasn't much to do because it was dark and it was self defense.

[st0wgolf08]

Ouch, sounds like a lose lose situation for all parties involved.

[Q.Q.Quillume]

...and going to S.O.R.E or juvy...

What does S.O.R.E. mean? I searched acronym attic for S.O.R.E. and didn't come up with anything that seemed to fit the circumstances.

[EquipmentJunkie]

From a law enforcement perspective, it's a good shoot. As for the "good neighborhood" sentiment. I have found that many suburban quiet neighborhoods are primed for meth and other drug use, could this have come into play? Or perhaps mental illness?

[Laxplayer201092]

ya, if your gonna rob a house, your gonna rob someone whose rich, not some one who lives in the ghetto..thats where drive by's happen..duhh.

But really, it doesnt matter he was a kid, if someones in your house, your gonna shoot him, its that simple, he could be 12, he could be 60, is he armed? you cant know, a gun is a gun, it doesnt matter who holds it.

Good shoot either way, My science teacher shot and killed a man who broke into his house last year, one of the coolest teachers ive ever had.

Sorry for your loss, but if you play stupid games, you win stupid prises.

[Ben]

As for the "good neighborhood" sentiment. I have found that many suburban quiet neighborhoods are primed for meth and other drug use, could this have come into play? Or perhaps mental illness?

Yeah, good quite neighborhoods don't really hold up. I was raised in one, and created an assload of trouble for my dad to deal with. My dad is a saint.

[whip_it_out]

Yeah, good quite neighborhoods don't really hold up. I was raised in one, and created an assload of trouble for my dad to deal with. My dad is a saint.

Well, I've heard of one murder in our area (within 15 miles) in the past 4 or so years. A lot of drug use in our area, but its more in the rich half of the town, not where we are. So it's just weird.

And I think he was doing it just to be "cool".

[Fat Slice]

Well, I've heard of one murder in our area (within 15 miles) in the past 4 or so years.

Here's my neighborhood:

http://www.sfgate.com/maps/oaklandhomicides/

[Alexander]

Here's my neighborhood:

Oakland can be pretty scary! I've got family in Alameda and travel to San Francisco on business a couple of times a month and it seems murders in the East Bay aren't big news and haven't been for some time.

[Dent]

My city currently is

#1 in Murders
#1 in Car Thefts
#2 In Robberys
#1 in Overall crime

In Canada.

[michaeljames92]

These are the sort of stories which easily happen when anyone can own a gun. In aussie land, to own a gun you need a permit, and there are many people trying to change the laws so anyone can own a gun. However, the government knows if they change the laws it would do more harm than good. These stories are just examples of this.

[Laxplayer201092]

Michael, take a look in the gun thread, its a proven statistic that when people own guns, crime goes down. DC has a very high crime rate, and guess what you cant own there either? Guns are not the issue.

Brian.

[EquipmentJunkie]

These are the sort of stories which easily happen when anyone can own a gun. In aussie land, to own a gun you need a permit, and there are many people trying to change the laws so anyone can own a gun. However, the government knows if they change the laws it would do more harm than good. These stories are just examples of this.

I am actually for stricter gun laws but this story is not a good case for that, if anything this story show proper personal firearm use. It is a justified shooting.

[michaeljames92]

My point is that if you change laws when people already own guns, it gets worse. however, if you couldn't by guns to start off with the laws actually works. If you look at the number of gun related crimes in australia, you won't come up with much.

[EquipmentJunkie]

My point is that if you change laws when people already own guns, it gets worse. however, if you couldn't by guns to start off with the laws actually works. If you look at the number of gun related crimes in australia, you won't come up with much.

Well since the discussion is about the United States and no Australia that point of view is pretty irrelevant.

[michaeljames92]

Actually if you read my post, I was saying that making stricter gun laws won't make much difference in the US because people already own guns. But I don't care because I don't have to worry about getting killed in a shooting which would more than likely happen in the US than Australia. My opinion: no guns = safer community

[misty_mountainhop]

Michael, take a look in the gun thread, its a proven statistic that when people own guns, crime goes down. DC has a very high crime rate, and guess what you cant own there either? Guns are not the issue.

So the high DC crime rate does not involve guns, legally held or otherwise?

I am actually for stricter gun laws but this story is not a good case for that, if anything this story show proper personal firearm use. It is a justified shooting.

I hope you said "It is a justified shooting" in the appropriate RoboCop voice?

My opinion: no guns = safer community

Indeed, but you'll struggle to convince here.

Crim breaks in with no weapons; homeowner gets a baseball bat Crim knows owner has a bat, so breaks in with knife; homeowner gets handgun Crim knows owner has handgun, so breaks in with handgun; homeowner gets 12 gauge/assault weapon/Mach-10/Uzi Crim knows owner is seriously tooled, so breaks in with similar (would be worse but struggles to get hold of bazooka or equivalent); all Hell breaks loose. On subject of community safety, I had to raise my eyebrows at this recent incident: http://www.theitem.com/apps/pbcs.dll...90/0/FRONTPAGE

[Laxplayer201092]

So the high DC crime rate does not involve guns, legally held or otherwise?

Im pretty sure thats a razor blade.. =P