TX - CNN Reporting a Homeowner with a gun in a POSITIVE manner??

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It was on www.cnn.com, but it is an external link:

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa080214_lj_hawes.bfc57dff.html



[size="-1"]By CHRIS HAWES / WFAA-TV[/size]
Investigators say they were definitely going to rob him - possibly even kill him.
But an 80-year-old North Texan wasn't about to let that happen, so he took action.
One of the suspects is in the hospital and both are facing charges.
Two men obviously thought James Pickett, 80, was an easy target when they showed up at his home on Saturday with a knife.
"He just came through that door, stabbing and beating," said Pickett.
Captain Clint Pullin said it looked as though the men wanted to kill him.
But before you worry too much about Pickett, learn a bit more about him.
He's a WWII veteran, former firefighter and lifelong John Wayne devotee.
In short, even at 80, he is someone you just don't mess with.
What the men didn't know is Picket had taken a pistol and put it in his pocket before opening the door.
"He jumped and turned and I shot him," Picket said.
The two brothers, Paul and Holden Perry, ran but didn't get far before calling an ambulance.
A bullet just missed Paul Perry's spine.
"The only problem was I run out of bullets," Picket said.
A neighbor describes Picket as a "hero."
Worried about retribution, friends are sticking close.
Both brothers face assault, burglary and robbery charges.
Deputies assure James Pickett they aren't likely to get out of jail anytime soon but he isn't worried.
"I think I'm a ten times better shot than and he is... But they best not come back," he said.

What a guy! War hero and standing up for his rights!

Emphasis added

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Welcome to Manassas! That's right, I am not in Manassas. Where were you before?

kudo's to the old guy.

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I was in Woodbridge renting an apartment. I bought a nice foreclosure and pay less for the mortgage than I was when I was renting...

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xd.40 wrote:

I was in Woodbridge renting an apartment. I bought a nice foreclosure and pay less for the mortgage than I was when I was renting...

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Congrats on the new home! It's an awesome time to buy a home in PWC. PWC has had some of the highest foreclosure rates in the state. Lots of bank owned homes that can buy on the cheap.

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You're telling me! Bought it at 1/3rd appraised tax value! That's good for a long term owner, but lowers prices in the short term. Now I get to see how OC friendly the neighborhood is :lol:

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xd.40 wrote:

You're telling me! Bought it at 1/3rd appraised tax value! That's good for a long term owner, but lowers prices in the short term. Now I get to see how OC friendly the neighborhood is :lol:

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Without giving away your actual location, in what approximate area of Manassas is your home?

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RE: The title: He's allowed to own and use a gun because he's elderly. I get the feeling the story would have turned out differently if the homeowner had been Arab and middle aged ("Terrorist kills American citizens!") or if he had been young and black ("Gang member shoots teenager in turf war!").



The case sounds pretty well justified. It doesn't seem like he was shooting at fleeing burglars or hunting a petty thief.... Nonetheless, I'm surprised there hasn't been anyone mumbling under their breath that it's a shame the elderly gentleman didn't run after the robbers and execute them, crying "Castle Doctrine!"

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Tomahawk wrote:
While I agree with your summation of the positive points of John McCain's run for presidency, I fail to see how it relates to the thread...

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"The only problem was I run out of bullets," Picket said.

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Paul Paul Paul... Where was your extra mag???

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DrewGunner wrote:

"The only problem was I run out of bullets," Picket said.

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Paul Paul Paul... Where was your extra mag???

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John Wayne devotee...Speed loader not a mag Glad the old guy could keep himself safe.

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squarepeg wrote:

DrewGunner wrote:

"The only problem was I run out of bullets," Picket said.

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Paul Paul Paul... Where was your extra mag???

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John Wayne devotee...Speed loader not a mag Glad the old guy could keep himself safe.

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For some reason, when I read the story, I assumed he used a revolver. I don't have any rational reason why I thought that...

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I was thinking GI style .45...

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I realize that this is old, but I am new here and must comment.

It is about freaking time that the mainstream media says something positive about gun owners using guns to protect themselves. It was long overdue.

break into my home and threaten me and/or my guests and you will face receiving 10 mm 180 grain Federal hydra-shoks.

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ArmedTiger wrote:

I realize that this is old, but I am new here and must comment.

It is about freaking time that the mainstream media says something positive about gun owners using guns to protect themselves. It was long overdue.

break into my home and threaten me and/or my guests and you will face receiving 10 mm 180 grain Federal hydra-shoks.

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That makes me sick.

You're at home and you don't have a 12-gauge handy? Didn't anyone ever tell you that the only purpose of a pistol is to provide cover fire so you can get to the rifle or shotgun you should have had with you in the first place? :lol:

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Don't be all that surprised that an occasional unbiased report goes out on CNN. A lot of the local news they do comes from local stations, rather than their own sources.

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Well, I was listening to Glenn Beck the other day, and he was laughing about how CNN's people look at him in an odd manner everytime he submitted an article for their website.

He then proudly proclaimed how it would become one of the most popular on the site.