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Story Update:Two suspects are in the hospital after being shot by a bar owner.
The Sawyer County Sheriff's Department says this morning around 5:30, the department got a call from a woman at the Countryside Bar in the Town of Bass Lake stating there had been a break-in and shots were fired. The woman said there was one person lying on the ground.
The department says around 5:40 a.m., there was another call from a woman at an address near the bar stating her son had been shot.
After a preliminary investigation, the department determined the two shootings were related and both took place at the Countryside Bar. The department says two minor suspects had illegally entered the bar with the notion of stealing alcohol and money. The two suspects were eventually confronted by the bar owner, who in turn shot the suspects.
The department says both suspects were taken to a hospital. One was shot in the ankle and groin area. His wounds were not life threatening. The second suspect was shot in the hand and neck. His condition is listed as critical.
and then there is the typical what-if anti statement:Deputies say they expect numerous charges to be filed after a bar owner shot two boys for breaking in Tuesday morning.
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Sawyer County sheriff's deputies say the owner of the Countryside Bar on County Road K, southeast of Hayward on the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation, shot one boy in the ankle and groin area, and the other in the hand and neck.
http://www.weau.com/home/headlines/Two_110155879.html“I don't worry about anybody coming at my house,” Wade said. “Just knowing that it was right there, I mean, what if one went stray or something?"
Follow up story, Can you shoot someone who breaks into your business or home?
After a bar owner shoots two boys who investigators say were trying to steal money and alcohol, we looked into what the law says: Can you shoot someone who breaks into your business or home?
Eau Claire County District Attorney Rich White says in Wisconsin you have the right to defend yourself and the right to defend your property. But, they're two very separate things.
“There are no black and white rules here. I would never tell anyone you can use great bodily force if these circumstances apply or you can not. We don't do that. We can't do that,” White says.
White says what he can tell us is what the law says.
“The general rule of thumb is I can only use force intended to or likely to cause great bodily harm or death if I’m faced with an eminent threat or risk of great bodily harm or death,” White says.
So what if you catch someone stealing from you?
“In Wisconsin, you have a right to defend your property, however, and it's a big however, you have no right to use force likely or intended to bring about death or great bodily harm if all you're attempting to do is defend property,” White says.
In other words, White says if you shoot at a burglar, you better have a better reason than trying to save your stuff. But, he stresses every case is different and has different circumstances and that’s what officers, prosecutors, judges and juries have to look at.
“As much as people have a strong belief that you ought to be able to defend yourself and you ought to be able to defend your property, we can all agree that there have to be some reasonable limits to that. We can't have some sort of wild west situation where you can do whatever you want in response to any sort of provocation,” White says.