rscottie,
So you know better then what was in print? What you said it is different than what is in print. (shocking)
See when you sit back in a comfortable chair in the city having never lived in the hullers you can armchair quarterback.
So what you are saying is they fired on him before going to his son's house?
I'm just sorry he missed. If you meet this man shake his hands for me and tell him maybe next time.
He had to untie himself and they were robbing his son's house next door at that time. He did not know if they were coming back, next door robbing his son, or what. When he went to look and see, he stepped out on his porch just as the bad guys were walking to their vehicle with a boatload of stolen items from his son's house next door, items including guns. When the bad guys saw him, they opened fire.
He returned fire as he retreated to get a bigger gun. At that point he was in a gun fight with multiple armed men. He got a shotgun and went back to the front door where more gunfire was exchanged. As they decided to retreat this time, he followed them firing as they left at a high rate of speed.
The old man is known in the neighborhood as a nice man that does not bother anyone.
Some of what I've said is speculation based on knowing his yard and driveway layout from when I go to my sisters, what my nephew said, and what the neighbors are saying.
The front of his house is like swiss cheese according to my nephew that lives up the road.
One thing is certain. When he retreated to get the shotgun, they had time to drop the booty and get the hell out of there. They chose to wait and see what he was going to do. When he came back out with superior firepower, they left. It has not been reported or verified, but it seems like the rifles they stole were not loaded and they were only shooting at him with pistols. He did not know that and for all he knew they were going to shoot him with one of the stolen deer rifles as they drove away.
Whatever the total story is, this man is not even being investigated for any improper use of a firearm. His story may or may not be completely accurate, they usually are not when gunfire is involved as adrenaline makes it hard to remember every detail.
This man made life and death decisions in a hail of gunfire after being tied up and in fear for his life. We should extend him the courtesy of not telling him how wrong he was to shoot at them.
Unless they catch these guys, this poor old man is going to be worrying that they will come back for him. That alone is enough to say that shooting at them, even if they were fleeing, was right in his mind at that time. I do wish he had not been so forthcoming with the reporters but they did a 30 minute interview with him and only wrote those damning words after getting him all comfortable talking to him. They were not his friend.
So, for all of you that live in places that put the burden of proof for self-defense on the victim, this is WV and in rural areas, it is shoot first, sort it out later, the sheriff is only 30 minutes away, if even that close.