Detroit homeowner shoots at suspected power thieves and gets arrested himself

[Grapeshot]

I wasn't being critical of the people in any state, I was deriding the laws of the handful of states where people have been prosecuted for the issues I raised. Even in AZ a man went to prison (later pardoned I believe) after shooting an agressive homeless man who attacked him. The DA made a huge fuss over his use of a 10mm Glock with Silvertip HP ammo. I don't see what harm I've caused with that rant, and I do try to correct negatives. Fortunately here in TX we don't have as many moonbats as NY, so not as much energy is required.

No harm no foul.

Too I was just responding to the generalized situation.

 

[PrayingForWar]

Careful, they will rock you.

I didn't take you for a Zombie fan Jack.

 

[NHCGRPR45]

hmm rock thieves, thats a new one, :banghead: i guess all those stoners are to blame, :monkey

 

[Jack House]

I didn't take you for a Zombie fan Jack.

I'm a fan of great music.

 

[jsimmons]

While I understand the man in this scenario used a rifle; it goes to show that this is one of those huge distinctions between those who possess a handgun license and those who possess a CPL. Anyone who has a CPL license would’ve known you cannot use lethal force to protect property.

If that's the case where you live, you should move to Texas. It was dark (point to home owner), it was impossible to see if the bad guy had a weapon (point to home owner), and the guy was on his property stealing (point to home owner. Now, if only we had open carry here...

He makes all of us lawful gun owner's look like trigger-happy yahoos.

No he doesn't...

 

[GLOCK21GB]

This situation screeeems, SLING SHOT !! I gotta wrist rocket. lol or a Blow Gun

 

[stainless1911]

I don't have the cite, but those are considered weapons a well, bringing a weapons charge with their use as well.

 

[PT111]

If that's the case where you live, you should move to Texas. It was dark (point to home owner), it was impossible to see if the bad guy had a weapon (point to home owner), and the guy was on his property stealing (point to home owner. Now, if only we had open carry here...
...

A point you bring up, I don't know the details but I think it said the lights went out in the fellows house, he goes outside and sees one fellow up the pole and the other one on the ground. He goes back inside, gets his rifle and comes out shooting. Is that about the gist of it? The point you made is how did he know they were stealing power, could they have been power company employees? Could they have had a legitimate reason for being up the pole? There are a lot of unanswered questions that could be raised and I think the fellow screwed up. They may have been power theives and all kinds of other stuff but I think he went a little trigger happy even if he had been in Texas. I used to work for a power company so I am familiar with some of these situations. I never was threatened but a lot of my co-workers were. Thank goodeness most of the time it was just a threat but we knew not to try determine if it was or not.

 

[Jack House]

I think it's pretty easy to tell the difference between a power thief and a power worker. Might be the hard hats or perhaps it's the utility truck, IDK.

As for the threatened coworkers, were they threatened by people actually thought they were power thieves or were they threatened because they were turning off someone's power?

 

[stainless1911]

--Moderator deleted--

 

[PT111]

I think it's pretty easy to tell the difference between a power thief and a power worker. Might be the hard hats or perhaps it's the utility truck, IDK.

As for the threatened coworkers, were they threatened by people actually thought they were power thieves or were they threatened because they were turning off someone's power?

You name it. Anything from turning off the power, to trespassing, to just angry about their rates too high. Every now and then someone would be suspected of stealing power and we had to be very careful with those. I am not saying that it isn't easy to tell the difference but one should be sure before firing away. It would surprise you how many people try to do their own repairs when the power goes out. I had to do the technical investigation of "accidents" for our legal department. Some of these cases did not even rise to the level of stupidity.

 

[Jack House]

It would surprise you how many people try to do their own repairs when the power goes out. I had to do the technical investigation of "accidents" for our legal department. Some of these cases did not even rise to the level of stupidity.

Well in the case of people attempting their own repairs, I maintain that, besides trespassing, they were endangering everyone around them and that the home owner was still within his rights.

 

[PrayingForWar]

Well in the case of people attempting their own repairs, I maintain that, besides trespassing, they were endangering everyone around them and that the home owner was still within his rights.

Fortunately for Blue Bonnet, their customers are not trigger happy ghetto dwellers like those poor bastards up north, and tend to pay their bills. My first reaction would have been the same as the man in question. I would have come out asking WTF? It appears he was compelled after that to retrieve a rifle (just as I expect I would be), and didn't shoot utility workers. He did a public sevice as far as I'm concerned.

 

[NHCGRPR45]

--Moderator deleted--

take it easy killer!

Fortunately for Blue Bonnet, their customers are not trigger happy ghetto dwellers like those poor bastards up north, and tend to pay their bills. My first reaction would have been the same as the man in question. I would have come out asking WTF? It appears he was compelled after that to retrieve a rifle (just as I expect I would be), and didn't shoot utility workers. He did a public sevice as far as I'm concerned.

well just seeing the guys up a utility pole stealing electricity is not a shootable offense in MI you can't defend your own property with deadly force let alone someone elses. i do believe he could have handled the situation diffrent. and he did shame gun owners, by not only shooting at the thief but worse only getting a grazing leg hit.

 

[PrayingForWar]

take it easy killer!



well just seeing the guys up a utility pole stealing electricity is not a shootable offense in MI you can't defend your own property with deadly force let alone someone elses. i do believe he could have handled the situation diffrent. and he did shame gun owners, by not only shooting at the thief but worse only getting a grazing leg hit.

I think we agree that shooting trespassers at night shouldn't be criminal, and I suspect from what I read in this story that I probably would have used more restraint. If after I confronted the perps, they acted aggressive, they would have sealed their fate.

 

[PT111]

I am no where an authority on Texas law but I don't think that even in Texas if you see two men standing in your driveway looking at your car with the doors open that you can automatically just blow them away without at least checking to see if they are trying to reposess it or something legitimate. There is a difference between shooting at known thieves and at someone doing something suspicious.

 

[crzyjarmans]

no

so the home owner who shot at the power ranger needs some remedial training on marksmanship, at that range its tragic he missed so badly, (a leg wound? really?) and a refresher course on who and what you can legally shoot at in MI. me personally, well i agree with another member here about maybe getting some pop corn and a good lawn chair and watched the show, and have my rifle next to me so when the power ranger decided to morph back into my yard. at that point i could have held him for police. no shots fired.

now can we close this thread?? pretty please with sugar on top????

No,I've got something to say,ok i said it

 

[since9]

The guy is clearly an idiot.

Anyone that is not a trained professional that is playing with a live wire will take care of themselves. I don't need a gun to give them a Darwin Award.

Exactly. Probably wouldn't hurt to call 911 first, then walk out in my back yard, obviously armed and tell the perp "Freeze, you're being detained. I'm on the phone with 911 and the cops are on their way."

Nothing like a little pressure to increase the liklihood of a fatal mistake. Of couse that's only one step away from shooting the guy, but at least it's legal.

zzzt!

 

[Grapeshot]

Exactly. Probably wouldn't hurt to call 911 first, then walk out in my back yard, obviously armed and tell the perp "Freeze, you're being detained. I'm on the phone with 911 and the cops are on their way."

Nothing like a little pressure to increase the liklihood of a fatal mistake. Of couse that's only one step away from shooting the guy, but at least it's legal.

zzzt!

No ethical or moral problems with that? The anti news hawkers are always looking for quotes like this.