PA Wheelchair-Bound Man Defends Home

[HankT]

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This kind of case displays the essential nature of firearms to protect life and home. Without a weapon,Leska istoast. No time for police to protect him. He had to do it himself.

And he did.




Former Marine Fends Off Washington Co. Home Invaders
John Leska Says 3 Intruders Entered His West Pike Run Township Home

UPDATED: 2:49 pm EDT May 13, 2010


WEST PIKE RUN TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- A wheelchair-bound former
Marine took matters into his own hands when intruders burst into his Washington County home in the early morning hours of Wednesday.

"And then they came in from all directions. It was like I was under attack here," said John Leska.

Leska told WTAE Channel 4 Action News reporter Shannon Perrine that his dog was the first to hear the three intruders inside his Oak Road home in West Pike Run Township at about 2 a.m.

"I went to grab for my sawed-off shotgun. I couldn't grab for that, so I grabbed for my pistol. It was right on the table there," said Leska, who showed Perrine where the bullet from his .45-caliber pistol went through a chair, hit a speaker and pierced a wall.

Leska told Perrine that he has his own theory as to why his home was targeted.

"Because it's secluded, hidden back in here. Nobody knows much about it, and they figured they were back here looking at my gun case so they thought they'd take all those guns and trade them in for a big pile of crack or something," said Leska.

As for those who invaded his home, Leska also has a message for them.

"I'd like for them to come back and try again. Maybe I could get better luck next time. I could draw some blood," said Leska.

Police have not made any arrests.

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/23532906/detail.html

 

[1245A Defender]

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glad he shot his chair! too bad about the speaker (hope it was electronic)(not person) and the wall!!
where does he keep his sawed off shotgun??
were his intruders armed?
did he know about HTPCSD?
i wonder if that has been, once again, proven to be true?

 

[von buck]

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This on one of my initial reasons for even getting my permit. While I'm not stuck in a wheelchair, I do have a prostetic leg.
I can get around ok, but an old lady or a small child could knock me over. If I was ever attacked I wouldn't be able to do much to defend myself.

When I'm home watching TV, reading or just plain going to bed, the leg comes off. Now I'm completely defenseless. I can't get up. If I call the PD, I'm at the bad guys mercy, if they have any.

Now I'm prepared and sleep better.

Ange

 

[cscitney87]

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Actually.. Just as a missing leg debilitates you.. There is a more common issue that disables people from defending their selves. Poor Eye sight and the requirement of Glasses/Contacts to see at a distance.

How many of us need glasses to see anything over a foot away? Who needs glasses every minute of every day, because without them you couldn't navigate your own home or recognize friends from foes?

I have been wearing corrective lenses since 5th grade.

As you take off your leg at night- I take off my glasses at night...

I am sleeping and have my glasses on the night stand next to my pistol. Someone breaks in through the door. I only have to time to grab one.. either my glasses or my pistol.. Which do I grab and do I shoot? At this point I can barely make out the blurry movement of the intruder. He's 15 feet away and I can't even tell what color hair the man has.

I'm a -3.75 in both eyes. Now that's not TERRIBLE but that's bad enough to not tell 2 fingers from 3 fingers at an arms length.


What does one do? I can't sleep in my contacts night after night after night. My front door is only feet from my bedroom. Intruder breaks in.. like I said.. it's either my glasses or my pistol.. What do I do?


Man.. someone on this forum once said - "I'm def and you don't know what it's like to be permanently disabled.." Boy was he wrong.

I think I'd rather be able to see perfectly than hear perfectly. But hey that's just me.

 

[HankT]

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cscitney87 wrote:

How many of us need glasses to see anything over a foot away? Who needs glasses every minute of every day, because without them you couldn't navigate your own home or recognize friends from foes?

I have been wearing corrective lenses since 5th grade.

As you take off your leg at night- I take off my glasses at night...

I am sleeping and have my glasses on the night stand next to my pistol. Someone breaks in through the door. I only have to time to grab one.. either my glasses or my pistol.. Which do I grab and do I shoot? At this point I can barely make out the blurry movement of the intruder. He's 15 feet away and I can't even tell what color hair the man has.

I'm a -3.75 in both eyes. Now that's not TERRIBLE but that's bad enough to not tell 2 fingers from 3 fingers at an arms length.


What does one do? I can't sleep in my contacts night after night after night. My front door is only feet from my bedroom. Intruder breaks in.. like I said.. it's either my glasses or my pistol.. What do I do?

LASIK.

I didn't do it for that problem specifically. But I'm glad I did it.

You bring up a very relevant (and difficult) problem.

 

[cscitney87]

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Thanks HankT and that's exactly what I'm doing to do as soon as I can, medically speaking. I've been told time and time again that I am to young and must wait for my prescription to stop changing. I could get LASIK now, but will need glasses again in only a short period of time.

I was told I have to wait until I am 25, but more importantly, until my prescription has stabilized for a handful of years. I'm only 23 and I have had to increase the strength of my lenses every year or two since dawning my first pair. My first pair of lenses were only -1.25.

"You bring up a very relevant (and difficult) problem."

Thanks for understanding.

 

[okboomer]

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Yeah, best thing I ever did was intacs ... couldn't get the lasik due to the astigmatism and degen. mac. that I am boarderline with ... but the intacs stabilized that!

Be sure you go get a second opinion from an opthamologist who has training in this type of corrective surgery. A regular opthamologist does not have the specialized training.

Also, IMHO, you should base your decision on the long term outcome rather than the price ... mine was over $5000, but stabilized my vision for at least the next 10 years or longer. Eventually, I will have to have the rings changed, but that is down the road.

Now, if I could just afford the disc regeneration stuff ... glucosamine chondriton doesn't do enough all the time anymore.

 

[Packer fan]

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"WEST PIKE RUN TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- A wheelchair-bound former
Marine took matters into his own hands when intruders burst into his Washington County home in the early morning hours of Wednesday. "



This makes it sound like he is some sort of vigilantly in his own home.

Now he has to replace all the things he shot.

 

[Recoil88]

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Why would he tell anyone about his sawn off shotgun. Sawn off shotguns are illegal by federal law if it is under a certain length.

 

[von buck]

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cscitney87 wrote:

Actually.. Just as a missing leg debilitates you.. There is a more common issue that disables people from defending their selves. Poor Eye sight and the requirement of Glasses/Contacts to see at a distance....

...As you take off your leg at night- I take off my glasses at night...

...I am sleeping and have my glasses on the night stand next to my pistol. Someone breaks in through the door. I only have to time to grab one.. either my glasses or my pistol.. Which do I grab and do I shoot? At this point I can barely make out the blurry movement of the intruder. He's 15 feet away and I can't even tell what color hair the man has.

...What does one do? I can't sleep in my contacts night after night after night. My front door is only feet from my bedroom. Intruder breaks in.. like I said.. it's either my glasses or my pistol.. What do I do?

I'm not not trying to play "I'm more cripple than you" game. I understand glasses or gun or phone. Not being able to even tell who's there is an awful feeling. Going through life with any form of a disability, whether vision, hearing, mobility and regardless of severity, puts you at a disavantage. A disavantage that wouldgive the odds to bad guy.

I'm just saying, even wide awake watching TV, when I get home from work, myleg's off. It doesn't matter what I see, I can not get up. I am completely helpless. It takes a good 5 minutes to get the leg on. My gun is right next to me and I only have a front door protecting me. So if that gets kicked in...

Ange

Ange

 

[PT111]

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I didn't take it as trying to be more disabled than you but rather pointing out that there are many different types of disabilities, some that are not always apparent. Being confined to a wheelchair or having a missing limb are not the only types of disabilities that hinder one from protecting themselves. I am now contemplating my third surgery for my back problems so Icould never outrun or outfight most BG's. I don't compare it to a missing limbor blindness but we all must do what we have to do.

I think csc's comment was that there are lots of common "handicaps". I know several people that if you take their glasses (or contact lens) away and give them a gun you better watch out as they can't see what they are shooting at. I know very few people with prostetic limbs but both typeswould have problems in the situation described in the OP.

 

[cscitney87]

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The thing about shooting somebody is... You have to be able to see.

If I had perfect vision..no legs and only one arm.. I could still defend myself better than I can now in an overnight home invasion. Like I said.. Front door is only 15 feet from the bedroom with a straight line vision of sight. I'll be shot at almost instantly.

 

[HankT]

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cscitney87 wrote:

The thing about shooting somebody is... You have to be able to see.

If I had perfect vision..no legs and only one arm.. I could still defend myself better than I can now in an overnight home invasion. Like I said.. Front door is only 15 feet from the bedroom with a straight line vision of sight. I'll be shot at almost instantly.

Have you considered laser sight technology? I have Crimson Trace grips on several of my handguns and it makes point shooting pretty easy with practice.

 

[cscitney87]

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HankT wrote:

cscitney87 wrote:

The thing about shooting somebody is... You have to be able to see.

If I had perfect vision..no legs and only one arm.. I could still defend myself better than I can now in an overnight home invasion. Like I said.. Front door is only 15 feet from the bedroom with a straight line vision of sight. I'll be shot at almost instantly.

Have you considered laser sight technology? I have Crimson Trace grips on several of my handguns and it makes point shooting pretty easy with practice.

Sir, with my vision- the laser point would be 4 feet across.. I would have No Clue what the laser is pointed at. I am near sighted, meaning I cannot see things far away. I live in a complex with units attached at 3 walls. I absolutely cannot fire my weapon without the much needed corrective lenses.

What happens is the Very Small laser point is only small because it's focused. With my vision, the point of light is Out Of Focus so a 1 inch dot appears to be a 2 foot wide dot at 15 feet. At 30 feet, the laser light dot would barely glow against the flickering Microwave Timer, Oven Light, and Smoke Detector light, and faint moon light filtering in through the shades.

The issue is.. When the purp busts through that door.. I won't be able to tell if it is One Guy, Two guys, or Three guys. To me.. it will just be one big blob moving through my door way. Outside of that- I won't be able to tell Where he is, if he is coming at me or moving to the side.. Turning away and trying to leave... I won't even see if his back is to me or not.

It's terrible and frightening to be honest... Like I said.. Only time to do one of the two before getting shot at. Grab the glasses or grab the gun.

 

[Packer fan]

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cscitney87 wrote:

HankT wrote:

cscitney87 wrote:

The thing about shooting somebody is...  You have to be able to see.

If I had perfect vision..no legs and only one arm.. I could still defend myself better than I can now in an overnight home invasion.  Like I said.. Front door is only 15 feet from the bedroom with a straight line vision of sight.  I'll be shot at almost instantly.

Have you considered laser sight technology? I have Crimson Trace grips on several of my handguns and it makes point shooting pretty easy with practice.

Sir, with my vision- the laser point would be 4 feet across.. I would have No Clue what the laser is pointed at.  I am near sighted, meaning I cannot see things far away.  I live in a complex with units attached at 3 walls.  I absolutely cannot fire my weapon without the much needed corrective lenses.

What happens is the Very Small laser point is only small because it's focused.  With my vision, the point of light is Out Of Focus so a 1 inch dot appears to be a 2 foot wide dot at 15 feet.  At 30 feet, the laser light dot would barely glow against the flickering Microwave Timer, Oven Light, and Smoke Detector light, and faint moon light filtering in through the shades.

The issue is..  When the purp busts through that door..  I won't be able to tell if it is One Guy, Two guys, or Three guys.  To me.. it will just be one big blob moving through my door way.  Outside of that- I won't be able to tell Where he is, if he is coming at me or moving to the side.. Turning away and trying to leave... I won't even see if his back is to me or not.

It's terrible and frightening to be honest...  Like I said.. Only time to do one of the two before getting shot at.  Grab the glasses or grab the gun.

This is where the Taurus Judge would come in handy. Just place a 3" 410 shell and no need to know how big or small anything is. That is truly a point and shoot gun for home defense.

 

[cscitney87]

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Packer Fan....

I have no idea what you are talking about? Place a 3" 410? If you are even talking about firing a bullet and hitting somebody with it... that was covered.. I can't see well enough to fire my pistol at all. Not even "in the general direction" because I live with other individuals through walls in every direction.

The only safe self defense shot in my situation is a Very Well Aimed and Executed shot. I have to be extremely careful not to miss, glasses or no glasses.

Shotgun buck shot... Maybe if it would be possible to find a round that will not penetrate dry wall and 2 by 4s.

 

[marshaul]

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okboomer wrote:

Yeah, best thing I ever did was intacs ... couldn't get the lasik due to the astigmatism and degen. mac. that I am boarderline with ... but the intacs stabilized that!

Be sure you go get a second opinion from an opthamologist who has training in this type of corrective surgery. A regular opthamologist does not have the specialized training.

Also, IMHO, you should base your decision on the long term outcome rather than the price ... mine was over $5000, but stabilized my vision for at least the next 10 years or longer. Eventually, I will have to have the rings changed, but that is down the road.

Now, if I could just afford the disc regeneration stuff ... glucosamine chondriton doesn't do enough all the time anymore.

Alright, I think I'm going to look into this.

I am so f'in sick of being nearsighted. I can't even wear contacts any more.

 

[cscitney87]

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I hear that! Contacts.. ugh. I depend on them just to live a regular life. Why do your eyes dry out in about 1 milliseconds unless you blink? Hate that

 

[1245A Defender]

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lotsa folks sleep with their glasses on!
if my eyes were bad as yours i would too!
i aint rocket science!

 

[marshaul]

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1245A Defender wrote:

lotsa folks  sleep with their glasses on!
if my eyes were bad as yours i would too!
i aint rocket science!

:quirky