But he was only trying to get some school clothes...

[Hieronymus]

I didn't say that. I've already posted my view on that.

Sorry for putting words in your mouth.
I guess it's just an unimaginable reality to me, civilians wielding guns and all...

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Equalizer?
I don't think dying is equal to being burgled.
A tazer and handcuffs would be better than a lethal weapon.
Civilians shouldn't be able to kill civilians with guns i.m.o.

But you know, i'm European, we only have a few private guns here.

The reality is, most defensive gun use doesn't end with anyone being killed
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defensive_gun_use

Nearly a million defensive gun uses per year (if you go with the middle estimate).

How many end in "justifiable homicide"?: Somewhere between 250 and 300 (according to violence policy center).

That would mean that the overwhelming majority of cases are scenarios where the bad guy initiates and attack...potential victim draw weapon, bad guy decides "yeah, I think I'm gonna bail on this plan and live to fight another day".

In those cases, the gun has served it's purpose very well and didn't take any lives. Part of the effectiveness of the gun is that fact that most bad guys are afraid of it. If a bad guy pulls a knife or a baseball bat on me and says "give me your money", I like knowing that I have something that will make him think twice about that proposition and that will put me back in a position of physical advantage.

 

[HannahT]

The news story said she had a security system, and cameras. I'm sure those tools will answer some questions about what happened, and if it was justified, etc.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

I guess it's just an unimaginable reality to me, civilians wielding guns and all...

Actually, if you want to see some stats that will put some things in perspective.

There are 11 million of us who have obtained our weapons permit/licence to carry.

Those 11 million have only been responsible for 863 deaths, total, between 2007 and present day.

That is, on average, 95 deaths per year.

95 deaths per year from a group of 11 million people would be a murder rate of 0.86 per 100,000.

Take a peek at where we'd fall on the list:

That means that if there were a country that was made up only of the 11 million CCW holders in the US, we'd be one of the safest countries on the planet.

Those of us legally carrying with the proper licensing clearly aren't the problem...

 

[ThatRobGuy]

The news story said she had a security system, and cameras. I'm sure those tools will answer some questions about what happened, and if it was justified, etc.

I bet this story fizzles out quickly...

I did a little online sleuthing, and as it turns out...let's just say, the racial make-up of this case doesn't match what the media is looking for in terms of making a juicy story that gets everyone all fired up.

If you'll notice, there's been no #BLM protests as a result of this shooting, nothing from the New Black Panthers....nada.

https://www.facebook.com/gwen.jenrette/friends?source_ref=pb_friends_tl

Gwen Jenrette from Dade County, Miami...

If you look at the friends list, and type in "Jenrette" to view her relatives, you can plainly see why there hasn't been as much fuss about this case as there has been for other cases where black teens have been shot.

One explanation is that she was justified in taking action...the other explanation is that all the usual activist groups have chosen to be selectively non-outraged because the homeowner/shooter was a Black woman.

If Gwen had been had been White, there'd be an interstate highway blocked by protesters as we speak.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

I bet this story fizzles out quickly...

I called that one lol

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

Don't know Florida law. Don't know if this was legal or not. I do know that in the same situation I would not have rushed home with my gun to shoot the person as they were leaving my house. I own guns. I carry concealed. I have no desire to shoot someone unless I or my family or innocent people are in danger - and if I have a burglars picture on my security camera and know they are in my home, I'm calling 911 and letting the police deal with it. Insurance can replace material items.

Exception would be if someone I loved were at home - then I would be heading over while calling the police.

May not be illegal, but a regrettable decision. I suspect she'll have many sleepless nights over taking someone's life.

Having said that, his relatives comments are irrational ramblings.

Actually if the woman went to her house, after she was alerted by security camera. And then shot the teen as he was leaving. Then she should be in jail or charged with something. I have a problem with that.

 

[WolfGate]

Actually if the woman went to her house, after she was alerted by security camera. And then shot the teen as he was leaving. Then she should be in jail or charged with something. I have a problem with that.

Possibly. Hopefully those same cameras show what happened. IMHO, she used terribly poor judgement and put herself in a situation where she was involved in a "confrontation" with the burglar when that confrontation should have been left to the police. I have a problem with her actions as well. However, under Florida law, she may not be legally in trouble depending on how the teen reacted when she confronted him. I don't know Florida law but understand it has a strong castle doctrine focus.

 

[Vylo]

Possibly. Hopefully those same cameras show what happened. IMHO, she used terribly poor judgement and put herself in a situation where she was involved in a "confrontation" with the burglar when that confrontation should have been left to the police. I have a problem with her actions as well. However, under Florida law, she may not be legally in trouble depending on how the teen reacted when she confronted him. I don't know Florida law but understand it has a strong castle doctrine focus.

Based on florida's stand your ground laws, you aren't require to retreat, even in public. She had the right to confront a burglar in her home.

 

[iluvatar5150]

The reality is, most defensive gun use doesn't end with anyone being killed
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defensive_gun_use

Nearly a million defensive gun uses per year (if you go with the middle estimate).

How many end in "justifiable homicide"?: Somewhere between 250 and 300 (according to violence policy center).

That would mean that the overwhelming majority of cases are scenarios where the bad guy initiates and attack...potential victim draw weapon, bad guy decides "yeah, I think I'm gonna bail on this plan and live to fight another day".

In those cases, the gun has served it's purpose very well and didn't take any lives. Part of the effectiveness of the gun is that fact that most bad guys are afraid of it. If a bad guy pulls a knife or a baseball bat on me and says "give me your money", I like knowing that I have something that will make him think twice about that proposition and that will put me back in a position of physical advantage.

I know the research is weak all around, but that 1 million DGU figure still strikes me as being way too high. According to the FBI, there are about 1.1 million violent crimes in the US every year, and according to your numbers, there are about 11 million gun owners. That means that, on average, about 9% of gun owners execute a DGU every year and that there's almost a 1:1 ratio between violent crimes and DGU. That's absurd. Do cops even use their weapons that often?

 

[ThatRobGuy]

I know the research is weak all around, but that 1 million DGU figure still strikes me as being way too high. According to the FBI, there are about 1.1 million violent crimes in the US every year, and according to your numbers, there are about 11 million gun owners. That means that, on average, about 9% of gun owners execute a DGU every year and that there's almost a 1:1 ratio between violent crimes and DGU. That's absurd. Do cops even use their weapons that often?

For the violent crimes stats, are they only considering crimes that were carried out, or are they considering attempts?

For example, if a bad guy tries to rob me at knife point, and I scare him off with a gun, are they counting that as a crime...or an attempted crime?

 

[iluvatar5150]

For the violent crimes stats, are they only considering crimes that were carried out, or are they considering attempts?

For example, if a bad guy tries to rob me at knife point, and I scare him off with a gun, are they counting that as a crime...or an attempted crime?

I believe they include attempts:
http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=31
http://victimsofcrime.org/docs/defa...2015ncvrw_6_statisticaloverviews.pdf?sfvrsn=2

 

[WolfGate]

Based on florida's stand your ground laws, you aren't require to retreat, even in public. She had the right to confront a burglar in her home.

That very well may be, would not surprise me at all. Even so, she made IMHO an extremely poor choice.

 

[rjs330]

That very well may be, would not surprise me at all. Even so, she made IMHO an extremely poor choice.

And why shouldn't a homeowner be allowed to confront a criminal in their house? It used to be the the home was sacrosanct. You were NOT allowed to be on someone else's property and they could chase you off at gunpoint and if you didn't leave you ate lead. If you were caught in their house no questions asked you were just dead.

We've gotten way to namby pamby. Criminals are allowed to run free and shame on us for not understanding them. We are coddling the criminals.