Washington DGU - Covington - homeowner shoots car prowler

[The Heretic]

'I had to put him down': Homeowner shoots car prowler in Covington

COVINGTON, Wash. -- A homeowner in Covington shot one of two alleged prowlers in his driveway during a confrontation Thursday morning. The shooting happened around 2:15 a. m. after the homeowner saw the two people outside breaking into cars. The homeowner, Patrick, who didn’t want to give his...

komonews.com

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[waglockfan]

Good. I HATE thieves.

 

[User 1234]

Personally I would have called the police and waited inside my house .

 

[The Heretic]

Personally I would have called the police and waited inside my house .

And they probably would never come.

I reported someone crawling into a neighbor's dark house thru the bedroom window at midnight. The police didn't come until the resident came home to find the person inside her bedroom and the police were called again about an hour later. Turned out it was her boyfriend who she had kicked out - but I didn't know that and neither did the police.

In my experience, if police don't want to respond to something, they won't. They often have something else to do - maybe more important than a prowler breaking into a car.

 

[User 1234]

Each town is different, sure, but in my town the police arrive at minor traffic accidents within ten minutes, and the police station is a five minute drive at the speed limit. If the criminal scumbags breaking into a car are going to get violent I'd rather it be the police handling it than me, because a) they are usually in better practice with firearms than me, b) have many more tools and people available to handle the problem, c) have the city to pay the freight if they are found liable for a bad shoot d) if the criminals advance from the cars to the house I'm prepared to handle that from a position of advantage and e) by going outside I'd potentially make it easier for them to get inside the house if they had another person waiting by the door or if I left the door unlocked as I confronted them in the driveway. My junk in the car is insured. If I lived outside of town then I'd evaluate things differently.

 

[Alexx1401]

I have to say I of course am glad to see one less scum. I also do hope nothing happens to the shooter, assuming it is as he said.
Now me? I would not have gone out there. I know, I know, but to me it's just not worth it to me. Even if the law lets this go I fully expect some family to come out of the hole they live in to want money for this. I hope it does not happen but it's a very real risk here.

 

[No_Regerts]

Looks like a bad guy took one last night. That's just too bad.

Suspected car prowler shot by Covington homeowner

A suspected car prowler was shot by a homeowner in Covington early Thursday. The homeowner said one of the suspects was armed with at least one gun.

mynorthwest.com

 

[DB is Here]

Good guy won, but exposing yourself to a possible gunfight over a few hundred dollars of replaceable stuff is a risk I wouldn't take.

If he was in my house that'd be another story.

 

[mortar maggot]

Pretty nice neighborhood to.

 

[rdb241]

Each town is different, sure, but in my town the police arrive at minor traffic accidents within ten minutes,

and you can be dead in those 10 minutes.

 

[rdb241]

Pretty nice neighborhood to.

Covington and east King county has had a crime problem for several years. Maple Valley Station is one of the biggest Sheriff's station in the county.

 

[The Heretic]

I live in the boonies on a mountain. I have visitors all the time; deer, raccoons, bears, cougars, coyotes, etc.

If I don't go outside to see what set off the motion sensors I won't know what or who it is prowling around my vehicles and my shop that has expensive equipment in it. Not going to be calling the sheriff every time a sensor trips off to have them come check it out and if I feel I have to go out there armed because bears and cougars don't like to be cornered, then so be it.

If I corner a human and he/she/it gets aggressive like the prowler in Covington did, then they will get a load of buckshot - THEN I will call the sheriff.

YMMV

 

[awshoot]

This headline is a good example of why a person in his situation should not talk to the press. The fact that he had been targeted before is also not really a fact in his favor either -- very easy to blend that fact with the "put him down" quip into an argument he was mad about the thefts and sought vengance on the next person stealing from him. Anyway, for his sake, I hope there is no doubt or fuzziness or off camera anything in the video. If he doesn't have an attorney yet, he needs one quick.

 

[No_Regerts]

This headline is a good example of why a person in his situation should not talk to the press. The fact that he had been targeted before is also not really a fact in his favor either -- very easy to blend that fact with the "put him down" quip into an argument he was mad about the thefts and sought vengance on the next person stealing from him. Anyway, for his sake, I hope there is no doubt or fuzziness or off camera anything in the video. If he doesn't have an attorney yet, he needs one quick.

View attachment 603508

Seriously! Dude is running his mouth to anyone who will listen! He even got it all on video and has been showing it to people! The Sheriff's office did acknowledge the bad guy had a gun.

 

[Kruel J]

As I've said before, shooting someone over a property crime is iffy and will at least need a really good attorney.

 

[po18guy]

Vehicle prowling with stolen gun in hand is one of the clearest indicators of lethal intent. It's a risky business for tweekers.

 

[zenbreath]

Very happy with the outcome, safe good guy, dead bad guy.

I remember Ayoob's quote, "A wrongful death with a firearm will cost you well over $1,000,000 in fines and legal fees. A fully justified self defense shooting will only cost you $10,000."

 

[shibbershabber]

And they probably would never come.

I reported someone crawling into a neighbor's dark house thru the bedroom window at midnight. The police didn't come until the resident came home to find the person inside her bedroom and the police were called again about an hour later. Turned out it was her boyfriend who she had kicked out - but I didn't know that and neither did the police.

In my experience, if police don't want to respond to something, they won't. They often have something else to do - maybe more important than a prowler breaking into a car.

I really struggle to understand what it is that the police actually respond to and/or investigate anymore....

When things go down I really only bother with a report because I have to have records for my employer or my insurance company.

Things that are not worth police time:
Trespassing
ID Theft
Credit Card Theft
Car Break-Ins
Derelict cars on the street for weeks on end
Derelict cars with parking citations stuck on them for several weeks without follow up or towing

Now, God help me if I did any of these things, they'd nail my tits to the table........ probably.

Its no wonder crime, vandalism, other property crimes, theft, loitering, vagrancy, etc are so high, the laws are not enforced. Even with perfectly clear video evidence, they cannot be bothered.
So I do wonder what the hell it is they do 24/7 that they are too busy to address these issues?

 

[No_Regerts]

Very happy with the outcome, safe good guy, dead bad guy.

I remember Ayoob's quote, "A wrongful death with a firearm will cost you well over $1,000,000 in fines and legal fees. A fully justified self defense shooting will only cost you $10,000."

At least in WA, if youre found to have acted in self-defense, you can't be held criminally or civilly liable. All cost to you is reimbursed by the state.

 

[Alexx1401]

I live in the boonies on a mountain. I have visitors all the time; deer, raccoons, bears, cougars, coyotes, etc.

If I don't go outside to see what set off the motion sensors I won't know what or who it is prowling around my vehicles and my shop that has expensive equipment in it. Not going to be calling the sheriff every time a sensor trips off to have them come check it out and if I feel I have to go out there armed because bears and cougars don't like to be cornered, then so be it.

If I corner a human and he/she/it gets aggressive like the prowler in Covington did, then they will get a load of buckshot - THEN I will call the sheriff.

YMMV

I would too but that's a LOT different than what happened here. Guy had camera's and saw what was going on. Then went out to confront the thieves. I certainly hope this does not end up costing him but he took a MAJOR risk going after then like he did. It's just he reality we live in now.