New Hampshire man arrested for firing gun to ground while catching suspected burglar

[tom sawyer]

A New Hampshire man who fired his handgun into the ground to scare an alleged burglar he caught crawling out of a neighbor's window is now facing a felony charge -- and the same potential prison sentence as the man he stopped.

Unbelievable!!

Read more: New Hampshire Man Arrested For Firing Gun Into Ground While Catching Suspected Burglar | Fox News

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[FullCaliberII]

Poor judgement call by the arresting officer in this incident...

 

[The Duck]

"I didn't think I could handle this guy physically, so I fired into the ground," Fleming told FoxNews.com. "He stopped. He knew I was serious. I was angry ... and I was worried that this guy was going to come after me."

Ignorance is not a defense... He took a firearm off his land, to catch a bugler that made him "angry". He was concerned that he could not handle the guy and the bugler would come after him: BUT HE SOUGHT AFTER THE FIGHT!

Bad choices in the heat of the moment / Should have: called the police, take a photo, take a video, take notes, what was he driving, what direction did he go, what he was wearing, etc...

To all of the John Rambo's out there: Would you make contact and possibly put yourself in a gun fight over a TV or a neighbors TV or would you break contact and do what you can without putting yourself in harms way over a object?

 

[The Duck]

Poor judgement call by the arresting officer in this incident...

He will see what happens at the arraignment. The Judge is there to judge, the officer did his job to report...

 

[Redcap]

Ignorance is not a defense... He took a firearm off his land, to catch a bugler that made him "angry". He was concerned that he could not handle the guy and the bugler would come after him: BUT HE SOUGHT AFTER THE FIGHT!

Bad choices in the heat of the moment / Should have: called the police, take a photo, take a video, take notes, what was he driving, what direction did he go, what he was wearing, etc...

To all of the John Rambo's out there: Would you make contact and possibly put yourself in a gun fight over a TV or a neighbors TV or would you break contact and do what you can without putting yourself in harms way over a object?

Right...all that is SO effective...

 

[JackFrost]

to catch a bugler, and the bugler would come after him

Jeez, hopefully next time time the BUGLER will pick a better song selection, I would be scared too if I was out just bugleing around in my neighborhood playing taps and someone threatened me with a gun! Just be polite and ask me to please be quiet!
Oh wait, are we talking about a Burglar?

Sorry Sanders, I couldn't help myself! It was too good to pass up!

 

[The Duck]

Jeez, hopefully next time time the BUGLER will pick a better song selection, I would be scared too if I was out just bugleing around in my neighborhood playing taps and someone threatened me with a gun! Just be polite and ask me to please be quiet!
Oh wait, are we talking about a Burglar?

Sorry Sanders, I couldn't help myself! It was too good to pass up!

Nice catch... That is pretty funny; I would have done the same to the next person!

I will leave it up for our good memories...

Note: I was wondering why the man was firing his gun at a band member; Maybe he had a dramatic experience at band camp?

 

[JackFrost]

Nice catch... That is pretty funny; I would have done the same to the next person!

I will leave it up for our good memories...

 

[gunnails]

Citizen arrest?

Under what circumstances, and in what manner can one perform a citizen arrest?

I'm thinking the shot into the ground is what got this guy in trouble, not the fact that he had a gun and detained the perp.

 

[chariot13]

Ignorance is not a defense... He took a firearm off his land, to catch a bugler that made him "angry". He was concerned that he could not handle the guy and the bugler would come after him: BUT HE SOUGHT AFTER THE FIGHT!

Bad choices in the heat of the moment / Should have: called the police, take a photo, take a video, take notes, what was he driving, what direction did he go, what he was wearing, etc...

To all of the John Rambo's out there: Would you make contact and possibly put yourself in a gun fight over a TV or a neighbors TV or would you break contact and do what you can without putting yourself in harms way over a object?

I don't agree at all unless you use your same logic for the police when they take a gun off their private property to chase someone that had robbed them personally or a neighbor. Let alone if they robbed someone further away. The People (citizens) should be treated no better or worse than other 'citizens' that may or may not have a badge when taking care of immediate important business. All men are created equal, let it show.

 

[osterr1999]

I don't think it is about being a "John Rambo". People are getting tired of criminals having more rights than regular citizens. People are tired of being taken advantage of by scumbags. It is too bad the police choose to take this route because in the end the guy did the right thing. Should he have fired a shot into the ground? Maybe and maybe not. I wasn't there, so I have no idea what the situation was. IMO this is not about getting into a gun fight over a TV. It is about citizens being willing to help each other. I could use the same logic if I saw Sanders getting beaten, I could say well his life is not worth as much to me as mine, so I will take a video and call the police. How ridiculous does that sound? It's not about the object. It is a matter of principle.

 

[45 for me]

Someone needs to remind New Hampshire that the state motto is "Live Free Or Die". Yes the homeowner escalated this situation, and threatened deadly force to prevent a felony, but he did resolve the situation without the use of deadly force. Arresting him for discharge of a gun into the ground on his property seems to be poor policing, regardless what was technically legal. You can argue that is what a Judge is for, but the loss of his firearms and the money spent on legal fees to get the case dismissed is already a punishment.

 

[tom sawyer]

I don't think "firing into the ground" should be a jailable offense. It was OBVIOUS he wasn't trying to harm the burglar (or buglar) but trying to obtain the "freeze" factor. Although the article does say "near". It could be a civil case for attempted murder.

I'd say fire into the ground nearer yourself. That way they could fine him for unlawful discharge of a firearm in the city.

Remember folks, if they steal your stuff, insurance will buy you new stuff. No life is worth stuff.

 

[chariot13]

I don't think "firing into the ground" should be a jailable offense. It was OBVIOUS he wasn't trying to harm the burglar (or buglar) but trying to obtain the "freeze" factor. Although the article does say "near". It could be a civil case for attempted murder.

I'd say fire into the ground nearer yourself. That way they could fine him for unlawful discharge of a firearm in the city.

Remember folks, if they steal your stuff, insurance will buy you new stuff. No life is worth stuff.

Thing is, if it was an officer that shot into the ground, his fellow officers would of told him to say it was an accidental discharge, nothing more & since no one was hurt (thankfully), all is ok. Protecting your fellow Americans should hold as much value as a co worker even tho they wear red or white instead of blue.

 

[Redcap]

I don't think "firing into the ground" should be a jailable offense. It was OBVIOUS he wasn't trying to harm the burglar (or buglar) but trying to obtain the "freeze" factor. Although the article does say "near". It could be a civil case for attempted murder.

I'd say fire into the ground nearer yourself. That way they could fine him for unlawful discharge of a firearm in the city.

Remember folks, if they steal your stuff, insurance will buy you new stuff. No life is worth stuff.

The hell they will.

 

[The B]

Ignorance is not a defense... He took a firearm off his land, to catch a bugler that made him "angry". He was concerned that he could not handle the guy and the bugler would come after him: BUT HE SOUGHT AFTER THE FIGHT!

Bad choices in the heat of the moment / Should have: called the police, take a photo, take a video, take notes, what was he driving, what direction did he go, what he was wearing, etc...

To all of the John Rambo's out there: Would you make contact and possibly put yourself in a gun fight over a TV or a neighbors TV or would you break contact and do what you can without putting yourself in harms way over a object?

Nice spin... but in fact you're just rationalizing your own cowardice. You're the type of guy who would just skulk behind his blinds and watch somebody run off with, for all you know, is my entire life savings, or my grandfather's watch, or my guns, or _________. Or maybe even the guy that just raped my daughter, or murdered me and my family, or _________. GLAD YOU'RE NOT MY NEIGHBOR.

 

[Redcap]

Nice spin... but in fact you're just rationalizing your own cowardice. You're the type of guy who would just skulk behind his blinds and watch somebody run off with, for all you know, is my entire life savings, or my grandfather's watch, or my guns, or _________. Or maybe even the guy that just raped my daughter, or murdered me and my family, or _________. GLAD YOU'RE NOT MY NEIGHBOR.

Amen.

/thread.

 

[eganx]

Ignorance is not a defense... He took a firearm off his land, to catch a bugler that made him "angry". He was concerned that he could not handle the guy and the bugler would come after him: BUT HE SOUGHT AFTER THE FIGHT!

Bad choices in the heat of the moment / Should have: called the police, take a photo, take a video, take notes, what was he driving, what direction did he go, what he was wearing, etc...

To all of the John Rambo's out there: Would you make contact and possibly put yourself in a gun fight over a TV or a neighbors TV or would you break contact and do what you can without putting yourself in harms way over a object?

This is what is wrong with society today. The apathetic nature of people is what is bringing down our country. The right thing to do is to step in and try to stop the burglar by whatever means necessary. I try to look out for my neighbors, or anyone else for that matter. I try to do what is right in any give situation. Stopping someone who is doing wrong is the right thing to do, I don't care who you are. If people cannot step up, and help take care of one and other, that what is the point of having a "society" anyway. The bottom line is the guy did what he felt necessary to stop the thief, it worked and no one was hurt. Sounds like a win win to me. The man should be respected and admired for what he did, not criminally prosecuted. WTF America?

 

[Dunerunner]

Too many store keepers and not enough Matt Dillons!!

 

[The B]

Too many store keepers and not enough Matt Dillons!!

What?