Owner Of Stolen Car Tracks Down Suspected Thief And Shoots Him

[Knobgoblin]

I don't see where anyone died.
Maybe I missed that part.

 

[Tony617]

Notice how the headline fails to mention the thief pulled a gun on the owner?

If you read the story the guy that stole the car pulled out a gun and started firing.

 

[Member 53328]

I agree with some of your points here except the last one. Maybe your truck isn't worth going after but my current truck that is paid off truly is, it cost just short of what my first house did. I've worked my arse off my whole life and finally got into a position to be comfortable and I do t think kindly of someone wanting to steal what they didn't work for. But, that being said, I really don't think I'd shoot my own truck, LOL.

Personally their is nothing of monetary value/material goods worth my life or spending a potential lifetime in prison over. But I understand what you're saying and respect it.

 

[Stomper]

Wow looks like he had a nice capacity gun. I count maybe 9 shots in the windshield and 7 shown at the arrows.

Hard to tell from angles of the video if the other car recieving a bullet at sportsman's was from the good guy or bad guy. Could have been one of those exiting the back window of the silver truck but hard to tell.

Looks to be a marine corps vet? Good to see that the good guy was not arrested.

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NRA sticker and a combat medic sticker. Due to the fact the Marine Corps doesn't have medics I don't think he's a Marine. But all I have to go off of are the decals pictured.

"Combat Medic" is Army parlance, and if he IS retired military in the Tacoma area he probably ETS'd out of Ft. Lewis.

 

[Reperio]

No, it isn't the same concept at all. The only information available on this thread is what was in the short article attached. Anything else is conjecture. The thief pulled a gun on the dude. There isn't anything in the story about him pushing or chasing or singing to him.

I will agree with you on one point. I don't believe a truck is worth going to jail or shooting someone over, but the thief apparently thought so.

So "tracks down" isn't similar to "chasing", in the legal sense?

 

[Kid@Heart]

So "tracks down" isn't similar to "chasing", in the legal sense?

Okay, I will play the semantics game for a moment.

Nothing in the article stated he "tracked down" the thief. He "tracked down" his stolen car to a shopping center. He had no way of knowing if the car was occupied.

 

[Kid@Heart]

The gun would have never been pulled if he wasn't confronted. Not saying it's right. Just saying that's how the legal system sees it. He actively pursued his stolen property and confronted the suspect who then pulled a firearm. Being a vigilante (even for yourself/property) doesn't always work out in your favor. That's all I am saying.

He should have made his shots count and truly neutralize the threat.

And if he had never bought the truck it wouldn't have been stolen.

Perhaps you should look up the definition of Vigilante. Pretty sure defending yourself from a violent criminal isn't there.

 

[Member 53328]

And if he had never bought the truck it wouldn't have been stolen.

Perhaps you should look up the definition of Vigilante. Pretty sure defending yourself from a violent criminal isn't there.

Vigilante - a member of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law enforcement in their community without legal authority, typically because the legal agencies are thought to be inadequate.

With that being said what happens when the truck was originally stolen but then sold. And the buyer is unaware that the truck was stolen. What happens when someone thinks he is "defending" the property he thinks he bought out right. What then? Is it likely. No. But things like that do happen.

The owner of the truck is irate, tracks his truck down (GPS) and gets in the face of the occupant. Being the case if he was a military veteran I know how that could have gone. I've seen those altercations in person. The individual in the truck my have feared for his life and in response pulled a gun.

We don't know enough to throw out accusations or judgements off a single paragraph article…

You're quick to judge a situation without all the details.

You obviously know more than the rest of us.

 

[Kid@Heart]

You obviously know more than me. I'm out.

I was just trying to narrow the focus down to the facts on hand. Didn't intend to offend.

 

[Member 53328]

I was just trying to narrow the focus down to the facts on hand. Didn't intend to offend.

I added to my original response. I'll leave it at that.

 

[Reperio]

Okay, I will play the semantics game for a moment.

Nothing in the article stated he "tracked down" the thief. He "tracked down" his stolen car to a shopping center. He had no way of knowing if the car was occupied.

And it would be reasonable to assume the likelihood of a confrontation is high after tracking down a stolen vehicle. In which case they would expect you to call the cops who may or may not do something. I, and most of the others in this thread, never said it would be right or make sense - this is WA after all.

Semantics? More like obtuse checkers.

 

[titsonritz]

I support this level of criminal deterrence. I understand that the law will likely view this as some form of murder - I'm also not advocating for breaking the law, but I have zero sympathy for the thief.

I'm not so sure the law will view it as "Murder". Pretty sure you are allowed to defend yourself if a thief pulls a gun on you.

The article had limited information. Perhaps you know more?

Since the scumbag survived "murder" is off the table.

I don't see where anyone died.
Maybe I missed that part.

No one did, the article states...
The suspect was taken to the hospital with undisclosed injuries and is in stable condition.

 

[Kid@Heart]

Interesting thread.

Too many speculations, assumptions and what ifs for me. I will wait for the facts to come out.

 

[Member 53328]

Interesting thread.

Too many speculations, assumptions and what ifs for me. I will wait for the facts to come out.

As we all should.

These are good scenarios/events to run through our minds and assess how we would deal with it if it were to happen to us personally. Car thefts along with every other crime are sky high and the probability of being involved is only increasing as time progresses.

 

[po18guy]

As much as a liberal DA would like to, the fact that the criminal produced a gun himself is enough reason for the victim to defend himself, and it would play out that way in court. No DA likes to lose in court.

Headline "should" read:

"Man tracks stolen vehicle to Federal Way, shoots back at thief."

In King...I mean Queen, er...I mean Trans County, WA, the outgoing "prosecutor" would probably liked to have gone out with a bang, so to speak. But this one is clear cut.

Taking human life is homicide. Clear cut. However, there is "justifiable" or "excusable" forms of homicide, which are pretty much self-explanatory. A coroner's inquest will be conducted to determine the nature of the homicide.

 

[Camelfilter]

Since the criminal will be released, or already has been released, or was never even charged by the DA, can the truck owners insurance company garnish the criminals wages for the repair costs?

Because, obviously the criminal just needed a better truck to get to his job...

 

[Certaindeaf]

This is why I drive an AMC Pacer.

 

[Capn Jack]

Who pays for cleaning up the truck?

 

[HA556]

Remember the good ole days when a person got hung for horse thieving?! We really need some of the justice this country used to serve!

 

[Cavedweller]

With that being said what happens when the truck was originally stolen but then sold. And the buyer is unaware that the truck was stolen.

I see what you are saying, but you can't legally buy a vehicle without a transfer of title. So any such buyer would either be shady or very naive.

Caveat emptor.