TX Porch Shooter Not Charged

[slimmer13]

I'm conflicted. On one hand, it likely could have been handled without bloodshed. On the other, legally armed, on your own property with an aggressive individual that has been asked to leave moving towards you. Do you let him get within arms reach? Possibly get to your gun?

Tragic, but legal shoot (in most states) IMO.

 

[Texanna]

^^^^ Went beyond arms reach all the way to chest bump action? I am truly surprised the larger man didn't overpower him right there. Odd.

 

[bradsteen]

 

[wingman33]

I'm conflicted. On one hand, it likely could have been handled without bloodshed. On the other, legally armed, on your own property with an aggressive individual that has been asked to leave moving towards you. Do you let him get within arms reach? Possibly get to your gun?

Tragic, but legal shoot (in most states) IMO.

I agree with your assessment 100%. To be honest I'm surprised by most people's opinion in the firearms community on this one. With that said everyone's entitled to their opinions.

 

[Alexx1401]

^^^^ Went beyond arms reach all the way to chest bump action? I am truly surprised the larger man didn't overpower him right there. Odd.

Yep he did not want to. He could have certainly taken the rifle from the guy. He just wanted to intimidate him to shame him. Cost him his life. This was NOT the first time the guy had let his emotions get the better of him you can bet. This time his luck did not hold though.

 

[Texanna]

Yep he did not want to. He could have certainly taken the rifle from the guy. He just wanted to intimidate him to shame him. Cost him his life. This was NOT the first time the guy had let his emotions get the better of him you can bet. This time his luck did not hold though.

Thank you for your assessment.

To me, here's the conundrum. Gun comes out ... turn and leave right then, but your back (or front) is exposed. No guarantee you won't get shot as you comply, that happens all the time in robberies, right? Or, move towards the danger, as the father looking to pick up his son did. Yet his poor execution got him uh, executed.

But again, the weirdness – no attempt to render aid by anyone. How about cell-phone woman? Truck gal keeps yapping as if there's not an injured man (dead?) in the yard. Rifle dude stand there like he just shot a coyote, no reason to get excited.

 

[Alexx1401]

Thank you for your assessment.

To me, here's the conundrum. Gun comes out ... turn and leave right then, but your back (or front) is exposed. No guarantee you won't get shot as you comply, that happens all the time in robberies, right? Or, move towards the danger, as the father looking to pick up his son did. Yet his poor execution got him uh, executed.

But again, the weirdness – no attempt to render aid by anyone. How about cell-phone woman? Truck gal keeps yapping as if there's not an injured man (dead?) in the yard. Rifle dude stand there like he just shot a coyote, no reason to get excited.

That part, the way some of them acted, stumped me too. I have to "guess" they were kind of in shock at what they had just seen and done? Weird.
As for the guy he judged (wrong) that the guy was not going to shoot him, was just trying to scare him. The "smart" thing to do when the gun came out would of course be to walk away. He should have known this was being recorded. He was screaming he was going to take the woman to court again. This would have been the way to go although him not being able to control his emotions would not have been helpful if the black robe got to see the video his girl was filming. That part had me shaking my head too. I have to assume he knew his girl was shooting video of this, since he felt he was being wronged per court arrangement? So knowing he is being filmed, he then proceeds to act like he can't control himself? What a damn mess.
Then there are the kids these two were fighting about. Now they get to live with the loss of the Father, at the hands of the Moms new boy friend? What chance do those kids have of not having emotional problems for life now. People need to learn when its time to take a breath, walk away, cool off, whatever. Place I work now we have to deal with out of control people. Often emotional, often people who are impaired. Several have lost their job when they could not control their emotions in a confrontation and someone got hurt.

 

[revjen45]

All I can say is that I didn't see anything that would have caused me to go for my piece.
Once having pulled it, he then lets Read get right up in his face in a position to grab the gun.
Upon seeing the gun, the shootee basically invites the shooter to "go ahead and shoot" (famous last words) thinking the armed party is not serious about it. Big mistake.
I did, however, see something that would have caused me to leave if I were in Read's shoes, even if were armed myself.
Basically, this looked like a confabulation of morons, none of whom had the brains God gave a duck.

 

[WillametteWill]

Andrew Branca (Law of Self Defense) made a recent video commenting on not using actual cases to direct our view of proper self defense outcome, using this case as one of the examples. He notes this could have gone either way for the shooter (charged / not charged) and in any armed confrontation you have a greater than 0% chance of either dying or going to prison. Obviously one of them found this out.

I've handled lots of child custody disputes in the field and every ounce of rational thinking has been drained from all parties much of the time. They are often dumpster fires sitting in the flat car of a train that is about to be derailed next to a chemical plant. Sometimes worse.

Edit: Spelling

 

[Xaevian]

I've handled lots of child custody disputes in the field and every ounce of rational thinking has been drained from all parties much of the time. They are often dumpster fires sitting in the flat car of a train that is about to be derailed next to a chemical plant. Sometimes worse.

There was one around last Thanksgiving here like that. Visitation handoff at Super 1 Foods in Stevensville. Mom's boyfriend got all mad, threw the kid in the back seat, backed over dad...3 times. Dad ended up just bruised and battered.

 

[Alexx1401]

There was one around last Thanksgiving here like that. Visitation handoff at Super 1 Foods in Stevensville. Mom's boyfriend got all mad, threw the kid in the back seat, backed over dad...3 times. Dad ended up just bruised and battered.

I guess I "kind of get it" when a couple splits and things get heated but damn! Why so many of them act like this in front of the damn kids?? That is the one I for the life of me do not get. Years ago the damn Chief of Police here went all macho and killed his soon to be ex wife in front of their two small children then shot himself also in front of the children. Like WTF people?

 

[Xaevian]

I guess I "kind of get it" when a couple splits and things get heated but damn! Why so many of them act like this in front of the damn kids?? That is the one I for the life of me do not get. Years ago the damn Chief of Police here went all macho and killed his soon to be ex wife in front of their two small children then shot himself also in front of the children. Like WTF people?

Crystal Brame, remember it.

 

[RogerJ]

Never should have escalated to that level but Read played the game and won the prize.

 

[Longwalkhome]

I guess we all look for our own answers when we see killings like this. It's my opinion it takes a hard heart to kill. Aide wasn't rendered after he shot because he hated the man on the ground.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Never should have escalated to that level but Read played the game and won the prize.

This is why I put horns on all my guns.