Another Homeowner Stops a Burglary

[SCKimberFan]

This was in today's Charlotte Observer. Perhaps people are getting tired of crime.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/100/story/168015.html

Police: Homeowner shoots, kills burglar
The district attorney's office will determine whether to file charges after reviewing evidence.
By April Bethea
[email protected]
Posted: Wednesday, Sep. 03, 2008

The home on Toddville Road in northwest Charlotte where the shooting occurred.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say a homeowner shot and killed a man who had broken into his northwest Charlotte house on Tuesday.

Police said 30-year-old Timothy Michael Quinn died at Carolinas Medical Center after the shooting, which occurred around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at a home in the 2000 block of Toddville Road.

The homeowner, who was not identified, told police he had returned home and saw a black Dodge Stratus in his driveway. The side door of the home also had been kicked in.

Deputy Chief David Graham said the home's owner went inside the residence where he confronted the intruder and ordered him to lay down. But the man instead moved toward the homeowner, who then shot him at least once with a handgun. The homeowner then dialed 911, police said.

Emergency crews who arrived on the scene performed CPR on Quinn, then took him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The homeowner agreed to go with police for an interview.

As detectives combed the scene on Tuesday, residents who lived nearby said they were shocked to hear of the shooting.

Shirley Snow, who lives next door to the home, said she did not hear of the shooting until another neighbor called to ask why police were on the street. Snow said she then went outside and tried to comfort her next-door-neighbor, but was told by police she couldn't go on the scene.

Snow said her neighbor had been out of work recently recovering from knee surgery.

“I just hope they don't charge him,” Snow said. “I'm sure it's something he wouldn't have done unless he felt it was necessary.”

Graham said police will present the results of their investigation to the district attorney's office, which will determine whether to file charges.


Will follow up as more info is gained.

 

[wdlsguy]

I know this is GGD, not S&T, but wouldn't it have been smarter to call 911 and observe from a safe distance until the police arrived?

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Yes, it would have.

The homeowner agreed to go with police for an interview.

Might have been a BIG mistake, if they have an anti-gun DA there.

Say it together with me, class:

"Officer, all I can tell you is that I shot in self-defense. Anything beyond that, you'll have to contact my lawyer, after I get one. I have NO FURTHER COMMENT at this time."

 

[txgho1911]

Call 911 before you think of clearing the house.

 

[SRT1]

He may be in trouble since he saw the door kicked in and a strange car outside and WENT INTO the house where it all took place. Hope not.
SRT

 

[30 cal slob]

if there is a loved one in the house with an intruder in it ...

all bets are off i'm gonna clear the house. with extreme aggression.

but i've gotten (some) training to do that.

 

[Starship1st]

I hope th home owner gets off. Thr scum got what was coming to him. The burglar was after all the intruder.

 

[RobNDenver]

I guess you have to ask whether or not NC has a "make my day" statute but in general, I would think that if a burglar is in my home, I order him to surrender/leave the premises and he advances toward me, I am pretty much in the clear if I defend myself.

+1 on the "I feared for my life, and acted in self defense. I will be happy to cooperate after I have spoken to my attorney".

 

[SCKimberFan]

They do not have a castle doctrine law yet. This may be enough to get the legislature working towards it. The DA in Mecklenburg Co has been pretty fair with HD issues.

 

[john917v]

I agree with 30 cal slob. The article didn't mention other family in the home. I'd def. go in, and clear the house. Guy didn't want to get shot, he shouldn't have been in MY house, risking MY family's lives. I find that hard to believe that anyone would disagree.

 

[Schmidlin]

the robber was given a warning. He put his life in his own hands. He failed to comply and got shot. Kind of makes me wonder if the home owner himself might have been a ex-armd forces or ex LE.

His actions as told in the story just seem to fluid, or im just looking for something that is not there.

 

[Poor East Texan]

One more crook takes a dirt nap. Maybe others will think twice!

 

[Halo]

Typical of the Observer's reporting. "moved towards the homeowner" rather than what actually happened, lunged at the homeowner. Compare with this report of the same incident:

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A Charlotte man comes home to find his house allegedly being robbed and fights back, killing the burglar.

It happened at a home on Toddville Road in west Charlotte around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, and neighbors say he did the right thing.

"He did what he should have done. I mean that’s no business breaking into his house," Clay Robinson told us. He’s staying across the street from the Toddville Road home where the shooting happened and says he heard two gunshots.

Investigators say the man who lives there came home to find red flags all over the place: A strange car in the driveway and the door that leads from the carport to the house kicked in.

Police say the homeowner went inside, found a suspected burglar and told the man they identify as Timothy Quinn to get down. But instead, they say Quinn charged at him and the homeowner shot him, killing the 31-year-old.

The woman who has lived next door for more than 30 years, Shirley Snow, said, "I think he had a right to defend himself and his home if it happened like I thought -- the guy was coming toward him. I think he had a every right to protect himself."

http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stories/wcnc-090208-krg-shooting.396eeedc.html

 

[BruceRDucer]

/

he confronted the intruder and ordered him to lay down. But the man instead moved toward the homeowner, who then shot him at least once with a handgun.

Is it just me, or is it a truly unique form of stupidity to move on a man with a handgun?

By contrast, the other story posted today concerned two parents who moved directly on a man armed with a sawed off Remington 870.

I guess we would have to consider a loving parent to recognize the difference.

 

[Schmidlin]

Halos story sounds alot more like what happened. I can see a robber running at a home owner trying to basically call the bluff, im guessing the home owner played poker alot....he doesn't bluff

 

[Mickstix]

I can see the bg not wanting to go to jail, and deciding to run.. If the homeowner is blocking his exit..... bang.. dead bg.. (as it should be, imo)

 

[Hook686]

I agree it was stupid to enter the building rather than call LEO to do that.

That said, if the intruder moved on the owner in a threatening manner, I see no problem with stopping the threat.

 

[mike101]

IMO, when a criminal disregards your right not to have your home broken into, they forfeit their right to remain unshot. I hope this homeowner is not prosecuted. I rather doubt he will be.