A 16-year-old boy was killed and a 15-year-old boy was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition after they were shot by the occupant of a house they allegedly broke into to try to burglarize, New Orleans police said.
Police were called to the 7400 block of Woodbine Drive about 11:30 a.m. and found the teens shot in the house's backyard, said officer Hilal Williams, an NOPD spokeswoman.
Paramedics pronounced the older boy dead at the scene. He wore gray pants and a hooded purple LSU sweatshirt. They rushed the second boy to a local hospital in critical condition.
According to investigators, the youths cut the power to the house and then threw a brick through a back window.
The burglary victim, who according to a relative is in his early 20s, was sleeping in the house when he heard a commotion, police said. He found the two teens climbing in the window, grabbed a gun and opened fire, police said.
The teens escaped the house through the same window they entered through, but were not able to flee the scene because of their injuries. Another 16-year-old boy who allegedly worked as a lookout was arrested without incident, Williams said
The Orleans Parish coroner's office did not find any weapons on the teen who died, and police could not immediately say whether the second suspect was armed when he was shot.
The victim's cousin, who asked that his name not be used because of safety concerns, said his cousin recently bought a gun for protection.
"I told him not to get it, but he said, 'If I have a gun -- you never know (if you'll need it). It's New Orleans East,'" the cousin said.
One neighbor who stood near the scene said the neighborhood, with its renovated houses and tidy lawns, has recovered well post-Katrina but that home burglaries have been a problem.
Williams said she did not expect police to file any charges against the burglary victim, because he apparently fired his gun in self-defense. However, detectives will discuss the case with the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office to decide if any action should be taken.
In 2006, then-Gov. Kathleen Blanco signed into law a bill that protects from prosecution anyone who kills an intruder "who has made unlawful entry into the dwelling ... and the person committing the homicide reasonably believes that the use of deadly force is necessary to prevent the entry or to compel the intruder to leave the premises."
Now I'm sure that by tonight, the families of the dead criminals will be all over the news, sobbing about how the deceased were good boys who were just getting ready to turn their lives around, but the real issue here is that today there is another man alive because he had one of those guns that many of our Congressmen want to keep us from having. Of course none of those Congressmen live in New Orleans East, or comparable neighborhoods with their own districts. Most live in gated communities or other well-heeled, neighborhoods that are far from where most criminals live and boast superior police protection.
But most of us will never be able to afford the level of security that our public servants enjoy on our dime. That's why it's incumbent upon us all to learn how to protect ourselves, and why Congress needs to back away from attempts to deny us the tools needed to do this.
In my case, Murphy's showing early signs of being a good watchdog--real good. But I can't just leave it all up to him. That's why I've invested heavily in quality self-defense training over the years and acquired quality tools that I can bring to bear when things go bump in the night or the patio door shatters.
And it's why I advocate for the gun rights of every other law-abiding citizen of this country, even those so stupid that they vote for Obama and other anti-gun legislators who will disarm them the moment that they have even a scant majority in Congress.Remember, folks...when seconds count, the police are just minutes away. But when they get there, rest assured that they'll probably write a pretty good report and take lots of neat pictures of the crime scene.
Whether or not your part of that crime scene is up to you.
My stuff is just not worth the lives of two kids.
ReplyDeleteYes, flaming liberal here.
Your choice, but what if they're not just there for your stuff? Or what if they have a "no witnesses" policy?
ReplyDeleteOr aren't kids?
I am armed also because I have two daughters and a wife to defend.
ReplyDeleteI really don't think I could shoot someone who is just out to shoot/hurt just me. Now, say my grandchildren were there, or Bruce, or another family member who was likely to be hurt, I MIGHT (and I really am not sure that I really could) shoot.
ReplyDeleteBut as far as stuff, it is just stuff, I know I could not live with myself if I shot an unarmed kid over stuff.
I am sure that my inability to imagine shooting someone just to protect myself has some deep messed up psychological meaning. Or maybe it was all those Sunday Masses I attended.
While it would suck to die or before I want to (but who ever wants to die?) or be hurt by some creep - I figure when my number is up it is up and they are the ones who have to answer for what they did.
That's your choice, Katherine. As for me, I don't have anything worth stealing (read: don't have much of anything at all) so if anyone comes climbing through my window at night, I'm gonna assume they mean to do me harm. And my life is, to me, worth more than two punks looking to make their bones.
ReplyDelete-Raptor
PS. Brand new reader. Liking the blog quite a lot. And you have an Uzi! Sweet! FA, or just an SBR semi?
If you are comfortable with jumping to that conclusion and then having to live with deaths of two kids on your hands then maybe you've been watching to many 'man movies'
ReplyDeleteAmen Brother! And Katherine is just a victim waiting on a criminal...
ReplyDeleteI wondered if you'd see this story. If those "kids" knew that the resident was there before they cut his power and smashed his window, what do you suspect they were after -- his stuff, or him? Or, did he just not concern them?
ReplyDeleteIf he had a big ol' sign warning potential burglars that he was armed and willing, do you suppose they'd break in anyway? Doubt it (if they could read).
We're seriously considering investing in just such a sign. And more guns. I've already had one too many guns shoved in my face by a thug -- there won't be a next time because my life IS worth more than a thug's.
Although rape is commonly viewed as a street crime, a substantial proportion of rape occurs inside homes following an unlawful entry of the residence. Rape and burglary, because they share a common focus in the home, exhibit similar opportunity structures which the perp historically takes advantage of.
ReplyDeleteTo Katherine, the man who shot the kids didn't make that choice, the kids did. YOu enter anoters castle univited you get what you get. IN this case dead.
ReplyDeleteFOr my property is my lifes work, thus part of my life,and no man,government or otherwise has a right to it,unless I say so.
Folks, Katherine's really a good egg. She just looks at the world a bit differently than this site's typical demographic. but I'm working on her, and she keeps coming back, so I view that as a start.
ReplyDeleteRaptor--welcome. And yes, the Uzi is the real deal. Check out the topics on the left side of the site or at the bottom of this article and you'll come to one labeled "Uzi" that has more info and pics.
NE--I'm one of the ones who has in fact shot people before. Their choice and I live with it just fine.
Oh--and I'm still here despite their best efforts. In the grand scheme of things, my life is worth more to me than that of some aggressor who is trying to kill me and if I had it all to do over again, I'd just shoot quicker and place my shots a little better.
Have you checked Murphy out on the noise factor yet? As in, will he run and hide when you are repelling boarders?
ReplyDeleteI only ask because I am sitting at my in-laws right now, who own a big (80+ lbs) yellow lab who is gunshy, and will run from you if you are even holding something that looks like a lnog gun (like a broom).
Just a thought
Unfortunately, the death of the accomplice from the bullet of the intended victim will not support a felony murder or felony manslaughter charge in Louisiana. State v. Myers, 760 So. 2d 310 (La. 2000).
ReplyDeleteHad it happened in a states such as New York, Florida, Illinois and Arizona, the prosecutors would have such an avenue available to them.
But the intended victim did save the state the cost of prosecuting and incarcerating at least one of those scumbags.
Scott--He seems good with loud noises thus far, and I've taken him with me to the range a couple times and let him stay in the car so he can get used to the reports from a safe-hearing distance. No issues yet.
ReplyDeleteWow -somehow your readers have concluded that I am somehow "anti-gun" because I value life more than stuff. Amazing inaccurate generalization.
ReplyDeleteI am not "anti-gun" in fact, I hunted every.single.day of the legal duck and goose season in Central IL for years - as well as other game hunting (nothing every quite did for me though like that bird hunting). For 25 years I regularly went to gun clubs, hunting clubs, skeet and trap ranges, hunted, shot or owned all kinds of weapons automatic weapons, pistols, whatever.
I have chosen - at least in the circumstance I live in now - not to arm myself with the purpose (however remote) to someday kill someone who might want to harm me or my stuff. Just like you, I lived that way once - bound and determined not to be a future "victim." All those weapons never helped a bit. However, I still respect your right to own and bear arms.
I don't view the way I live now as being a potential victim either.
Frankly, I think that as opposed to waiting in fear for a "home invasion" "assault" and rape" in rural WV, there is a better chance that some weirdo will decide to suicide or otherwise bomb the IRS building, metro, or somewhere downtown where I might be walking every weekday, because you know we collect taxes and all that and I am part of that evil empire. There is no weapon I can carry, or own, or have under my pillow, that is going to help me much there.
I believe that I have the right to live as I wish - I find it disingenuous (the polite word for hypocritical) that your readers who purport to stand for individual freedoms do not respect that but instead assume to know me and call me "victim".
I have made the choice to not fear some unknown someday event - that as I said, I believe is highly unlikely to occur. Rather, I'll just deal with this particular moment in this particular day.
In the unlikely event some weirdo decides to throw a brick through my window or otherwise rob me while I am home and rapes and kills me in the process, please feel free to comment then on my naivete. However, like you, I will have lived and perhaps died the way I wished. I respect your choices. It would be great if your readers respected mine.
Katherine- First and foremost it IS your life to lead. You can make choices as you see fit for you. I do not, nor ever will place the value of “stuff” over another human life.
ReplyDeleteI am a Concealed Carry Handgun instructor in this state. After we get the paperwork done I ask the class if they could take another human beings life. I tell them that there are serious moral, criminal, civil, and physiological consequences for that act. I also tell them that if they cannot make that choice right here right now, I will give them their money back, including the deposit that comes out of my pocket. I respect those that get up and leave. Some think the mere act of brandishing a firearm will act as a Talisman throwing the evil ones away. Some cannot deal with the whole purpose of the class. The fact of the matter is that if a predator has selected you as a victim and you cannot make that choice to pull that trigger right then right now, under close quarters they will more than likely take the weapon from you and use it against you. I applaud your decision as you stated.
I spend 5 hours telling students the justified use of deadly force. The one thing that is paramount is that YOU must feel that you are under serious threat of serious bodily harm, or sexual assault. There are other considerations here such as duty to retreat and other matters. This post is not to be construed as a NC CCH class. I make NO provisions for “Stuff”. Hell, if I get home from work and someone is carrying the flat screen TV out I will hold the door open for them. That is what I have insurance for.
I will say this however. You have made a choice. You hold a higher power responsible for your life. I do too. I spent 13 years in a private religious school and I have no reservations about my personal choice or the fact I spend weekends teaching CCH. I do feel that the higher power DOES expect me to hold up my end of the deal.
And yes, “Me” does have some wonderful weapons displayed on the blog. I have done so as well. For some of us, we are collectors. I have many weapons on my blog I would never shoot. They are too old.
If you want to speak with a like minded person, my “left wing nut job Aunt” has been through my Basic Pistol Class, the CCH class and recently asked for her Fathers shotgun back from me. I would be happy to let you two commiserate on the subject. You may find something of interest there.
Take care and stay safe!
Thanks Keads -I'd love to speak with your aunt :) oddly enough I finally recently sold a shotgun that I had kept since 1994 (when I ran away from home so to speak) as I realized - 1. I didn't even have the correct shells for it, 2. even if I did, I would not know how to load and shoot it anymore. 3. even if I did load it, it was highly unlikely I could shoot it at anyone even if I did figure it out.
ReplyDeleteif your aunt does yoga too, I'm sure we'll be BFF's :)