Stand Your Ground vs Lie In Wait
In Orange County, Florida the owner of a convenience store shot and killed a burglar Friday morning. Having been burglarized before, the owner was sleeping in the closed store overnight. 
At approximately 2:15 AM the snoozing owner was startled awake by glass shattering. "That woke me up one hundred percent," he recounted. The owner felt the immediate need to defend his life.
"I fired I think fourteen shots, and I, I was not very sure if I, if I shot him or not. And as soon as I finished all of my bullets, I think he really quickly jumped out of the window," stated the store owner as he described his spray and pray technique of life preservation.
The burglar was later found dead across the street. When asked if he regretted shooting the man and killing him, the store owner replied "No. Because this is the way it had to go down. His days were numbered, by the way. His days were numbered. If not me, he would have gotten somebody. If he had a weapon I would have gone down or he would have gone down."
Neighbors are supporting the store owner, but it is still uncertain whether charges will be filed.
This is yet another fine example of a person buying a gun and apparently never training or learning the law.
Many gun owners hold a belief that a firearm is a magic talisman against crime, and they resort to their level of training in a crisis. They spray and pray. Guns do not prevent criminals from plying their trade like crosses affect vampires. Sound tactics and a plan prevents victimization.
While Florida is a "stand your ground" state, it is not a "lie in wait" state. The store owner freely admits he was sleeping in the store with a gun because he was burglarized before. Better, visible security may have been preferable. Two German Shepherd Dogs turned loose in the store when locking up for the night would have been just such a visible deterrent. The goal is not to change the burglar's life, but rather to make him choose an easier target elsewhere. The German Shepherd Dog is not a talisman against evil either, but unlike the firearm, a German Shepherd Dog comes ready with tactics to protect it's territory. A dog can lie in wait and escape with impunity when it protects it's territory. One can only hope a human will have the same ability in Florida.
At approximately 2:15 AM the snoozing owner was startled awake by glass shattering. "That woke me up one hundred percent," he recounted. The owner felt the immediate need to defend his life."I fired I think fourteen shots, and I, I was not very sure if I, if I shot him or not. And as soon as I finished all of my bullets, I think he really quickly jumped out of the window," stated the store owner as he described his spray and pray technique of life preservation.
The burglar was later found dead across the street. When asked if he regretted shooting the man and killing him, the store owner replied "No. Because this is the way it had to go down. His days were numbered, by the way. His days were numbered. If not me, he would have gotten somebody. If he had a weapon I would have gone down or he would have gone down."
Neighbors are supporting the store owner, but it is still uncertain whether charges will be filed.
This is yet another fine example of a person buying a gun and apparently never training or learning the law.
Many gun owners hold a belief that a firearm is a magic talisman against crime, and they resort to their level of training in a crisis. They spray and pray. Guns do not prevent criminals from plying their trade like crosses affect vampires. Sound tactics and a plan prevents victimization.While Florida is a "stand your ground" state, it is not a "lie in wait" state. The store owner freely admits he was sleeping in the store with a gun because he was burglarized before. Better, visible security may have been preferable. Two German Shepherd Dogs turned loose in the store when locking up for the night would have been just such a visible deterrent. The goal is not to change the burglar's life, but rather to make him choose an easier target elsewhere. The German Shepherd Dog is not a talisman against evil either, but unlike the firearm, a German Shepherd Dog comes ready with tactics to protect it's territory. A dog can lie in wait and escape with impunity when it protects it's territory. One can only hope a human will have the same ability in Florida.
posted by Xavier at 2:40 PM
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