MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE — Sounds like one burglary suspect really didn’t do his homework before attempting to rob an off-duty Memphis police officer. It will definitely be the last time he makes that mistake as now he’s under guard, in critical condition, at a nearby medical facility. Accounts by neighbors tell of an officer home alone with his two kids when a burglar attempted to break in. Left with no choice, the off-duty police officer got out his pistol and shot the suspect.
via FOX13
“Somebody tried to kick in his back door to break in,” one neighbor told FOX13. “[The victim] is there with his two young children. What are you going to do? So he shot the guy.”
Located just across the border in Mississippi, the community was ready to respond at a moment’s notice when gunshots broke out. Police were extremely fast to respond and the homeowner was able to take his children over to a nearby neighbor’s house so they didn’t have to see the aftermath.
“I came outside. A couple police cars were already here, and they were putting up crime tape. When I walked up to the end of our driveway, you could see the legs of a body sticking out. At first I was scared because I thought it was [the homeowner],” the neighbor said.
“I saw [him] shortly after it started. He had his two young kids. He had a kid under each arm, running across the street to get him to one of the neighbors’ houses to get them away from that.”
It’s just one of those frenetic situations where we’re happy a good guy with a gun was well-trained and prepared to encounter the threat. It seems burglars don’t really put a lot of thought into their targets these days and that makes it all the more dangerous for those staying at home with the kids. Being able to react and use judicious force to stop the threat is both a sign of a responsible father and gun owner. Good work.