Homeowner Engages Vehicle Break-In Suspects With Firearm: How Not To Do Things

ORANGE GROVE, TEXAS — A homeowner awoke at 3 am to a pair of men attempting to break into his car that was parked in the driveway. Not waiting for police, the homeowner began firing his gun at the bad guys.

The homeowner first saw the apparent break-in on his security cameras, and then decided to spring into action.

In my book, this is a potentially sticky situation. Not only is it dark out and you probably aren’t able to get a clear picture of who/what you’re shooting at, it’s also a situation where property can be replaced if something is broken/stolen. I’m not for the idea of just letting bad guys get away with crimes, but there are a few things to consider.

1. If you being shooting, especially in the dark, you’d better make sure you’re on target. Each bullet that exits your firearm is your responsibility. I don’t know the proximity of his neighbors to the area where this occurred, but it’s plausible that a bullet could hit an unintended target.
2. Waiting for police is your best option if your life isn’t in danger. If the two men started to come towards the home and try to break in, then all bets are off. If they’re a safe distance away, however, I’d be watching closely while on the phone with police.
3. In this particular case, the bad guys started shooting back. That’s a game changer. Always assume the bad guy is armed, and make decisions accordingly.

In the end, it’s up to each citizen to make the best decisions they can at the time. However if this were me, I wouldn’t have been firing shots into the darkness.