MEMPHIS, TN — A pair of burglars were shot and killed by an armed citizen early evening of the first of this month, KXXV reports.
The person they attempted to rob happened to both be the survivor of a shooting at his home earlier and the owner of an AK-based platform.
According to KXXV:
The shooting happened Friday evening on Myrna Lane near the intersection of Willow Road. Both of the men were pronounced dead at the scene. The homeowner, who asked not to be identified for his safety, said when he arrived home, the men were already inside.
“I see my house being ransacked and the dog was still going hysterical in the cage,” he said. “When he saw me he notified the other individual that was with him, ‘hey, they are here.'”
That’s the moment he said when the suspected burglars pulled out guns, but he was able to get to a hall closet to get his. “I had my own personal AK-47,” he said. The homeowner admits it’s not the first time there’s been a shooting at his home. Police markings show where the home was shot up less than a year ago.
“I don’t know what’s going on but I know I’m going to defend my life to the best of my ability,” he said.
MPD identified the two men who were shot and killed as 28-year-old Azell Witherspoon and 17-year-old Demond Robinson.
“These boys need their father and need some type of discipline. They’re out here without any fear,” the homeowner said.
He said he did regret the loss of life, but “it was either me or them.” MPD said the man responsible for the shootings was detained but later released. The District Attorney General’s office determined that no charges will be filed at this time.
Although it’s fantastic that this man was able to neutralize the threats to his safety — pretty violently, even for a burglary gone bad — so much risk would have been eliminated here if he’d just been concealed carrying.
It’s borderline miraculous that this homeowner was able to stumble upon two armed men and turn a totally losing situation into the winning side of a firefight — it worked this time, but don’t roll those dice.
Plus — if he was able to get to his gun that quickly in his closet, it’s hard not to wonder whether he was storing his gun in any kind of a safe manner, considering the burglars had a chance to get a crack at it.
That’s just as bad, but luckily it worked out well for the armed citizen.
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