As reported, a homeowner from Jackson, Mississippi reportedly used his gun to stop a threatening burglar.
Police say that at about 5 AM, the homeowner was asleep, in his house on the 1300 block of Jefferson Street, when he awakened to find a burglar standing in his bedroom. The homeowner reportedly grabbed his self defense gun and confronted the intruder, who first started to flee then made a threatening gesture. Fearing for his safety, the homeowner shot the intruder in the leg, according to police. A suspect, reportedly identified as 42 year old Johnny Washington, was treated at a local hospital for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and then taken into custody, police say.
Those who are unarmed, or who are armed with an inferior weapon, will often end up overpowered by the criminal, with dire consequences. Nor can a citizen rely upon the police for protection, as they are minutes away while it takes a criminal who is breaking in just seconds to get to their victim. It is also important to note that the police will sometimes fail to help even when asked repeatedly, and they are not legally liable for that failure. Adding to the problem, police are 5.5 times more likely than an armed citizen to shoot the wrong person, meaning that there is a certain degree of danger anytime there are armed police coming to the aid of a citizen. In sum, self defense is often a crime victim’s best – if not only – option.