As reported, a 62 year old homeowner used his gun to defend himself and his wife from 2 home invaders:
Police say that at about 2:30AM, a man and his wife were asleep in their home, located on East 64th Street in Brooklyn, NY, when they awoke to the sound of an intruder. The homeowner is said to have grabbed his .38 caliber revolver and gone to investigate, at which point he encountered a pair of home invading criminals. Fearing for his safety, the man reportedly fired in self defense, striking one of the intruders and ending the attack. A suspect, reportedly identified as 30 year old Alexander Manigat, was apprehended by police and taken to the hospital in critical condition, and police are said to be seeking a second suspect. According to news reports, Manigat has 8 previous arrests, including a few for burglary. No injuries to the homeowner or his wife were reported.
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.
8 previous arrests. Rehabilitation has not been in the cards for Mr. Manigat. Our justice system is broken and cannot turn around broken young men. All the money poured into the police, the courts, the prisons, schools, has not changed the heart. I watch series such as "First 48" and often find myself weeping at the lost potential. That we must continue to defend ourselves is very necessary but such a tremendous shame.