As reported, a 13 year old boy used his mother’s gun to stop an armed home invader.
Police say that the boy was home alone in Ladson, South Carolina when an intruder appeared at the house and attempted to break in. The boy reportedly used his mother’s handgun to shoot through the door, at which point the intruder also fired at the boy before fleeing. A suspect, reportedly identified as 31-year-old Lamar Brown, died at a local hospital and a suspected accomplice is in custody on charges of burglary and possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime. No injuries to the boy were reported.
In a perfect word, this child would not have had to defend himself against a violent home invader, as having to shoot a person is something no child should have to experience. Sadly, this is not a perfect world, and this child did suffer an attempted home invasion and had to defend himself. Fortunately, his mother had a gun for self defense and he knew how to use that gun. As a result, a situation that could have been much worse was resolved with the child suffering no physical harm.
It is worth nothing that this is not the first time I’m discussed a self-defense case where a child was able to use a gun to protect themselves or their family. This 11 year old boy used his .22 rifle to shoot a home invader, while this 15 year old boy used his rifle to save his sister from an intruder. Similarly, this 16 year old boy used a gun to stop a burglar who kicked in the back door to his home, armed with a handgun. Children of sufficient maturity can and do save themselves from violent attacks when home alone.