A 17 year old who attempted to rob a man after arranging an internet sale was fatally shot by his would-be victim.
News reports say that a 17 year old responded to an online ad on OfferUpForCash, which is an app that allows people to sell property, in a modern-day version of the classified ads in a newspaper. When the 17 year old met the seller in Galveston County, TX, he attempted to rob the seller at which point the seller drew and fired his lawfully carried gun, ending the robbery attempt, according to police. No injuries to the seller were reported, and the robber died from his injuries shortly thereafter.
Often, in self defense cases where the shot criminals are young, there is invariably criticism of the crime victim who acted in self defense. That criticism is misplaced and unwarranted, as the age of a violent robber is not relevant. That is because a 17 year old who is bent on committing a violent robbery is just as able to inflict harm on their victim as a 20 year old robber. A crime victim’s right to defend themselves and others is not diminished by the age of the attacker. Instead, when a person (including a 17 year old) chooses to commit a crime of violence like robbery, they place their own life in peril through that unwise decision that they are knowingly making. Thus, the responsibility for the death of a robber lies squarely on the shoulders of that robber. Remember, robbery is a violent crime against a person, not just their property, As such, it is entirely appropriate for a victim of a robbery to act in self defense.