A fatal shooting this past week in Fort Worth, Texas, underscores an uncomfortable but unavoidable reality about crime, self-defense, and personal responsibility.
That is that when you come onto someone’s property with the intent to commit a crime, you’re putting your life in grave danger.
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, a homeowner confronted a man attempting to break into his locked garage just after 6:00 a.m. on Jan. 12.
Police said the homeowner heard and then saw the intruder trying to enter the garage and acted.
The homeowner encountered the man and told him to leave, police said.
Instead of backing away, the suspect allegedly moved toward the homeowner.
In a news release, Fort Worth police said the man aggressively approached, and the homeowner fired multiple rounds.
At least one bullet struck the man in the torso, according to police.
The suspect then ran or walked away from the home before collapsing on a nearby sidewalk.
He was pronounced dead at the scene despite attempts by paramedics to save him.
CBS News reported that the homeowner immediately called 911 to report the shooting and request medical assistance.
The homeowner remained at the scene and cooperated fully with investigators.
Police have not arrested the homeowner, but homicide detectives are going to conduct an investigation.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet released the suspect’s name, age, or official cause and manner of death, but the loss of life here was needless.
Death in any circumstance is generally tragic, and no one should celebrate the demise of another human being.
But adults who choose to commit crimes, particularly crimes like burglary that involve invading someone else’s property, place their lives in the hands of others.
A homeowner confronted with an unknown person in the dead of night attempting to break into a garage in the early morning hours has no way of knowing the intruder’s intentions.
All too often, innocent people in high-crime areas lose their lives or are subjected to great bodily harm.
Texas law accurately recognizes a person’s right to defend their home, their property, and most importantly, their life.
The homeowner in this case did what millions of gun owners prepare for, but hope never happens.
He armed himself, confronted a threat, and reacted when that threat escalated.
No charges have been filed, and unless new facts emerge, none appear likely.
While it is painful to think about a man bleeding to death on a Fort Worth sidewalk, police say the situation was triggered by his own actions.
There may be a grim silver lining, which is that stories like this can serve as a public service announcement of sorts to other potential criminals.
In a gun-friendly state like Texas, breaking into someone’s home is not just illegal, but can carry an instant death sentence.
People motivated to victimize others ought to take that into account before acting carelessly.
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