Florida’s “stand your ground” law likely protected a Palm Beach resident who shot two intruders who had broken into his home. The homeowner returned home one night and found the criminals inside his residence. In an exchange of gunfire, the resident killed one intruder and injured the second. The homeowner was not hurt. In 2005, Florida became the first state to pass “stand your ground” law, which allows a person to defend and protect his own life against a threat or a perceived threat. No charges have been brought against the resident. (Palm Beach Post, Palm Beach, FL, 8/14/15)
The Armed Citizen® Extra
A Phoenix, Ariz., man was forced to use a handgun for defense against a burglar when his initial verbal warnings did not have the required effect. The homeowner, who is in his 60s, was home alone when he was alerted to the sound of a window breaking. Spotting the intruder as he attempted to enter the residence through the broken window, the homeowner retrieved his gun and warned the intruder that he was armed. When the suspect continued attempting to enter the building, the resident fired at the interloper, striking him at least once. The burglar fled down an alley but collapsed a short distance later. (azfamily.com, Phoenix, AZ, 9/23/15)
From the Armed Citizen® Archives
June 1982
A criminal who had just broken into his Cincinnati, Ohio, home had a rifle pointed at 79-year-old W. P. Henry. But when Henry’s 18-year-old granddaughter momentarily distracted the assailant, Henry had time to draw his .38 Spl.-chambered revolver from under his pillow and open fire, hitting the intruder three times and putting him to flight. Asked whether he’d continue to sleep with the gun under his pillow, Henry said, “I tell you, it’s dangerous to sleep without it.” (The Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH)
