He was home alone in Charleston, South Carolina and noticed an unfamiliar car pull up outside. It was then that this quick thinking 13-year-old took steps to defend himself and his home from an armed burglary.
When he saw the two intruders attempting to break in, he opened fire with his mother’s .45 pistol. He fired through the door at the pair of burglars.
An intruder returned fire, but after being hit three times, they turned and fled. The boy continued firing as they drove away, notching bullet holes in the getaway car.
The two fled to the hospital, where one was arrested and the other died from injuries. The investigation is still underway.
This incident should remind gun owners of the importance of educating children in proper respect and treatment of handguns at home. Children should be aware of the power of firearms and the circumstances in which they should be used.
Properly identifying a threat to your life is also a primary focus in using deadly force to defend oneself. Be sure that your target is definitely a threat and that you have no options but to fire. When your finger is on the trigger, be positive that you intend to destroy your target.
Firing after a threat has retreated can also cause legal problems. When the threat to your life is no longer present, your ability to use deadly force ends.
Train yourself and your family in the safe and secure way to handle firearms. Opportunistic thieves don’t always wait until the house is empty, and could enter at any time.
The time you invest in teaching your children how to call 911 and when they need to defend themselves when home alone will pay off in instances like this one.
