More senseless gun violence

[Smash Williams]

This time from outside of Houston.

HOUSTON – A 7-year-old boy died Saturday and a 30-year-old family friend was in serious condition after authorities said they were shot by a married couple who thought the off-roaders were trespassing on their property.

Donald Coffey Jr. died Saturday morning at a Houston hospital, less than two days after the boy was struck in the head with a shotgun blast, Liberty County Sheriff's Cpl. Hugh Bishop said.

The boy, his father, his 5-year-old sister and a family friend were off-roading about 40 miles northeast of Houston late Thursday when they were shot after stopping their vehicles so the children could go to the bathroom. Donald Coffey Sr. had a pellet wound in his right shoulder. Coffey's daughter, Destiny, was hit in the elbow but was in good condition.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/051009dntexboykilled.dd49cd4.html

Honestly, I've never put a lot of thought into my stance about gun control. But I hope this particular couple gets hit with a murder charge. Shooting at people is never the right answer to trespassers, particularly when you say this to the guy on 911: "They're out here tearing up the levee, so I shot them."

 

[zagoshe]

So a couple just started shooting randomly at people who were tresspassing but posing no threat to them and in the daylight?

Am I reading this correctly?

If so, they should both be in jail for a long time.

 

[Rufino]

Actually, zag, you're not reading it correctly. It's even worse - the article says they weren't trespassing, but the Deliverance extras apparently thought they were and shot them. They should execute them both on the spot - reap what you sow, lunatics.

 

[Smallpotatoes]

I'm sorry, something is very ****ed up about a place where it's OK to shoot somebody who poses no danger to you whatsoever.
Is shooting trespassers legal in Texas?
If it is it shouldn't be.

 

[Smash Williams]

Texas has a so-called "castle law," the full text of which is here: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/80R/billtext/html/SB00378F.htm

An unrelated DMN article summarizes it as a law that "gives people the right to use whatever means necessary to protect themselves and their property without fear of civil liability."

Now, I don't know if it applies to just property as a thing (like a house or a car) or if property includes land as well. I am 99 percent sure it doesn't cover shooting tresspassers when you know they're harmless (which this is a case of), but I don't know about like... hearing noise at night from people walking across your lawn and firing out a window cause it freaks you out.

 

[Smallpotatoes]

How about taking the time to find out if the people who may be tresspassing are really a threat to you?
And no, I don't buy the excuse that if you take the time to do that, you could be dead.

 

[zagoshe]

Texas has a so-called "castle law," the full text of which is here: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/80R/billtext/html/SB00378F.htm

An unrelated DMN article summarizes it as a law that "gives people the right to use whatever means necessary to protect themselves and their property without fear of civil liability."

Now, I don't know if it applies to just property as a thing (like a house or a car) or if property includes land as well. I am 99 percent sure it doesn't cover shooting tresspassers when you know they're harmless (which this is a case of), but I don't know about like... hearing noise at night from people walking across your lawn and firing out a window cause it freaks you out.

Unless someone is breaking into your house or is in your house without your authorization and posing a threat -- there is no reason to shoot them. If they are on your property, you lock your doors (if you are scared of them) and you call the police and if they come to close to your house, you fire a warning shot into the air or into a tree or something and let them know not to come closer.

These two idiots are the kind of reckless assholes who make it so difficult for those of us who are NRA members and legal gun owners and always trying to fight the good fight to keep the second amendment alive in this country and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law...

 

[slappy4428]

Great post Zag...

 

[crusoes]

I rarely hear of sensible gun violence.

 

[slappy4428]

I rarely hear of sensible gun violence.

Quit makin sense.

 

[jps]

zag's got this one covered.

(and the murdering idiots were 40 yards away. you can't tell you're shooting at a little kid from 40 yards? what could he possibly be doing that would warrant such a reaction. Jesus.)


edit: hillbillies running a meth lab and a little paranoid, perhaps?

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Guns don't kill people.
Ignorant paranoid hillbilly maniacs kill people.

 

[Smallpotatoes]

Of course, because everyone made Joe Horn out to be a hero for shooting some burglars in the back, some people think you don't need to be in any real danger to shoot somebody.

 

[Blitz]

They've executed 13 people so far here in Texas this year.

Long live the death penalty.

Go thru your appeals, and if you fail with them ... see ya.

To quote several posters on this board, "I loves me some death penalty."

 

[Tom Petty]

just as long as we save a few guns for a few firing squads, we're all good.

 

[Mark2010]

Moral of the story: don't go off roading. Off road rage is even more dangerous than road rage.

 

[MU_was_not_so_hard]

I figured you guys were stereotyping until I read the second half of the story:

From the AP story...
The Houston Chronicle reported that suspects live in a small house on stilts with a rebel flag flying from the roof. A sign posted out front reads: "Trespassers will be shot. Survivers will be reshot!! Smile I will."

Me again...
Or how disturbing is the part describing the wife taking the first shot, and then handing the gun to her hubby so he could take a shot?

 

[alleyallen]

I'd be surprised if this couple gets convicted. There was the case of Joe Horn, not long ago, who shot two criminals breaking into his neighbor's house, and nothing happened to him.

Not saying I agree with the "castle" law, but I know a lot of people here are much more grateful for being able to shoot a possible intruder BEFORE they successfully break into the house.

 

[I Digress]

Except they shot at people NOT on their property. What part of that is covered under the castle law?

 

[slappy4428]

Except they shot at people NOT on their property. What part of that is covered under the castle law?

would seem to me... none.