You Can't Just Shoot People

Not even if they stole from you. Nash County homeowner shot at car after theft from his truck, hitting teen driver in head, sheriff says

"Every bullet comes with a lawyer attached."

This is one of the more insane stories about a homeowner going out to "confront" someone breaking into his vehicle I've seen in a while, and see a fair few of them. Yes, I know you are pissed off. The Law doesn't care about your feelings. That headline contains most of the relevant information.

Spring Hope, North Carolina is about a 35 mile drive east of Raleigh.

Zachary Bryant, 30, is facing several charges after a 15-year-old was shot in the head and is listed in critical condition, Nash County deputies said Sunday.

He didn't even have a gun on him when he went outside. He had to go back into the house to get it.

Bryant then went into his home, put on clothes, grabbed a handgun and flashlight and went back outside, deputies said.

Bryant checked his truck and noticed some tools were missing, deputies said.

He then fired at a car that was "similar to that from before." He wasn't even sure, couldn't be sure, it was the same people who stole from him. They were in a similar vehicle. They were on a main road near his house. He opened fire.

He struck the 15-year-old driver in the head, causing the car to crash. The cops didn't even mention if the 4 teens in the car had stolen from Bryant, because that is not relevant to the charges.

Deputies said Sunday that Bryant was not in the path of the car and “had no concern of the car hitting him” when he fired the shots.

Deputies said Sunday that the situation does not meet the criteria for justified use of deadly force.

Bryant is now charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and inflicting serious injury and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill.

So he will now face the very real prospect of losing years of his life, his ability to legally own firearms, all over "some tools." If they were that valuable, maybe not leave them in your vehicle, or maybe park your vehicle somewhere secure.