Self-Defense Is Legal in North Carolina

But then I thought it was. Homeowner who shot attempted burglar in chest won’t face charges, Gastonia police say

On the morning of Sunday, July 12, a homeowner fired one shot at a man who was trying to break into his home, Gastonia police reported on July 22. The man, identified as 57-year-old Cedric Ford, was hospitalized for a gunshot wound in the chest and later arrested, police said.

Security camera footage shared by police showed Ford appear to open the window of a home and try to push through it. He then used his backside to try to push through the front door before returning to the window, according to the video.

The homeowner, an elderly person with disabilities, fired once through the window.

“The homeowner told investigators he did not know he had struck Ford, but he did know his actions stopped the attempted break-in,” police said on social media on Wednesday.

Gastonia, North Carolina, is about a 20 mile drive west of downtown Charlotte, North Carolina.

When he got to the hospital, Ford told a story about a drive-by shooting. That earned him an extra charge, obstruction.

Officials said Ford was taken into custody after his release from the hospital. Ford was charged with attempted first-degree burglary and felony obstruction of justice.

Self-defense is a human right.

Contrast the week that it took for officials to make a determination in North Carolina, with the two years it took officials in the UK to reach the same decision.