Another Failure of the Victim-Selection Process

More good guys are armed every day. The bad guys keep not getting that memo. Blue Springs homeowner shoots, kills alleged intruder, police say

Officers with the Blue Springs Police Department were called to the 100 block of Little Garden on Friday morning on reports of a burglary. A homeowner called 911 and said that someone had entered the home unlawfully.

Blue Springs, Missouri, is located 19 miles east of Kansas City.

While cops were on the way, the homeowner shot the intruder. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

And neighbors were shocked. Shooting during break-in shakes quiet Blue Springs neighborhood

Neighbors say the incident has left them shaken in an area they describe as quiet.

“I’m just more in shock than anything,” said James Ononye, a neighbor.

There are more statements along those lines. Neighbors wondering what they would do, not understanding that you need to plan ahead. The homeowner in this incident had a gun, it was loaded, and he knew how to use it, and presumably he knew a little about how the law in Missouri works.

You are not protected by your zip code. You do not live on top of magic dirt. You live in The Real World™ where crime can, and all too often does, occur. You should plan accordingly.

The investigation is only getting started, but Missouri is not Massachusetts.

Self-defense is a human right.

No One Was Injured

Journalists and Leftists most impacted. Shooting at Summit Mall: Teen arrested no one injured, say police

Maybe we should pass a law making it illegal to shoot guns in the air for no reason. Oh, wait a minute...

Also I want to note, that if you cannot name the problem you have, or even admit that you have a problem, then you have no chance of fixing that problem.

Fairlawn police said a 17-year old was arrested Friday, accused of firing a gun twice in the air after an argument with a group of teens in the parking lot of Summit Mall.

Investigators said no one was injured, but the mall was locked down while police searched for the shooter and potential victims.

Fairlawn, Ohio is about 5 miles northwest of downtown Akron, or about 25 miles south of Cleveland.

It is hard to characterize this incident. "A group of teens" had an argument in a mall parking lot. At least one of them was armed. What does that bring to mind? If we can't address the elephant in the room, we can't fix problems. But the Left doesn't want to fix problems.

No one was hurt, though the shooting was certainly a crime. Is this news? Probably.

Oh, and people were shocked that bad things could happen at a mall.

"Terrifying, I'm ready to leave," said [a mall worker] as she got into her car to go home.

University Students Shocked They Live in the Real World™

Even in Oklahoma, they are pampered children. Stillwater shooting leaves one injured during busy weekend | KFOR Oklahoma City

There was a shooting near a stip of bars in the vicinity of OSU. Cops are searching for "person of interest." Click thu for those details.

Ashlyn Caldwell is apparently a student at OSU, getting notifications from the university. She was on the strip and disturbed to discover that there was a shooting.

“You hear about shootings every day, but you never think that you’re going to witness one or like be in the same proximity as one, and it’s weird to see the strip today, it’s completely normal,” said Caldwell. “It’s like nothing happened, but I was here just 12 hours ago or whatever, and there was a shooting here.”

As Tolkien said, you can fence yourself in, but you cannot fence the world out. OSU and environs are not Mayberry RFD, they are in fact part of the Real World were crime can, and often does, happen. You are not protected by your zip code.

I doubt this will change Ashlyn Caldwell's outlook on life, or the outlook of any other university student in 2026.

Self-Defense Is Legal in Pennsylvania

From WPXI by way of Yahoo News: Neighbors stunned after burglary suspect was shot by homeowner in New Castle

Pretty typical self-defense story. Guy breaks into house, gets shot by homeowner, cops show up, and the EMTs take him to a local hosptial.

Neighbors were shocked. Well, okay "stunned."

The neighbor didn’t want to be on camera, but said her street is always quiet.

“I’ve been here for four years, and this is a very quiet street,” she told Channel 11’s Andrew Havranek. “The kids go out and play every day, I mean, they’re always nonstop running around outside. It’s very quiet, nobody bothers you, I mean, the kids go to church right up the street, so that was just very alarming when I heard that. It was just like...Wow.”

The guy who got shot is still in the hospital, and cops expect him to be there for a while.

Right now, police do not expect charges to be filed against the homeowner.

Self-defense is a human right, and it seems like it is also a legal right in Pennsylvania.

You Are Not Protected By Your Zip Code

Crime is not something that happens to "other kinds of people," in "other kinds of places." If you are reading this, then you live in the Real World™ and not in Mayberry or Pleasantville. Deadly shooting at Sunrise apartment complex investigated as self-defense; residents express safety concerns - WSVN 7News

Police said the shooting stemmed from an argument between two men during which one of them shot the other in what detectives are investigating as self-defense. Investigators added that the men are not domestically related.

Neighbors said they woke up to police sirens. They came outside to find the man’s body next to a building, in the middle of an area that is visible to all residents.

Sunrise, Florida is a city about 6 or 7 miles west of Fort Laurderdale. It backs up against the Everglades Wildlife Management Area.

The investigation is actually in early days. It will be some time before we know if this is really self-defense or not, but that isn't what made this story interesting to me.

“It’s a little scary. I don’t feel so safe anymore,” said [a resident of the apartment complex]. “My mom had been held at gunpoint, to her head, actually, right in front of the Jiffy Lube, right there, and now this. After last night, I kind of feel like I want to move.”

You may have thought you were safe. You were not safe. You may have been statistically safer than certain other neighborhoods or suburbs, but that is not the same thing as being safe. You are not protected by the magic dirt under your feet. You are not protected by your zip code. Of course if you implement social policies that basically dismantle law and order, if your culture abandons the rule of law, then yes, you will be in more danger than you were previously, but you were never safe.

Woman Beaten to Death in Her Own Home

People, well reporters mostly, ask after a self-defense shooting, "Was he armed?" That is not a requirement for being a threat. From ABC 6 in Raleigh we get the following story. 'Beloved' North Carolina teacher killed by intruder while on phone with 911; suspect charged

Police learned that Welsh had called 911 to say a man was inside her home. While she was still on the phone with dispatch, the intruder attacked and beat her.

Police arrived, and gave aid, but she died of her injuries at a local hospital.

The only good news is that police have arrested a suspect, so there is some chance that there will be some level of Justice. I have no idea how "soft on crime" the powers-that-be in Raleigh are.

And of course, the neighbors were shocked to discover that they live in the Real World™ and not in some fantasy land where crime is impossible.

Neighbors in the area said they don't recognize Camacho and can't believe this type of crime happened in their neighborhood.

"It's devastating for people who live in this area, it's crazy, kind of shocking. To hear about this stuff going on so close to me, I literally live right down the street here, I really don't know what I can process what I can do," says Joshua Carpenter, a neighbor to Welsh.

That is not the only neighbor to be interviewed by the press. The local CBS station had a story on this incident.

“I’m shocked because usually this is a great neighborhood,” said neighbor James Foster. “Everybody knows each other, and it’s nothing but families here, and everybody likes to come to this park and just get together and have fun. So it’s really shocking.”

Foster and his fiancée are installing security cameras for "an added layer of protection." Do they realize that while, cameras help solve crimes, they do not prevent crimes? If cameras prevented crimes, there would be no video of porch pirates, etc.

You are not protected by your zip code. Crime can, and all too often does, happen anywhere.

Believing you are protected by the dirt under your feet, "crime happens in other kinds of places," is not a healthy respect for reality.

In the second story, Foster and the fiancée state that they are considering moving because they (or at least she) no longer "feels safe" in that neighborhood. OK. But she was never safe in that neighborhood. And if they do move to another neighborhood, that also will not be built on top of the magic dirt that will make her safe. She may "feel safe," but see the comment about reality above.

A gun may not have saved Zoe Welsh's life. There are no guarantees in this life except for death and next winter's snow. And given that she was a school teacher, in an urban center, I am going to guess that she believed owning a gun would make her less safe. Her being unarmed against an unarmed man did not work out in her favor.

This is a tragedy for all concerned. Zoe Welsh was a mother, and her family will certainly be traumatized by this. She was teacher, and they are bringing in grief counselors for the students. I am not making light of the tragedy. I am merely pointing out that you are not safe, no matter where you live. Crime can impact you.

Concealed Carry in Chicago Stops Domestic Violence

This does not sound like a nice man. CCL holder shoots, kills man trying to break into West Side apartment

He showed up at an apartment and tried to break in by kicking in the back door. The woman, who was home with her two kids, called the police and a relative who was armed. The relative got there before police did.

The man allegedly continued trying to get into the apartment, breaking a bedroom window and threatening to kill the family inside, sources told WGN-TV. The 28-year-old relative, who has a valid CCL, fired toward the man, hitting him multiple times.

The guy who got shot did not survive.

Of course they had to interview a neighbor, who had absolutely no information on the incident, but could be the generic "shocked neighbor." It has to be in the Professional Journalist Playbook, or something. It never ads anything to the story.

As for the guy who got shot...

According to arrest records, the 33-year-old has been arrested 64 times in Chicago since 2009 and has 11 convictions stemming from those cases. Close to two dozen of those arrests were for domestic battery and violation of an order of protection.

This was always going to end with either him dead, or the woman and her kids dead.

And how is that Criminal Justice Reform working out? He was arrested on August 23rd, for domestic battery, and held. But another judge granted him release on August 31st. This is the completely predictable outcome of events.

This being Chicago, the Professional Journalist™ is surprised, or seems to be, that no charges were announced against the woman who shot this monster. But concealed carry and self-defense is relatively new to Chicago, and completely alien to the media and the Left, but I repeat myself.

You can find the WGN broadcast story on YouTube at this link. Hat tip goes to USA Carry.

Self-defense is a human right.

You Are Not Protected By Your Zip Code

As the good people of Encino are discovering. After 'American Idol' exec killing and other recent break-ins, Encino residents demand LAPD action

You have to wonder how many people in Encino were demanding the defunding of the police department a few years back. Now they want more police services.

Encino community leaders on Thursday asked Mayor Karen Bass to increase security following a deadly home invasion and a string of other break-ins in the San Fernando Valley hillside neighborhood.

“American Idol” music supervisor Robin Kaye and her rock musician husband, Tom DeLuca, were killed in their Encino home by an intruder earlier this month. The Hayvenhurst Avenue home of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Teddi Mellencamp was also targeted last week by three intruders who jumped a fence and entered the property.

Encino is a neighborhood San Fernando Valley, which is part of Los Angeles, California. It is roughly 18 miles northwest of downtown LA, or about 14 miles from Hollywood.

This is California, and these are affluent liberals, so the idea that they should arm themselves and shoot the bad guys will never occur to them. Or not until more of them are mugged by reality.

Glushon and others leaders want Bass and the LAPD to create a real-time crime monitoring center at a local police station, similar to one in Beverly Hills. They also want a new police substation in Encino, drones to track suspicious cars and crime, license plate readers at major intersections, and weekly public meetings with LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell.

Is it just me, or does that sound like they are demanding the infrastructure of a police state. The East German Secret Police would have loved all of those things.

None of these steps will ensure safety, but then being armed in your own defense is no guarantee. Some strategies are better than others. (The image above is from Oleg Volk.)

Don't Bring a Pizza Cutter to a Gunfight

And neighbors were shocked. Man armed with pizza cutter charged at Nash deputy before being shot, sheriff says

I'm not even surprised that I got to write that post title.

Nash County, North Carolina is about 20 miles east of Raleigh.

A couple was going about their morning routine when it was interrupted by a stranger, who burst into their kitchen and stole the pizza cutter out of the sink.

According to Sheriff Keith Stone, the homeowner provided a description of the man who had broken into his home and stolen some items. The man then took off on foot down US-64 Alt. and encountered the deputy on Big Jim Road.

Stone says the man, who was armed with a pizza cutter, then charged at the deputy, who fired one shot.

The deputy was not injured. The guy with the pizza cutter is in critical condition.

As for the neighbor homeowner, he is shocked to discover that he is not protected by his zip code.

"I'm still shocked [because] you just never expect this," Vandermeulen said.

I don't usually features stories about cops defending themselves, because that is not what I'm focused on, and it is a good way to get wrapped up in controversy, but this story is too perfectly bizarre to ignore.

As the Other McCain always says, Crazy People Are Dangerous.

Neighbors Were Shocked

Why do people think they are protected by their zip code? Oakley residents concerned after their neighbor is shot

Oakley is a neighborhood in the City of Cincinnati. I haven't looked at real estate in Cincinnati proper in a very long time, but it was an up-and-coming neighborhood (adjacent to a couple of places becoming unaffordable) about 20 years ago.

Residents in Oakley are asking questions after one of their neighbors was shot during an attempted residential break-in on Madison Road early Monday.

Just because you live in a nice area does not mean you cannot be a victim of crime. And it isn't like Oakley is a swanky suburb miles for the city. Buses do run in Cincinnati, and the bad guys can drive.

You chance of being the victim of a crime may vary with your locale, but the chance is never zero.

Good Guys 2, Bad Guys 0

You might say that they suffered a failure of the victim-selection process. Homeowner shoots attempted burglary suspect: Surprise PD

The home invasion victim didn’t want to talk on camera but said the suspects rang his doorbell at 4 a.m. He didn’t answer but says they came in through the back door and cornered him.

He says he did not know who the men were and doesn’t know if his roommates knew them either.

The homeowner opened fire, striking one of the two home invaders.

Surprise, Arizona is a suburb of Phoenix.

Officers arrived at the scene and took both suspects into custody, one of whom was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

Neighbors, of course, were shocked to discover that they live in The Real World™ and not a mythical safe space, like Pleasantville. That is something everyone should realize. You are NOT protected by your zip code.

"It’s pretty shocking because this is a neighborhood where you can leave your cars unlocked, nothing like that happens here," a neighbor named Justin said.

Your odds of being victimized may change with locale, but those odds are never zero. Bad guys can drive to your area.

One neighbor says to get a guard dog. Good advice, but most people will get a family pet with no idea of how to train a guard dog. (A guard dog is NOT a family pet.)

But you should do something. Like the homeowner in this story, I prefer fast-moving lead projectiles. Not everyone is comfortable with that, however, and you should make your own determination.

Neighbors Were Shocked

‘It’s very shocking:’ Police investigating after homeowner shoots carjacking suspect in Herlong area

He was in a stolen car when police tried to stop him. He abandoned that car and fled to a neighborhood, where he tried to steal another car.

Then she said her neighbor, Don – the homeowner who the suspect is accused of attempting to carjack– shot him.

“So, when he starts coming towards him, Don says ‘Stop’ because the guy already told him he was going to kill him and so Don shot him.”

He only shot the (alleged) bad guy in the leg, but that did let the cops take him into custody.

As for the neighbors...

“It’s very shocking,” neighbor K.P. Lancaster said.

“It’s been a day and I’m sorry that it happened, and I’m sorry it happened it here,” neighbor Sheryl Anglin said.

No matter how nice your house is, you are not protected by your zip code from crime. It must shocking to realize that you do live in The Real World™ where crime can, and often does, happen.

The cops are continuing to investigate, and then the DA will make any determination on charges. I have no idea what the DA in Jacksonville is like when it comes to questions of self defense. If you know, please leave a comment.

They Suffered a Failure of the Victim-Selection Process

They apparently thought that being armed meant things would go their way. They thought wrong. 2 suspects still on the loose in deadly Harrison home invasion

Three armed bad guys broke into a home in Harrison, Tennessee. Harrison is about 12 miles, or a 20 minute drive, northeast of Chattanooga. They met an armed homeowner.

Gunfire was exchanged between the homeowner and suspects.

HCSO says one of the suspects was shot during the exchange and died at the scene.

Two other suspects jumped through a window to escape and fled the scene, according to HCSO.

Translation: When confronted with force, they ran like rabbits.

Despite the search of the area by officers and a K-9 patrol, the two got away. Not surprising since they undoubtedly had a car nearby.

This was the second time in two days that the house had been broken into.

As for the neighbors, they are shocked to discover that they live in The Real World™ where crime can, and often does, happen.

Neighbors on this street told us Tuesday morning they have always considered this a safe neighborhood and “still can’t believe it happened not once, but twice in a row.”

I dont' know why people are convinced that they are protected by their zip code. They are not.

With luck, they will be able to track these two down somehow, but the important thing is that the homeowner was safe.

Self defense is a human right.

Neighbors Still Convinced They Are Protected By Geography

Despite the incursion of reality into their little enclave, they are still sure that they are protected by where they live. Westboro residents recall frantic scene after woman shot by Ottawa police officer | Daily Guardian

You are not protected by your zip code, or whatever the Canadian equivalent would be.

A traffic stop in Ottawa, Ontario turned into a police shooting.

“There was a girl running and a police officer running with a gun after her and he was shouting, ‘Stop, drop the gun, drop the gun,'” [a bystander] said.

The cop ended up firing on the fleeing suspect - though the details of that are less interesting to me. There are several reactions from neighbors that are of interest.

Residents say while they are shaken by the events that took place Friday, they do not feel unsafe.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that in the 21st Century people are worried about 'feeling safe.' I am more interested in actually being safe.

And despite the dose of reality that invaded their "safe space," they are still convinced that they don't need to consider what else might happen.

One home was struck by a stray bullet that shattered the front door window.

“Thankfully, no one was upstairs – it appeared to have ricocheted off somewhere else.” said homeowner Kristen Simkus.

“Definitely a little scary, but the important thing is that this was just a freak event for our street.”

Because if they think about reality, about what did happen and what might happen in the future, they would have to prepare in some way. This happened in Canada, where only criminals have guns, because the law abiding have been disarmed. So I'm not sure what preparations are appropriate, but I am sure that something could be done.

You are not protected by geography. Crime is not something that happens to "other kinds of people" in "other kinds of places." While the statistics governing your risk may change by location, criminals do have cars, and they do occasionally drive to nice areas, to steal nice things, from nice people.

And sometimes when they do, bad things happen to those nice people. You might want to plan accordingly.

Self-Defense Is Legal in Philadelphia

In the Blue Cities, it is hard to be sure. No charges will be filed in fatal Society Hill Towers shooting because resident acted in self-defense, police say.

And this is another example of how people you know can be a threat.

Police said a homeowner in the West Tower of the complex shot Omar Littlejohn multiple times, killing him, after Littlejohn threatened him with a knife. Littlejohn, 31, of Kensington, was a guest of the man who shot him after a confrontation in the hallway of the building, police said.

The gun-hating part of the Left loves to go on at length about how you are more likely to shoot someone you know, than a complete stranger, if you own a gun. They say that as though people you know could never be a threat. Just so we're clear, "people you know" includes, the following:

• An ex who has morphed into a violent stalker
• The creepy guy from the coffee shop who won't leave you alone
• A disgruntled ex-employee

I'm sure you can think of other examples of people you know.

Police recovered a gun from inside the apartment and took the resident into custody. The homeowner, whom police did not identify, told investigators he fired the shots to protect himself after Littlejohn threatened him with a knife.

Oh, and the neighbors were shocked. They almost always are.

The gunfire shook residents of the three-tower complex of luxury apartments and condominiums set on five acres.

The truly amazing thing about this story, is that the police, and the DA in a Deep Blue City, Philadelphia, made this determination in under one month. It can take prosecutors close to a year to make this determination. Why? Because they hate self-defense.

Self-defense is a human right.

Neighbors Were Shocked

Shocked to discover that they did not, in fact, live in a crime-free zone. 1 arrested, 2 at-large after overnight Marysville shooting with armed homeowner | KOMO

Officials determined three armed suspects arrived in a stolen vehicle and confronted an armed homeowner who just arrived home.

Gunfire was exchanged between the suspects and the homeowner, according to police.

Marysville, Washington is a part of the Seattle metropolitan area. It is about a 35 mile drive north of the city center.

Cops brought in K-9 officers and drones to find the suspects. A K-9 officer found one suspect, but two remain at large.

As for the neighbors...

Several residents said this shooting was surprising.

“It’s very quiet and very peaceful so it was pretty startling, very startling," said Debbie Young, who lives across the street.

To be fair, several homes and cars in the area were damaged by gunfire. But the important point to remember is that you do not live in Pleasantville. You live in the Real World™ where crime can, and all to often does happen. You are not protected by your zip code.

“We want to live in a neighborhood where there’s no gunfire and no crime and none of that stuff," said Firmansyah.

Here's another thought. Just because you "feel safe," that does not mean that you actually are safe. You want to actually be safe? Then you need a plan for that. Relying on the magic qualities of your zip code, is not a viable plan.

The investigation continues. Self-defense is a human-right.

Home Invaders Are Now Being Shot in California

I don't really expect the bad guys to figure out that they are in a different environment now. Vallejo burglary suspect shot dead by resident, police say

An alleged home intruder was shot and killed by a resident after he broke into a Vallejo home Monday, police said.

Neighbors are surprised to learn that they are not protected by their zip code.

It’s extremely unfortunate of course that it happened around the corner from the police station, in the morning. It doesn’t make any sense," said Vallejo resident Athena Miller as she came across yellow crime-scene tape.

And this being The People's Republic of California she had to make excuses for lawlessness.

"I’m frustrated, you know? I mean you also have you think about why are people breaking into houses anyway? I mean people are desperate," Miller said.

California is a lost cause.

Neighbors Were Shocked

The area is "secluded" so they didn't think crime would happen in their neighborhood. Auburn homeowner shoots at 3 armed men during attempted burglary | KOMO

This story has been on several sites, because the security video shows three masked men trying to break into a home. When they succeed in breaking open the door, they are met with gunfire and run like rabbits.

A neighbor who did not want to give his name said he woke up to the sound of gunfire and a bullet hit his home.

“We heard a bullet go through our window and our alarm started going off and then I just heard an exchange of gunfire just a bunch of bullets," he added.

As for being shocked...

“You assume you’re safe, you assume it wouldn’t happen to you and even though it didn’t happen directly to me, it’s close enough where we saw the impact in our living room," said the neighbor.

You are not protected by your zip code. Crime is not something that happens only to "other kinds of people," in "other kinds of places." Your chances may vary as your location changes, but the possibility always remains. You should plan accordingly, especially if you live in a "secluded area," because chances are that police response time will not be measured in seconds.

And the police, while admitting this is self-defense had a strange statement. Washington Homeowner Shoots at 3 Masked Gunmen Attempting Home Invasion.

We obviously don’t encourage people to start shooting at people, but we understand that there is a right and a need to protect your property when called for.

No, you shouldn't just shoot people randomly and for no reason. You should defend yourself from armed thugs.

Self-defense is a human-right, and despite what this spokesman came up with, it seems to be your legal right in Washington state.

Oklahoma Is a Bad Place for Bad Guys

The bad guys haven't gotten that memo. Homeowner shoots intruder who tried breaking into Midwest City house

Midwest City, Oklahoma is a suburb of Oklahoma City.

Police told KOCO 5 that the suspect tried breaking into a home in the 2100 block of Flannery Drive, near Reno Avenue and Midwest Boulevard. The homeowner then shot the suspect, and they ran from the scene.

Cops found the injured guy, and took him to get his wounds treated. No word on charges was released. See below for more info.

Self-defense is a human-right, and as far as I can tell supported by the laws of Oklahoma.

UPDATE: It seems like this is a case of domestic violence. MWCPD: Man shot by estranged wife’s boyfriend

He was irate that she left him. He called her 170 times between 12:30 PM Tuesday and 11:45 AM Wednesday. No one knows how he found the home of the new boyfriend.

He broke into the home, shouted at the homeowner, and "advanced on him." The homeowner retreated to a bedroom and retrieved a firearm.

When Delarosa opened the door, the homeowner shot him in the chest.

The guy who got shot is still in the hospital, but he is also under arrest for burglary and stalking. The phrase, "It's over!" really needs to be understood by more people.

As for the neighbor...

“My neighborhood quiet, my neighbors are quiet, nothing like this every happens around here, so it was a shock really,” said Breeden.

You are not protected by you zip code. And when an irate person, bent on violence is in your home, the police cannot protect you, because they are not there.

“People are at a point where they are protecting themselves.”

Self-defense is catching on in the Windy City. I don't expect that the bad guys will change their ways because of it. Man critically injures alleged home invader | WGN-TV

It has gotten to the point that neighbors are no longer shocked. More on that in a minute.

This incident took place in Chicago’s Belmont Cragin neighborhood, which is on the northwest side of the city.

Police say a man allegedly walked into a home in the area without permission and was shot twice by the 26-year-old homeowner.

The guy who got shot was taken to a local hospital where he was in critical condition. Given neighbors reported 5 gunshots, he is probably lucky to be alive. Though he was only hit twice. (More time at the range for everyone!)

UPDATE: Home invasion suspect shot by homeowner dies.

Alexis Quiles, 39, was pronounced dead at 12:24 p.m. Tuesday at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

As for the neighbors... 5 years ago there would have been shock and dismay at that fact that crime had come to their quiet neighborhood.

“For the most part, this block is generally pretty peaceful,” Andre Davis told WGN News. “But it definitely hits close to home. I don’t know what happened to the offender. That’s what happens, though. People are at a point where they are protecting themselves.”

People have reached that point, because the Criminal Justice System in Chicago, and in other places as well, is broken. Cops cannot pursue suspects in Chicago. Car chases and even foot chases require authorization that never comes in time. When suspects are arrested they are not held, because cash bail is unfair, or something. And the State's Attorney for Chicago and Cook county can't be bothered to prosecute. That office has declined to prosecute murders when there was video evidence of the crime. If they won't prosecute murder, and they treat shoplifting as a right, why should anyone assume they will do anything about home invasion?

You can find what I usually say about Hobbes, his book Leviathan, and the breakdown of law and order, and what it means for society as a whole, at this link.

In the meantime, self-defense is a human-right. It remains to be seen if the State's Attorney believes it to be a legal right.