Friday, March 21, 2008

Peoria homeowner confronts and shoots burglar

"A Peoria homeowner shot a burglary suspect inside his home early Thursday morning, according to police.

The 62-year-old homeowner, John Kallas, said he saw a suspicious person outside one of his windows and heard him get in through the back door.

When the burglar got inside the home near 83rd Avenue and Cactus, police said he started to move toward Kallas who had gotten his gun.

"He seemed to do everything right," said Peoria Police Spokesperson Mike Tellef. "He told the man to stop a couple times and when he didn't, he (Kallas) defended himself."

Whew. How cool is that. Mr. Kallas got a permission slip from his masters and all is well.

"Gun law expert and author Alan Korwin says the legal trends favor homeowners and business owners in these situations, but it has to be clear that your life is being threatened.

"Chasing someone and shooting them is not self defense," he said.

Arizona recently passed the Castle Doctrine, which presumes homeowners are being threatened when someone breaks into their home.

"That doesn't mean it's ok to shoot some drunk kid who might have accidently entered your home," Korwin explained.

He also said if you shoot someone who is running away, the law will likely not back you up.

"If you are not clearly being threatened then don't shoot," he said. "If you are, then don't miss."

Ah, now I can see why they call this guy an expert.

Trouble is, his advice is location-specific and not applicable across the board. One does NOT have to believe that one's life is being threatened in the more civilized states, and gun owners can act much like the hired help and stop a felony in progress, or if necessary chase and kill someone who was in the process of doing the same to someone else.

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