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-Lurid Crime Tales-

Gunshot ends home-invasion terror (shooter arrested!)

2007-06-27

A man has been charged after allegedly firing a shot through the front door of his home to deter would-be intruders terrorising the occupants. Police said the man, 43, fired one shot from a rifle through the front door of the home in McNeil Avenue, Geelong East, about 10pm last night.

The would-be intruders had thrown rocks through the front window and cut the home's power supply before trying to jemmy open the front door. They fled after the man, who was inside with a woman and young girl, opened fire.

Police recovered the rifle and charged the man with conduct endangering life and firearm offences. He has been bailed to appear at the Geelong Magistrates Court on August 9.

Posted by:Atomic Conspiracy

#7 Unless he had a glass door he was not able to see what he was shooting at. He really should not shoot without knowing that, and what/who was downrange, especially with a rifle. He'd have been well advised to use a shotgun instead, and wait until he could see his target. And kill it.

Posted by: Glenmore 2007-06-27 19:35

#6 Yep, I would've maintained better fire discipline; waited until one of the assailants crossed the threshold of my domicile before sending rounds down range. However, if they had a cro-bar and were trying to pry their way in I don't see that he needed to wait - that cro-bar becoming a deadly weapons itself - hopefully the jury throws this one out.

Posted by: Broadhead6 2007-06-27 18:48

#5 As far as I am concerned, he did the would-be intruders a favor. The alternative would have left at least one of them dead.

Posted by: gorb 2007-06-27 14:18

#4 The headline links to The Age, an Australian newspaper. Some of Rantburg's Australian correspondents have said there are still a lot of guns over there, and they're used as necessary. I suspect the jury will vote the use was justified. Especially if it turns out the youths are "Lebanese", the term they use for Muslim immigrants.

Posted by: trailing wife 2007-06-27 12:15

#3 I think this incident occurred in Australia. Not too long ago, Australia implemented draconian gun laws. I don't think citizens have the protection of the 2nd Amendment.

In the U.S. there is a saying: "Better to be tried by 12 than carried by six."

I think this shooter would have trouble in the U.S. shooting "through" the door. Suppose someone was banging on the door and this had nothing to do with your phone not working? You might shoot an innocent person. The incident indicates that it might be a good idea to keep a working cell phone nearby. You could call 911 and they might or might not arrive soon enough. Good to keep a good firearm handy and be proficient with it.

The NRA publishes the American Rifleman each month which contains a column "The Armed Citizen." The column contains true stories whereby citizens have defended themselves with a firearm from thugs. The stories give an idea of the breadth of situations where people have defended themselves.

Posted by: Firearms Instructor 2007-06-27 11:05

#2 Doesn't matter what they do to the guy, I don't figure he'd prefer the alternative. This will get thrown out in jury, but it is still bullshit, and will cost him some $$AU.

Posted by: bigjim-ky 2007-06-27 09:27

#1 The would-be intruders had thrown rocks through the front window and cut the home's power supply before trying to jemmy open the front door.

"The boys were just having a bit of fun, that's all. There was no need to shoot. They always smash the windows, cut off the power and pry at the doors of people they like."

Posted by: Zenster 2007-06-27 06:10

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